Emergency tracheostomy apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for performing emergency tracheostomies, by inserting the apparatus into the trachea of a patient, the apparatus including an air delivery tube, having a body portion, a first upper threaded end, a second lower end, and a bore extending throughout the body portion to accommodate air flow through the air delivery tube; a trocar member including a body portion insertable through the bore of the air delivery tube, with a pointed end partially protruding out of the second lower end of the tube for piercing the tracheal wall during insertion of a portion of the air delivery tube into the trachea; an extendor portion engageable to the first upper end of the air delivery tube after the tube has been inserted into the trachea, and the trocar member has been removed from the air delivery tube, for providing a point of delivering air flow through the air delivery tube into the trachea of a patient above the tracheal wall; the air delivery tube and trocar insertable in the extendor member and sealed therein when not in use.

What is claimed as invention is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for performing emergency tracheostomies, comprising: a) an air delivery tube, having a body portion, a first end, a second end, and a bore extending throughout the body portion to accommodate air flow through the air delivery tube;   b) a trocar member including a body portion insertable through the bore of the air delivery tube, with a pointed end partially protruding out of the second lower end of the air delivery tube;   c) extendor means engageable to a first upper end of the air delivery tube defining a means to provide air flow through the air delivery tube into a trachea of a patient; and   d) a lower cap portion engageable on a lower end of the .[.body portion of the trocar member.]. .Iadd.extendor means .Iaddend.so that the air delivery tube is maintained in the trocar member during non use.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus in claim 1, further comprising a threaded portion on an upper end of the air delivery tube for threadably engaging the extendor means thereto for air delivery. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein the trocar member is removable from the air delivery tube before the extendor means is threadably engaged to the air delivery tube. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein the extendor means further comprises a bore through a body portion of sufficient length and diameter so as to accommodate the air delivery tube within the bore of the extendor means when the air delivery tube is not in use. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein the trocar member is positioned within the air delivery tube when the air flow tube is housed within the extendor means, and a top portion of the trocar member is threadably engaged to a top portion of the extender means during non-use. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus in claim 1, further comprising a loop on the top of the extendor means for threading a key chain therethrough for carrying the apparatus during non-use. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus in claim 1, wherein the air delivery tube is sufficiently small to allow the insertion of an endotracheal tube down the patient's windpipe without having to remove the air delivery tube from the windpipe. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus in claim 7, further comprising a threaded portion on an upper end of the air delivery tube for threadably engaging the extendor portion thereto for air delivery after the trocar member has been removed from the air delivery tube. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus in claim 7, wherein the extendor means further comprises a bore through a body portion of sufficient length and diameter so as to accommodate the air delivery tube within the bore of the extendor means when the air delivery tube is not in use. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus in claim 7, wherein the trocar member is positioned within the air delivery tube when the air delivery tube is housed within the extendor portion, and a top portion of the trocar member is threadably engaged to a top portion of the extendor portion during non-use. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus in claim 7, further comprising a loop on the top of the extendor portion for threading a key chain therethrough for carrying the apparatus during non-use. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus for performing emergency tracheostomies, by inserting the apparatus into the trachea of a patient, the apparatus comprising: a) an air delivery tube, having a body portion, a first end, a second end, and a bore extending throughout the body portion to accommodate air flow through the air delivery tube;   b) a trocar member including a body portion insertable through the bore of the air delivery tube, with a pointed end partially protruding out of the second lower end of the tube for defining a means to pierce the tracheal wall during insertion of a portion of the air delivery tube into the trachea;   c) an extendor portion engageable to a first upper end of the air delivery tube after the tube has been inserted into a trachea, and the trocar member has been removed from the air delivery tube, for providing a point of delivering air flow through the air delivery tube into a patient's trachea above the tracheal wall; and   d) a lower cap portion engageable on a lower end of the .[.body portion of the trocar member.]. .Iadd.extendor portion .Iaddend.so that the air .[.deliver.]. .Iadd.delivery .Iaddend.tube is sealed in the trocar member during non-use.   
     
     
       13. An apparatus for performing emergency tracheostomies, which may be carried by a person in a disassembled configuration, and may be used to perform tracheostomies in an assembled configuration, the apparatus in the disassembled configuration comprising: a) an air delivery tube, having a body portion, a first end, a second end, and a bore extending throughout the body portion to accommodate air flow through the air delivery tube;   b) a trocar member including a body portion insertable through the bore of the air delivery tube, with a first pointed end partially protruding out of the second lower end of the tube for defining a means to pierce a patient's tracheal wall during insertion of a portion of the air delivery tube into a patient's trachea and a second upper end having an outer threaded wall protruding from the first end of the air delivery tube;   c) an extendor portion having an elongated body portion, with a diameter sufficient to accommodate the air delivery tube housing the trocar therein, and an upper body portion of sufficient diameter to threadably engage the upper threaded wall of the trocar member; and   d) a cap .Iadd.for .Iaddend.threadably .[.for.]. engaging to the lower end of the extendor portion for sealing the lower end of the extendor portion.