IRRIGATING INTRALUMINAL SUCTION INNER CANNUAL SYSTEM

20220184333

17/643816

December 10, 2021

An irrigating intraluminal suction inner cannula system for a tracheostomy tube may be a suction-powered system that may be used for suction alone or a combination of rinse and intraluminal suction for tracheostomy tubes in place of conventional catheter-based intraluminal suction. An inner cannula includes chambers, or regions, and holes that facilitate intraluminal suction and cleaning at multiple locations within the tracheostomy tube. It may be applied/actuated by a patient, healthcare worker, caretaker, or via an electronic system either on-demand or on regular or triggered intervals, in either inpatient/hospital or outpatient/ambulatory care setting.

1. An inner cannula for use with a tracheostomy tube, comprising: a first tube having a first diameter for insertion in the tracheostomy tube, said first tube further comprising a plurality of holes between an intraluminal space of the first tube and an outer surface of the first tube, and one or more ridges on the outer surface of the first tube that divide an airspace surrounding the outer surface into a plurality of regions; and a second tube fused to a distal end of the first tube and having a second diameter larger than the first diameter, the second tube comprising a first passage between an outer surface of the second tube and a first region of the plurality of regions and a second passage between an outer surface of the second tube and a second region of the plurality of regions.

2. The inner cannula of claim 1, said second tube further comprising retaining clips for attaching the inner cannula to the tracheostomy tube.

3. The inner cannula of claim 1, wherein the first passage extends between the first region and an outer surface of the second tube and is connectable to a line coupled to a source of irrigant.

4. The inner cannula of claim 1, wherein the second passage extends between the second region and an outer surface of the second tube and is conn a line coupled to a vacuum source.

5. An irrigating intraluminal suction inner cannula system comprising: an outer tracheostomy tube; an inner cannula positioned inside the outer tracheostomy tube, comprising: a first tube having a first diameter for insertion in the outer tracheostomy tube, said first tube further comprising a plurality of holes between an intraluminal space of the first tube and an outer surface of the first tube, and one or more ridges on the outer surface that divide an airspace between the outer surface of the inner cannula and an inner surface of the outer tracheostomy tube into a plurality of regions; and a second tube fused to a distal end of the first tube and having a second diameter larger than the first diameter, the second tube comprising a first passage between an outer surface of the second tube and a first region of the plurality of regions and a second passage between the outer surface of the second tube and a second region of the plurality of regions; and an irrigant line attached to the first passage in the second tube and in communication with the first region; a suction line attached to the second passage in the second tube and in communication with the second region; and an actuating device coupled between the irrigant line and a source of irrigant and coupled between the suction line and a vacuum source, said actuating device controlably connecting the irrigant line to the source of irrigant and the suction line to the vacuum source.

6. The cannula system of claim 5, wherein the outer tracheostomy tube further comprises indentations on an inner surface in the same pattern as the one or more ridges such that the one or more ridges engage with the indentations when the inner cannula is inserted into the outer tracheostomy tube.

7. The cannula system of claim 5, wherein the actuating device may be coupled between only the suction line and the inner cannula.

8. The cannula system of claim 5, wherein the actuating device may be incorporated within a ventilator.

9. The cannula system of claim 5, wherein the source of irrigant is positioned at a distance below a vertical height of the inner cannula to prevent spontaneous flow.

10. The cannula system of claim 9, further comprising a flow sensor for monitoring excessive or unexpected flow of irrigant or suction.

11. The cannula system of claim 10, further comprising valves, flow-limiters, mechanical flow and pressure sensors, or electrical flow and pressure sensors.

12. The cannula system of claim 11, further comprising an alarm or notification when excessive or unexpected flow of irrigant or suction is detected.

13. The cannula system of claim 5, wherein the second tube further comprises retaining clips for attaching the second tube to the outer tracheostomy tube.

14. The cannula system of claim 5, wherein the outer tracheostomy tube and the inner cannula form a single device.

15. The cannula system of claim 5, wherein the outer tracheostomy tube is a cuffed or uncuffed tracheostomy tube.

16. The cannula system of claim 5, wherein the outer tracheostomy tube is a fenestrated or non-fenestrated tracheostomy tube.

17. An irrigating intraluminal suction and extraluminal suction inner cannula system comprising: an outer tracheostomy tube comprising one or more openings along its length; an inner cannula positioned inside the outer tracheostomy tube, comprising: a first tube having a length and diameter for insertion in the outer tracheostomy tube, said first tube further comprising a plurality of openings between an intraluminal space of the first tube and an outer surface of the first tube, a first ridge dividing the outer surface of the first tube into an irrigation region and a first suction region, and a second ridge creating a second suction region on the outer surface of the first tube; and a second tube fused to a distal end of the first tube and having a diameter larger than the first tube; and an irrigant line attached to an irrigant passage in the second tube and in communication with an airspace formed between the outer surface of the first tube and an inner surface of the outer tracheostomy tube in the irrigation region; a first suction line attached to a first suction passage in the second tube and in communication with an airspace formed between the outer surface of the first tube and an inner surface of the outer tracheostomy tube in the first suction region; a second suction line attached to a second suction passage in the second tube and in communication with an airspace formed between the outer surface of the first tube an inner surface of the outer tracheostomy tube in the second suction region; and an actuating device coupled between the irrigant line and a source of irrigant and coupled between the first and second suction lines and a vacuum source, said actuating device controllably connecting the irrigant line to the source of irrigant and the first and second suction lines to the vacuum source.

18. The cannula system of claim 17, wherein the first tube further comprises a third ridge parallel to the second ridge and dividing the second suction region into an extraluminal irrigation region and an extraluminal suction region wherein the second suction passage is in communication with the extraluminal suction region, and the inner cannula further comprises a second irrigation line attached to a second irrigation passage in the second tube and in communication with an airspace formed between the outer surface of the first tube an inner surface of the outer tracheostomy tube in the extraluminal suction region.

19. A method of cleansing an intraluminal space of a tracheostomy system comprising an outer tracheostomy tube and an inner cannula inserted in the outer tracheostomy tube using the irrigating intraluminal suction inner cannula system of claim 5.

20. A method of cleansing an extraluminal/subglottic space of a tracheostomy system comprising an outer tracheostomy tube and an inner cannula inserted in the outer tracheostomy tube using the irrigating intraluminal suction and extraluminal suction inner cannula system of claim 17.

21. A method of cleansing a tracheostomy tube comprising an outer tracheostomy tube and an inner cannula comprising a plurality of holes and one or more ridges dividing an airspace between the outer tracheostomy tube and the inner cannula into a plurality of regions when the inner cannula is inserted in the outer tracheostomy tube, the method comprising: attaching a suction line to the inner cannula so that it is in communication with a first region of the plurality of regions; attaching an actuating device between the suction line and a vacuum source, said actuating device controllably connecting the suction line to the vacuum source; and controlling the actuating device to suction from a lumen of the inner canula through a first portion of the plurality of holes, the first region and the suction line.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising: attaching an irrigant line to the inner cannula so that it is in communication with a second region of the plurality of regions; attaching the actuating device between the irrigant line and a source of irrigant, said actuating device controllably connecting the irrigant line to the source of irrigant; and controlling the actuating device to provide irrigant to the lumen of the inner canula through a second portion of the plurality of holes, the second region and the irrigant line.

61; 61; 61

edspap.20220184333