A flexible composite intubation tube.

[Detailed Description of the Invention]

The present invention relates to the tube for flexible compound intubation. In order to introduce fluid material into medical patients and to remove fluid material from a patient, various kinds of tubes for intubation are known until now. For example, in the case of the supply tube in the stomach, a tube is inserted into a patient's stomach through a nasal cavity and an esophagus, and is usually left behind to a spot place for supply of nutritious food to the continuing patient. The example of such a tube is indicated to U.S. Pat. No. 4249535, No. 4410320, No. 4547192, and No. 4610673. Generally, don't do injury for rigidity sufficient since these tubes are inserted in a patient to a patient's internal passage more nearly simultaneously. In order to achieve these objects, using a foldaway tube and a stylet is known. That is, a stylet is used at the time of introduction of a tube, and in order to leave a tube subsequently to the position, it is removed. However, especially use of the stylet in such a case has a high risk of doing injury to it, when [, such as Lung of an internal passage and/or internal organs, for example, a patient, ] the internal passage is crooked. In order to check that the tube has been inserted appropriately when using a stylet, a doctor's presence is usually required. In other examples, in order to avoid a risk of following on it, canceling the necessity for a stylet has been proposed. For example, the supply tube consisting of a long and slender shaft portion, and a part for the omitted portion which ranges from a distal end to a shaft and the heavy Borlase portion in a distal end is proposed as suggested to U.S. Pat. No. 4610673. Although a shaft has sufficient flexibility to pass a patient's nostril, it is built so that it may have sufficient rigidity in which intubation is possible also without a stylet. An omitted portion is built by the shape expanded as compared with the shaft, and one pair of side holes for making the slot and supply prescription which were horizontally located in a line so that it might unite with an internal passage discharge outside are provided. At least, an omitted portion is rigidity to the same extent as a shaft, and it is built so that sufficient flexibility which can pass a patient's nostril at the time of attachment, and sufficient rigidity which can be attached also without using a stylet may be shown. A patient's nostril passage, esophagus passage, and intestinal tract passage have many flections as known well. Therefore, if a supply tube is inserted, as for a tube, music will put pressure on the point of contact of an intermediary and a passage wall such near a flection. When it is comparatively continued for a long period of time even for a short time, the organization which was able to apply pressure has a risk of causing a necrosis at a pressurizing point. In order to avoid subsequent infection, it is sometimes necessary to remove a supply tube, and it is necessary to fall or vanish the danger of infection. Therefore, there is the present invention in providing the supply tube which can equip the place comparatively for a long time. Other objects of the present invention are to decrease or vanish the pressurizing point by the intubation tube on a patient's passage wall. Other objects of the present invention are to provide the supply tube which does not stiffen after intubation. Other objects of the present invention are to provide during intubation the supply tube which is non-rigidity after intubation by rigidity. If it summarizes, the present invention determines the channel or inner Cavity of a fluid as the outer layer of the plastic material which has pliability, is made from hydrophilic polymer and provides the tube for flexible compound intubation which consists of a same mind inner layer of very flexible flexible plastic material by rigidity and a damp or wet condition in the state of dryness. Fixed molding of this tube may be carried out, and a same mind layer may be manufactured by a co-extrusion. This tube has an outside diameter uniform from a proximal end to a distal end. Inner Cavity given by the inner layer is standard size. For example, in order to provide inner Cavity for using a tube as a nose-stomach supply tube, a inner layer can be 0.08 inch in inside diameter. In one mode of the present invention, the outside diameter of 0.080 inch and an outer layer makes the inside diameter of a inner layer 0.113 inch. A inner layer may be 0.011 inch in thickness. In other modes, the inside diameter of a inner layer shall be 0.080 inch, thickness shall be 0.0006 inch, and an outside diameter will be 0.092 inch. Since a inner layer flexible [ the outer layer of a tube ] and flexible is contained, it is manufactured with the suitable arbitrary pliability plastic material which cooperates with a inner layer, and has enough main parts to prevent a tube exploding at the time of injection of usual pouring liquid. For example, an outer layer can be manufactured by polyether polyurethane resin, and an inner layer part can be manufactured from polyurethane resin containing a glycol chain. A body tissue is suited in an outer layer and the material which has pliability and flexibility is chosen. an outer layer does not explode on the injection conditions of usual pouring liquid -- good tensile strength -- with, it must be. Thermoplastic Hellas Thomas who satisfies these demands and who is supplied by Pele Tan's brand name from polyurethane, especially Uppsiyan (Kalamazoo, Michigan) as a material can be mentioned. It is made from the pliability material of hardness 60A~80A (Shore A scale) in Jyuro meter, If rigidity and the falling hydrophilic polyurethane inner core make it cooperate remarkably when the flexible external polyurethane layer or jacket of thickness of 1/3~2/3 of the thickness of the usual tube is hydrated, The compound tube in which it did not support in itself, therefore the pressurizing point between a tube and a human body disappeared completely at the time of use is obtained. The action of the pressure of the hydrated hydrophilic polyurethane inner core is carried out so that a compound tube may be a tube in which Jyuro meter is lower than a tube with the durometer hardness of an outer layer. For example, the weight of compound hydration tube itself cannot be supported, either, but an action is carried out like the udon which boiled. It expands, and with the polyurethane material of Jyuro meter 50A, when it compares, clearly big rigidity is shown. At the time of use, a tube is inserted through a patient's nostril without using a stylet, and subsequently it lets an esophagus passage and an intestinal tract passage pass, and inserts arrangement by the place of hope, for example, a demand, to the stomach or a small intestine. Once a tube arrives at a predetermined position, the nutrition liquid supplied through a tube for nutrition to the gastric juice or the patient who removes through a tube will make the inner Cavity wall of an internal hydrophilicity layer become wet. By this, inner layer expansion takes place, and simultaneously, a inner layer is very flexible and becomes flexibility. However, even if a inner layer expands, a inner layer does not close inner Cavity, and as it is, the fluid meets necessity and can move also towards a gap in the inside of a tube. Simultaneously, on the whole, a tube is very soft, and since it becomes pliant, the resistance to crookedness almost disappears. In a certain sense, memory of plastic material will be forgotten away. As a result, a tube agrees in crookedness and shape of a passage where it was inserted, and applying pressure to a passage wall is avoided. A tube can be made to neglect it as it is comparatively with the character which the tube after intubation softens for a long period of time. The pressure of a tube [ as opposed to an organization in an important thing ] disappears, therefore a patient's comfortable feeling and a feeling of admission of a product increase. These objects of the present invention, other objects, and an advantage will become still clearer by detailed description of the following which refers to drawings. Drawing 1 -- the present invention -- therefore, it is the figure which illustrated typically the nose-stomach tube which was built and was inserted in the patient. Drawing 2 is an expansion part fracture figure of the section of the tube of Drawing 1. Drawing 3 -- the present invention -- therefore, it is the fragmentary perspective view which arranged some sections of the built tube at the end of the table. Drawing 4 is a figure showing typically the place which inserted the tube of conventional technology. Drawing 5 is a figure showing typically the place which inserted the tube of the present invention. The intubation tube built so that it could use as nose-stomach tube 10 shows the place inserted into a patient's nostril passage 11, esophagus 12, and stomach 13 in Drawing 1. It defined and turns at tube 10 with nostril passage 11, esophagus 12, and stomach 13, and it is for a Ivy course faithfully [ To ] therefore as shown in the figure. Nose-stomach tube 10 built by multilayer one is shown in Drawing 2. For example, it has outer layer 14 of plastic material, wherein tube 10 is pliability, and same mind inner layer 15 of plastic material which defines the channel or inner Cavity of a fluid. Outer layer 14 is chosen by intensity, toughness, transparency, toxicity, etc. If an example is given, an outer layer will be manufactured by polyether like Pele Tan 2363-8OAE marketed from Uppsiyan, and polyurethane resin. Although inner layer 15 is rigidity in the state of dryness, it is manufactured by a damp or wet condition by very flexible and hydrophilic polymer being flexibility. For example, inner layer 15 is manufactured from polymer like polyurethane resin containing a glycol chain, in order to make into hydrophilicity D-2 and material which are supplied by the Tyne Dale Plains hunter. The tube of one which avoids that combine both layers 14 and 15 mutually, indicate softness and flexibility to be sufficient pliability and free-standing to insert itself in a nose-stomach passage according to a damp or wet condition, and a pressurizing point generates to the inside in a nose-stomach passage, and does not close inner Cavity is made to form. For example, tube 10 was manufactured by the co-extrusion using Pele Tan 2363-8OAE and D-2 polymer. Such materials were pushed out and molded into 0.080 inch of inner Cavity, and tube 10 of 0.113 inch of outside diameters. The thickness of inner layer 15 is 0.0055 inch, and the thickness of 0.011 inch and outer layer 15 is Oh. Section 17 of the tube was placed at the end of table 16 so that it might be shown in two-piece end To fix, for example, Drawing 3, and it compared with section 18 of the tube which has the same outside diameter and inside diameter. As for these, it is difficult and it is Oh to show and bend the rigidity pushed out. The portion which took out out of the end of table 16 as it becomes flexibility and was shown in the figure, when it let water pass to one side of tube section 17 at Cavity cannot support itself, and is Noodle. As for the hydrophilic inner core of this tube section 17, it is inside Ivy that it is crushed, or an inside is full and inner Cavity is closed. For example, the second tube was pushed out and molded using the same material with having mentioned above. This tube was also an outside diameter of 0.113 inch, and 0.080 inch in inside diameter. However, the thickness of the inner layer made thickness of 0.006 inch and an outer layer 0.0105 inch. In the state of dryness, it is the same as that of the case of the first example, and the rigidity of this tube is Oh. In this case, To moisten and the compound tube cannot support own weight for inner Cavity, and it is Noodle. the case of an example of each associative strength between two sorts of plastic material in a border plane is also unusual -- Oh -- things deserve attention. If Drawing 1 is referred to and the nutrition liquid made to flow into the gastric juice or stomach 13 removed from stomach 13 after the intubation of tube 10 will carry out humidity of the hydrophilic inner layer 15, a tube will become remarkably flexible and will lose free-standing. However, outer layer 14 thin in comparison maintains the integration nature, and protects inner layer 15 simultaneously. Tube 10 loses self-Retention, and since it is flexible, it does not put inconvenient pressure on a patient's various internal passage top, for example, a nostril, the pharynx, and an esophagus passage. That is, although damage to an organization, inflammation, and a necrosis do not disappear completely, they decrease remarkably. rigidity and pliability with tube 10 sufficient at first -- with, it is, and it can insert into a patient without using a stylet. As a result, the complicatedness of a stylet can be removed, a doctor's presence cannot be required, but a nurse can equip. Therefore, it becomes possible to perform wearing to the patient of such a tube cheaply. Drawings 4 and 5 -- a comparison sake -- conventional tube 19 and present invention of structure -- therefore, the figure which intubated the patient in manufactured compound tube 20 is shown. In the case of tube 19 by construction of conventional technology (Drawing 4), tube 19 was pushed for the organization by some a patient's points, and 21 and 22, and the pressurizing point has produced it. However, a patient's outside is followed, without (Drawing 5) and this hydrated tube 20 making a pressurizing point in the case of compound tube 20. Since the tube of the present invention does not need a stylet, it is not necessary to give lubricous-ized coating for ensuring removal of a stylet inside a tube. As shown in Drawing 1, tube 10 has a diameter uniform from a proximal end to a distal end. Therefore, a tube can be manufactured by a simple extrusion process. tube 10 is indicated, for example to U.S. Pat. No. 4705709 -- as -- the exterior from inner Cavity -- or since [ the ] a fluid is passed conversely, it can be made to connect with Borlase 19 via the terminal area which has a suitable opening connecting with inner Cavity of tube 10 As stated above, the present invention can be manufactured easily and provides the intubation tube which moreover does not need a stylet when intubating. The present invention has only the rigidity which can intubate without needing a stylet, and after very soft intermediary intubation provides simultaneously the intubation tube in which a stimulus and a necrosis are reduced by the flection in a patient's passage by a damp or wet condition.

[Brief Description of the Drawings]

Drawing 1 is a figure showing typically signs that the tube of the present invention was inserted in the stomach from the patient's nostril. Drawing 2 is an expansion part fracture figure of the section of the tube of the present invention. Drawing 3 -- the present invention -- therefore, it is the figure which arranged the section of the built tube at the end of the table. It is a figure showing signs that Drawing 4 inserted the tube of conventional technology and Drawing 5 inserted the tube of the present invention in a mimetic diagram.