Other

Augustine Medical, Inc.

Arizant Healthcare Inc.

Douglas J Augustine

Scott D Augustine

Scott Augustine

A thermal blanket includes an inflatable covering with a head end, a foot end, two edges and an undersurface. The covering is inflated through an inlet at the foot end by a thermally-controlled inflating medium. An aperture array on the undersurface of the covering exhausts the thermally-controlled inflating medium from the covering. Exhaust port openings are provided at the edges of the covering to vent the inflating medium, which enhances circulation of the thermally-controlled medium through the cover. An uninflatable section is provided at the head end, together with an absorbent bib attached to the covering, adjacent the uninflatable section. When inflated, the thermal blanket self-erects and provides a bath of thermally-controlled inflating medium to the interior of the erected structure. The enhanced circulation of the medium through the covers maintains a relatively high average temperature under the blanket and a relatively uniform distribution of temperature in the inflating medium which is exhausted through the apertures into the structure's interior. When the structure covers a patient, the uninflatable section provides a relatively unobstructed view of the patient's face, while the absorbent bib maintains a relatively sanitary environment in the area beneath the patient's head.

Thermal Blanket

An inflatable cover is constructed with a base sheet to which is attached an overlaying material sheet in order to form an inflatable structure. There is an opening to admit warmed air into the inflatable structure. A plurality of apertures open through the base sheet, into the inflatable structure for the purpose of exhausting warmed air therefrom, through the base sheet. The plurality of apertures vary in density toward an edge of the base sheet for the purpose of establishing various temperature profiles with respect to the inflatable cover. In a particular embodiment, the density of the apertures increases toward the edges of the base sheet, from the center of the inflatable cover.

Inflatable device with exhausting apertures which vary in density

Inflateable thermal blanket

Thermal blanket

A device for positioning an endotracheal tube when the tube is inserted into the trachea of a patient for lung inflation uses the patient's carina as a reference point against which the endotracheal tube is positioned. The positioning device consists of an elongate, flexible member with at least three flexible filaments at its distal end which assume a compressed tripodal configuration when inserted through the endotracheal tube. When the distal end of the positioning device emerges from the distal end of the endotracheal tube, the flexible elements spring out into a tripodal-shaped structure. As the positioning device is advanced further, the apex of the tripodal-shaped structure engages the carina. At this point the positioning device provides a reference line for correctly locating the distal end of the endotracheal tube with respect to the carina. Since the dimensions of the positioning device and the endotracheal tube are known, the location of the distal end of the tube with respect to the carina can be indirectly derived by observing the position of the tube with respect to the positioning device. The relative measurement is provided by calibration marks at the proximal end of the positioning device. Once the endotracheal tube is correctly positioned in the trachea, the positioning device can be withdrawn. The tripodal-shaped structure is compressed when the distal end of the positioning device enters the distal end of the endotracheal tube lumen. The positioning device is then removed to allow ventilation of the patient through the endotracheal tube.

Device for positioning an endotracheal tube

A device for inserting a nasal tube through the nose into the oropharynx includes an elongate, collapsible sleeve to which is attached an elongate, relatively slender arcuate member extending along a longitudinal dimension of the sleeve for guiding it through the nasal cavity and nasopharynx. The sleeve has openings at its distal and proximal ends. A soft, blunt distal tip is formed at the distal end of the device extending beyond the distal end opening in the sleeve for extending into the oropharynx. Once the device is in place, a tube can be inserted through the sleeve and guided through the nose to the oropharynx. A dilating member formed from a resilient, compressible material may be used to erect the sleeve and dilate the nasal passageway, if necessary.

Device for inserting a nasal tube

A device for indicating the penetration of a needle into a vein, artery, lumen, or other cavity in a patient's body includes a filament that is moved through the needle toward its sharpened end. As the needle is inserted through bodily tissue, the distal end of the filament is retained by the tissue at the needle's sharpened end. The filament is loaded with compressive force so that the distal tip is moved through the end of the needle when the end enters a space. Penetration is indicated by the sudden movement of a visible indicator attached to the filament that is caused when the retention of the filament's distal tip is released by the penetration of the needle's end into the space.

Needle penetration indicator and guide

An airflow cover for controlling the body temperature of a patient covers a portion of the patient's body and provides a generalized thermal bathing of the covered portion through the delivery of a temperature controlled gas mixture to the covered portion. The cover is formed from a series of inflatable tubes which are joined together in a parallel array having an upper surface facing away from the patient's body and an oppositely directed lower surface which faces the covered portion of the patient's body. An entry port is provided through the upper surface and into one tube, transverse ports open between the tubes, and exit ports are formed in the lower surface. A thermally controlled gas mixture is introduced through the entry port, circulates in the tubes by means of the transverse ports and inflates the tubes, and exits through the exit ports in the direction of the covered body portion to provide the desired thermal bathing.

Growing community of inventors

Blue Springs, MO, United States of America

Douglas J Augustine