Combined respirator and catheter suction adapter

Abstract

An adapter to be connected between a respirator and a patient artificial airway has an axial bore communicating between the respirator and artificial airway and one or more sloping bores communicating between the axial bore and the periphery of the adapter body to provide one or more respective access openings leading to the bore through which a suction catheter can be inserted. Means for sealing the access openings from the ambient environment when a suction catheter is not in use is provided by an access closure means which includes a member movable on the adapter body and an elastomeric sealing means which is compressed about each access opening to form an airtight seal when the access closure means is in a position to cover the access openings. Each access opening can accept a catheter for insertion through the axial bore and into the artificial airway when the access closure means is in a position to expose the access opening. The access closure means may include a member that is slidable or rotatable or slidable and rotatable, or pivotal with respect to the valve body. A resilient tab can be disposed between the movable member of the access closure means and the elastomeric sealing means which is normally urged away from the sealing means when out of contact with the movable member and which is urged against the sealing means when the movable member is moved into a covering position to close the valve.