Tracheo-esophageal tube and ventilator for pneumatic cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for and method of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) involving cardiac compression of a patient's heart through expansion of the esophagus with an orally inserted balloon. Traditional CPR applies external pressure to the patient's sternum in an attempt to compress the heart thereby forcing blood flow through the heart. Such CPR is often ineffective or highly inefficient since the applied external force is dissipated as the force deflates the lungs and collapses the esophagus posterior the heart. The method of the invention expands the esophagus with a cyclically inflated and deflated balloon in the local area between the heart and the spine to exert a more effective local compression to the posterior of the heart. Preferably the lungs are inflated simultaneously to contain and further compress the heart during local esophageal compression. The method includes orally inserting an elongate esophageal insert having a distal tip and a proximal end to an inserted position where the tip is disposed within the esophagus posterior the heart. The insert includes an esophageal expansion balloon located on the tip for inflating and deflating the esophagus when supplied with tidal volumes of pressurized gas from an automatic cycling ventilator. The ventilator preferably is also fitted with an orally inserted tracheal tube with inflated sealing cuff to inflate the patient's lungs simultaneously with tidal volumes of pressurized gas.