Importance

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Abstract

An endotracheal tube protector for use with an endotracheal tube comprises an elongated tubular member having a first end configured to extend out of a patient's mouth when in use and a second end configured to enter the throat of the patient. The tubular member has openings in the first and second ends and defines a substantially cylindrical cavity to hold an endotracheal tube. The tubular member has a longitudinal slit to allow the walls to separate for radial expansion of the cavity. The wall thickness is non-constant, with a thin-walled region which flexes to permit the walls to separate, and a thick-walled region which resists crushing forces acting on the protector. A pair of opposed bosses may extend longitudinally adjacent to the slit, to transmit a clamping force onto the endotracheal tube when contacted by the patient's jaw.

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First Claim