Abstract: A nasal cannula is provided that includes a pair of sponge-like nasal tips for insertion into the nostrils of a patient and which are easily, manually compressible to reduce the size of the tips for easy insertion and which have a relatively slow rate of expansion.

Abstract: A medical tube with an inflatable cuff is provided with a cuff inflation control unit that includes a pressure indicating balloon, a duck-bill valve extending into the balloon, and an elastomeric pump bulb connected to the valve and balloon for pressurizing the cuff.

Abstract: An endotracheal tube assembly is provided which includes an endotracheal tube, and an insufflation catheter connectable to a source of high frequency gas and disposed in the tube. The tube has spacers adjacent the distal end to space the distal end of the catheter from the inner sidewalls of the tube. The catheter may be provided with a ventilation lumen, a suction lumen, and connection means for supplying gas to the ventilation lumen and/or negative pressure to the suction lumen.

Abstract: A medical drainage collection device of the disposable liner type wherein the problems of connecting and disconnecting the liner from the canister of a device is simplified by providing a resilient locking device on a canister cover which receives a snap-in tube connector fixed to the disposable liner. Pressure applied to the locking device resiliently releases the connector from the cover. The liner can be provided with a hydrophobic filter which filters air before reaching the vacuum system to prevent system contamination, and when covered by drainage liquid closes off further gas or air flow through the filter to also provide a maximum-fill shut-off thereby preventing overfilling.

Abstract: Grooved tubing having a groove in the outer sidewall and a hole through the bottom of the groove is made by extruding a first plastic to produce a molten tubular extrudate, extruding a second plastic in the exterior of the sidewall of the tubular extrudate, subsequently removing the second plastic to provide a groove in the tubular extrudate and forming an opening through the bottom of the groove. This method can be used in making suction catheters wherein the groove walls prevent invagination of body tissue into the hole in the groove during suctioning.