Abstract: A dual-balloon ventilation tube (20) includes a laryngeal ventilation support (34) supported by a distal end (54) of a shaft (50), defining a ventilation port (36), and having a greatest lateral width of 2 to 6 cm, measured between lateral sides (44) of the laryngeal ventilation support (34), such that both of the lateral sides (44) contact laryngeal soft tissue of the pharynx so as to provide lateral support that centers and inhibits tilting of the laryngeal ventilation support (34). An airway tube (56) passes through the shaft (50) and has a distal end (60) that is in fluid communication with the ventilation port (36). A proximal pharyngeal inflatable balloon (30) surrounds a distal portion (62) of the shaft (50) proximal to the laryngeal ventilation support (34), and is configured to make an air-tight seal with the pharynx. A distal esophageal inflatable balloon (32) is disposed distal to the laryngeal ventilation support (34), and is configured to make an air-tight seal with the esophagus.

Abstract: An electrically-powered inhalation device for delivery of an aerosol to the oropharynx of a user includes a distal portion housing a piezo assembly including an ultrasonically vibrable mesh membrane, and a neck portion including a narrow section characterized by a minimum cross-sectional dimension that is at least 10% smaller than a minimum cross-sectional dimension of the distal portion passing through and parallel to the mesh membrane. At least a part of the narrow section is displaced proximally from the mesh membrane by at least 0.5 cm and not more than 6 cm. The inhalation device is shaped such that when the user's lips and/or teeth are transversely engaged with the narrow section, the mist-generating location resides distal to the user's teeth within the user's oral cavity and the mist-exiting location is in direct fluid communication with the user's oropharynx.

Abstract: A cleaning catheter (200) insertable into a tracheal ventilation tube (160) and an input module (156) are provided for use with a suction source (601), the input module (156) coupled to the cleaning catheter (200) and including (i) an inflation module (330), including an inflation chamber (335) separate from the suction source (601); (ii) a flow regulator (700), configured to assume first and second fluid-control states; and (iii) a mechanical user control element (320), which is configured (a) to mechanically and non-electrically set the fluid-control states, (b) to assume first and second configurations, and (c) to mechanically and non-electrically increase pressure in an interior of an inflation chamber (335) during a transition of the mechanical user control element (320) from the first configuration to the second configuration.

Abstract: A non-thermal mist-delivery device comprises a replaceable bottle system comprising (i) a bottle comprising an internal liquid-storage volume for holding a liquid, and (ii) a cap comprising a piezo assembly including an ultrasonically vibrable mesh membrane, a housing shaped to hold the replaceable bottle system therewithin, the housing comprising a fan, an air inlet and an annular air outlet, the inlet and the outlet defining an airflow path circumventing the replaceable bottle; control circuitry operative to electrically activate the fan and the piezo assembly in response to a user input, respectively to generate an airflow and to non-thermally deliver, via the aerosol outlet, a mist comprising droplets of the liquid.

Abstract: An oral care kit comprises (i) a compressible pipette including a fluid-storage compartment and a fluid-loading tube, and (ii) a suction toothbrush having an attachment element externally disposed on a lateral-facing surface of the suction toothbrush. The attachment element is configured to stably and detachably retain the compressible pipette in a fixed orientation external to the suction toothbrush.

Abstract: A multi-lumen catheter for cleaning an inner surface of a tracheal ventilation tube is provided, which enables single-handed simultaneous activation of inflation of an inflatable element and suctioning in a closed suction system for use with the tracheal ventilation tube. The closed suction system allows catheters to be used repeatedly without being detached from the tube system including the ventilation air supply. The cleaning catheter is insertable into the tracheal ventilation tube, and is shaped so as to define one or more distal suction orifices. The cleaning catheter comprises an elongate, flexible, tubular catheter main body, and an inflatable element, which is mounted to the catheter main body. An input module is coupled to the cleaning catheter, and comprises an inflation module, which comprises an inflation chamber separate from a suction source.

Abstract: A cleaning catheter (200) insertable into a tracheal ventilation tube (160) and an input module (156) are provided for use with a suction source (601), the input module (156) coupled to the cleaning catheter (200) and including (i) an inflation module (330), including an inflation chamber (335) separate from the suction source (601); (ii) a flow regulator (700), configured to assume first and second fluid-control states; and (iii) a mechanical user control element (320), which is configured (a) to mechanically and non-electrically set the fluid-control states, (b) to assume first and second configurations, and (c) to mechanically and non-electrically increase pressure in an interior of an inflation chamber (335) during a transition of the mechanical user control element (320) from the first configuration to the second configuration.

Abstract: A laryngeal mask airway device (20, 320) is provided including an inflatable balloon (30, 330), which is (a) shaped so as to define at least an inflatable annular cuff (32, 332) and a proximal inflatable pharyngeal portion (34, 334), and (b) insertable through an anterior opening of a patients oral cavity. The inflatable balloon (30, 330) is configured such that when an inflatable chamber (56) thereof is filled with air at a pressure of 10 cm H2O and unconstrained, a volume of the air in a proximal one-third (60) of the inflatable chamber (56) equals at least 200% of a volume of the air in a distal one-third (62) of the inflatable chamber (56). Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: An electrically-powered inhalation device for delivery of an aerosol to the oropharynx of a user comprises respective proximal and distal portions, the proximal portion including an inlet for a liquid, the distal portion including an aerosol outlet defining a mist-exiting location and a piezo assembly including an ultrasonically vibrable mesh membrane, for producing, upon electrical activation, a mist comprising droplets of the liquid, the mesh membrane defining a mist-generating location; and an intermediate portion disposed distally from the proximal portion and proximally from the distal portion, wherein the distal portion is dimensioned to vertically span the user's oral cavity from tongue to hard-palate when the user's lips and/or teeth are transversely engaged with the intermediate portion, so as to place the mist-exiting location in fluid communication with the user's oropharynx.

Abstract: A catheter body (210) defines a distal-most suction orifice (444) and an outer lateral wall (592), which defines a lateral opening (448) therethrough into a suction lumen (530). An inflatable-element outer wall (590) of an inflatable element (588) is mounted to the catheter body (210). An inner membrane (589) is positioned within the inflatable element (588) and is mounted to the catheter body (210) around the lateral opening (448) along a seal perimeter (583) around the lateral opening (448), so as to define a collapsible membrane portion (596) that (a) covers the lateral opening (448), and (b) together with the inflatable-element outer wall (590), defines an inflatable chamber (587) between the inflatable-element outer wall (590) and the collapsible membrane portion (596). The inner membrane (589) entirely surrounds the catheter body (210).

Abstract: A cleaning catheter insertable into a tracheal ventilation tube and an input module are provided for use with a suction source, the input module coupled to the cleaning catheter and including (i) an inflation module, including an inflation chamber separate from the suction source; (ii) a flow regulator, configured to assume first and second fluid-control states; and (iii) a mechanical user control element, which is configured (a) to mechanically and non-electrically set the fluid-control states, (b) to assume first and second configurations, and (c) to mechanically and non-electrically increase pressure in an interior of an inflation chamber during a transition of the mechanical user control element from the first configuration to the second configuration. The flow regulator, when in the first fluid-control state connects the suction source and an interior of an inflatable element of the cleaning catheter in fluid communication to deflate the inflatable element.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention introduces a method and system for focusing ultrasonic energy through intervening skull tissue into a target site within a target brain tissue region under the skull, includes a transducer emitter array, a transducer receiver array, a processor receiving echo signals from the receiver to determine correction factors for the transducer elements to compensate for refraction occurring due to intervening tissue. The correction factors may include phase correction factors, and the phases of excitation signals provided to the transducer elements may be calibrated focusing based upon the phase correction factors to focus the ultrasonic energy to the tissue at the target site.

Abstract: A pressure-sensing device (900, 1100) is provided that includes a user-activatable power-ON element, and a pressure sensor (143), which is in fluid communication with a connector port (122) configured to be coupled in fluid communication with an inflatable cuff (11) of an airway ventilation device (10), and is configured to sense an air pressure. Circuitry (141, 1141) is electrically coupled to the pressure sensor (143) and a relative-pressure display (140, 1140), and is configured to: (i) be activated by activation of the user-activatable power-ON element to (a) turn on the pressure-sensing device (900, 1100) and (b) perform a calibration procedure by setting a baseline pressure equal to a current air pressure sensed by the pressure sensor (143), and (ii) after setting the baseline pressure, periodically drive the relative-pressure display (140, 1140) to display the difference between (a) the air pressure currently sensed by the pressure sensor (143) and (b) the baseline pressure.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a ventilation device comprising: a. a ventilation tube having proximal and distal ends; and b. an inflatable cuff having a proximal bulge portion and a distal neck portion disposed distal to the bulge portion, the inflatable cuff being mounted around the ventilation tube to define proximal and distal cuff attachment locations which are both fixed on an outer surface of the ventilation tube.

Abstract: A cuff pressure stabilizer (100, 200, 300, 500, 600, 800) is provided that includes an inflation lumen proximal port connector (134), which is shaped to form an air-tight seal with an inflation lumen proximal port (15) of a catheter (10) additionally having an inflatable cuff (11) and an inflation lumen (13); a fluid reservoir (120, 524, 624); a liquid column container (118, 518, 618), which is (a) open to the atmosphere (99) at at least one site along the liquid column container, (b) in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir (120, 524, 624), and (c) in communication with the inflation lumen proximal port connector (134) via the fluid reservoir (120, 524, 624); and a liquid (121), which is contained (a) in the fluid reservoir (120, 524, 624), (b) in the liquid column container (118, 518, 618), or (c) partially in the fluid reservoir (120, 524, 624) and partially in the liquid column container (118, 518, 618), and which has a density of between 1.5 and 5 g/cm3 at 4 degrees Celsius at 1 atm.

Abstract: A cuff pressure stabilizer includes a substantially rigid protective housing and a balloon disposed therein. The balloon has a base low pressure of 10 cm H2O when it contains a base low-pressure volume of air. When the balloon contains a first medium-pressure volume of air, the balloon has a first medium pressure of 25 cm H2O. When the balloon contains a second medium-pressure volume of air, the balloon has a second medium pressure of 40 cm H2O, and at least 20% of an outer surface of the balloon touches a portion of the inner surface of the housing. The second medium-pressure volume of air equals the base low-pressure volume of air plus a second incremental quantity of air that is less than 60 cc. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A cleaning catheter includes an inflatable element and an input module, which includes an inflation chamber coupled in fluid communication with the inflatable element. A flow regulator defines a suction port coupleable in fluid communication with a suction source. A mechanical suction-control button is configured to assume at least first and second spatial positions. A mechanical inflation-control button is configured to mechanically and non-electrically increase pressure in the interior of the inflation chamber during a transition of the mechanical inflation-control button from a first spatial position to a second spatial position; and a reversibly-engageable linking element, which is moveable with respect to the mechanical suction-control button and the mechanical inflation-control button, and is configured to assume at least first and second spatial positions.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a ventilation device comprising: a. a ventilation tube having proximal and distal ends; and b. an inflatable cuff having a proximal bulge portion and a distal neck portion disposed distal to the bulge portion, the inflatable cuff being mounted around the ventilation tube to define proximal and distal cuff attachment locations which are both fixed on an outer surface of the ventilation tube.

Abstract: A cleaning catheter insertable into a ventilation tube and an input module are provided, the input module coupled to the cleaning catheter and including (i) an inflation module including an inflation chamber; (ii) a flow regulator operable to assume first and second fluid-control states; and (iii) a mechanical user control element operable (a) to mechanically and non-electrically set the first and second fluid-control states, (b) to assume first and second configurations, and (c) to mechanically and non-electrically increase pressure in an interior of an inflation chamber of the cleaning catheter during a transition of the mechanical user control element from the first configuration to the second configuration. The inflation chamber is disposed within the mechanical user control element.

Abstract: A bowel management system comprises a waste-transport device including a collection member for bowel drainage and an inflatable retention cuff mounted around the collection member to define fixed proximal and distal cuff-attachment locations on the surface of the collection member. System characteristics include: when the mounted cuff is inflated to a pressure of 10 cm H2O in free space, a maximum diameter of the cuff is greater than 30 mm, and when the mounted cuff is inflated in free space to a pressure of at least 25 cm H2O and at most 60 cm H2O, a maximum diameter of the cuff is at least 65 mm, and/or at least 1.5 times the maximum diameter of the cuff when inflated in free space to a pressure of at most 10 cm H2O.