Method and apparatus for preventing occlusion of a tracheal tube suction lumen

1. A medical tube lumen plug, comprising:

a body configured to be mechanically coupled to a lumen of a medical tube proximate an aperture in the tube, wherein a portion of the body is coupled within the lumen; and

a protrusion configured to extend external to the medical tube to hold the aperture away from a body cavity wall to prevent occlusion of the aperture, wherein the aperture is configured to provide a pathway between the lumen and a region external to the medical tube, and wherein the body covers only a portion of the aperture.

2. The plug of claim 1 , wherein the body is configured to be disposed only in an upper portion of the aperture.

3. The plug of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion comprises a bump.

4. The plug of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion comprises an arch configured to span the aperture.

5. The plug of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion comprises a ring, wherein the ring is configured to at least partially surround a periphery of the aperture, and wherein the ring comprises an opening configured to provide a pathway between the aperture and the region external to the medical tube.

6. The plug of claim 1 , wherein the body is coupled within the lumen using solvent bonding or adhesive bonding.

7. The plug of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a first body portion a second body portion.

8. The plug of claim 7 , wherein the second body portion comprises a hole, wherein the hole is configured to provide a passageway through the second body portion.

9. The plug of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane, thermoplastic elastomers, rubbers, silicones, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or nylon.

10. A medical tube comprising:

an elongated gas-conveying tube

a lumen that extends along gas-conveying tube to provide a passageway for the removal of fluids and gases;

a sealing member on the tubular body that is configured to provide a seal between the tubular body and a body cavity wall; and

an aperture in an exterior wall of the tubular body adjacent the sealing member, wherein the aperture is configured to provide a pathway between the lumen and a region external to the tubular body; and

a plug coupled to the tubular body in the aperture, wherein the plug comprises a protrusion that extends external to the tubular body and wherein the plug is coupled proximate the aperture, wherein the protrusion is configured to hold the aperture away from the body cavity wall to prevent occlusion of the aperture by the body cavity wall, and wherein the plug is positioned relative to the aperture such that a flow path through the aperture in a direction generally perpendicular to a path of the suction lumen is unobstructed.

11. The medical tube of claim 10 , wherein the protrusion comprises a bump.

12. The medical tube of claim 10 , wherein the protrusion comprises an arch configured to span the aperture.

13. The medical tube of claim 10 , wherein the protrusion comprises a ring, wherein the ring is configured to at least partially surround a periphery of the aperture, and wherein the ring comprises a channel configured to provide a pathway between the aperture and the region external to the medical tube.

14. The medical tube of claim 10 , wherein the plug is mechanically coupled within the lumen.

15. The medical tube of claim 10 , wherein mechanical coupling is facilitated by the use solvent bonding or adhesive bonding between the plug and the elongated tube.

16. The medical tube of claim 10 , wherein the plug comprises polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane, thermoplastic elastomers, rubbers, silicones, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or nylon.

17. The medical tube of claim 10 , wherein the aperture comprises a circular or elliptical hole.

18. The medical tube of claim 10 , wherein the aperture comprises a slot.

19. A medical tube comprising:

a tubular body;

a lumen that extends along the tubular body to provide a passageway for the removal of fluids and gases;

a sealing member on the tubular body that is configured to provide a seal between the tubular body and a body cavity wall; and

an aperture in an exterior wall of the tubular body, wherein the aperture is configured to provide a pathway between the lumen and a region external to the tubular body, wherein the pathway is generally orthogonal to the lumen; and

a plug coupled to the lumen proximate the aperture, wherein a portion of the plug is coupled within the lumen, wherein the plug comprises a protrusion that extends external to the tubular body proximate the aperture, wherein the protrusion is configured to prevent occlusion of the aperture.

20. The medical tube of claim 19 , wherein the plug coupled to the lumen, comprises a mechanical coupling between the plug and the lumen.

21. The medical tube of claim 19 , wherein the plug coupled to the lumen comprises an adhesive between the plug and the lumen.

22. The medical tube of claim 19 , wherein the plug is configured to provide occlusion of at least a portion of the lumen.

23. The medical tube of claim 19 , wherein the protrusion comprises a bump.

24. The medical tube of claim 19 , wherein the protrusion comprises an arch configured to span the aperture.

25. The medical tube of claim 19 , wherein the protrusion comprises a ring, wherein the ring is configured to at least partially surround a periphery of the aperture, and wherein the ring comprises a channel configured to provide a pathway between the aperture and the region external to the medical tube.

26. The medical tube of claim 19 , wherein the plug comprises a first body portion and a second body portion, and wherein the first body portion and the second body portion are configured to be coupled to the lumen.

27. The medical tube of claim 26 , wherein the second body portion comprises a hole, wherein the hole is configured to provide a passageway through the second body.

28. The medical tube of claim 19 , wherein the plug is formed from polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane, thermoplastic elastomers, rubbers, silicones, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or nylon.

29. The medical tube of claim 19 , wherein the aperture comprises a circular or elliptical hole.

30. The medical tube of claim 19 , wherein the aperture comprises a slot.

31. A method of manufacturing a medical tube, comprising: providing:

an elongated gas conveying tubular body;

a sealing cuff mounted on the body, wherein the sealing cuff is configured to seal against the wall of a body cavity; and

a lumen that extends along the tubular body and that is configured to provide a passageway for the removal of fluids and gases, the lumen having an aperture, in an external wall of the tubular body, wherein the aperture is configured to provide a pathway between the lumen and a region external to the tubular body;

providing a plug comprising:

a protrusion configured to extend external to the tubular body, wherein the protrusion is configured to prevent occlusion of the aperture, and wherein the protrusion covers only a portion of the aperture; and

mechanically coupling the plug to the medical tube proximate the aperture, wherein a portion of the body is coupled within the lumen.

32. The method of manufacturing a medical tube of claim 31 , comprising cutting the aperture.

33. The method of manufacturing a medical tube of claim 31 , wherein mechanically coupling the plug to the medical tube comprises inserting the body of the plug into the lumen.

34. The method of manufacturing a medical tube of claim 31 , wherein mechanically coupling the plug to the medical tube comprises securing the body to the lumen using solvent bonding or adhesive bonding.

35. The method of manufacturing a medical tube of claim 31 , wherein providing a plug comprises forming the plug from polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene, silicones, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or nylon.