Endotracheal tube apparatus

1. An apparatus for monitoring EMG signals of a patient's laryngeal muscles, comprising:

an endotracheal tube having an exterior surface and a first location configured to be positioned at the patient's vocal folds;

a first electrode formed on the exterior surface of the endotracheal tube substantially below the first location; and

a second electrode formed on the exterior surface of the endotracheal tube substantially above the first location, wherein the first and second electrodes are laterally and longitudinally offset from each other and configured to receive the EMG signals from the laryngeal muscles when the endotracheal tube is placed in a trachea of the patient.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , and further comprising:

at least one conductor coupled to the first and second electrodes and configured to carry the EMG signals received by the electrodes to a processing apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode is formed on a posterior side of the endotracheal tube.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second electrode is formed on an anterior side of the endotracheal tube.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode each have a length of about one inch.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the first electrode and the second electrode extends laterally around a circumference of the tube for a distance corresponding to an angle of about 60 degrees to 90 degrees.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , and further comprising:

a third electrode formed on the exterior surface of the endotracheal tube substantially above the first location.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first electrode is formed on a posterior side of the endotracheal tube, and the second and third electrodes are formed on an anterior side of the endotracheal tube.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , and further comprising:

a third electrode formed on the exterior surface of the endotracheal tube substantially above the first location; and

a fourth electrode formed on the exterior surface of the endotracheal tube substantially below the first location.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first and fourth electrodes are formed on a posterior side of the endotracheal tube, and the second and third electrodes are formed on an anterior side of the endotracheal tube.

11. A method of monitoring EMG signals of a patient's laryngeal muscles, comprising:

providing an endotracheal tube having an exterior surface with electrodes formed thereon, wherein the endotracheal tube includes a first location configured to be positioned at the patient's vocal folds, wherein the electrodes include a first electrode positioned substantially below the first location and a second electrode positioned substantially above the first location, and wherein the first and second electrodes are laterally and longitudinally offset from each other;

sensing the EMG signals from the laryngeal muscles with the electrodes when the endotracheal tube is placed in a trachea of the patient; and

outputting the EMG signals sensed by the conductive ink electrodes to a processing apparatus.

12. An apparatus for monitoring EMG signals of a patient's laryngeal muscles, comprising:

an endotracheal tube having an exterior surface;

at least one electrode formed on the exterior surface in an electrode region of the endotracheal tube, the at least one electrode configured to receive the EMG signals from the laryngeal muscles when the endotracheal tube is placed in a trachea of the patient; and

a second electrode formed on the exterior surface of the endotracheal tube substantially above the first location, wherein the first and second electrodes are laterally and longitudinally offset from each other and configured to receive the EMG signals from the laryngeal muscles when the endotracheal tube is placed in a trachea of the patient; and

at least one tube placement marking positioned in the electrode region and configured to facilitate positioning of the at least one electrode within a patient, wherein the at least one tube placement marking includes at least one band that substantially surrounds a circumference of the endotracheal tube, and a vertical line segment that extends in a longitudinal direction along the at least one band.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the vertical line segment and the at least one band each have a length that is substantially the same as a length of the at least one electrode.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the at least one band comprises a plurality of solid color bands surrounding a circumference of the endotracheal tube.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of solid color bands includes three different colored bands.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the at least one tube placement marking further comprises a plurality of horizontal line segments that are each centered on the vertical line segment and are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the at least one tube placement marking further comprises first and second diagonal line segments that intersect each other at a common point and form an x-type marking.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the vertical line segment intersects the first and second diagonal line segments at the common point.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the at least one tube placement marking further comprises a first solid color triangular shaped marking and a second solid color triangular shaped marking.

20. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the vertical line segment includes two solid color end portions separated by a solid color middle portion, and wherein the middle portion is formed of a color that is different than a color of the end portions.