This invention relates to a facial tube holder.

It is often necessary for a doctor to insert a tube through the mouth or nose of a patient, for attachment to a ventilator, stomach pump or other appliance. These tubes are commonly held in position with adhesive tape or pads adhered to the patient's skin. However perspiration may loosen the adhesive and allow the tube to become dislodged or badly positioned, possibly endangering the patient's life. Reintubation may be difficult and traumatic to the patient.

Endotracheal tube holders have been devised that are held over the patient's mouth by a head strap. These are complicated to use and it is undesirable for the holder to cover the mouth. A holder is known that holds nasogastric tubes which extend through the patient's nose, comprising a flat nose piece which is moulded to and then adhered to the outside of the patient's nose. This holder takes a long time to attach, and will cause skin irritation in times of prolonged use. The stress to the patient whilst applying these devices and the tubes is very high. It is also desirable to have a reliable and quick method of fixing facial tubes in an emergency.

We have now devised a holder for holding facial tubes securely in position, that can be administered easily and rapidly in an emergency.

In accordance with this invention, there is provided a facial tube holder attachable to a patient's head and including a formation with which a tube can be engaged by movement of the tube transverse to itself, and an element which is displaceable lengthwise of the tube into engagement with said formation to grip the tube against displacement relative to the holder.

Preferably the tube holder has extensions for attaching to a head strap or to tape which will hold the tube holder in

position.

Preferably the tube holder is made from a flexible transparent plastics material, so as to be comfortable to the patient and give clear visibility of the patient's face.

Preferably various sizes of tube holders are available to accommodate different tube diameters and head sizes.

Prior art facial tube holders commonly require the tube to be threaded through the holder before it can be fitted to the face, but this is complicated and time consuming. The tube holder in accordance with this invention can be fitted to the patient by a nurse and the subsequent intubation can be carried out quickly by a doctor by locating the locking element around the tube, engaging the tube with the tube holder and locking the tube in position by sliding the locking element into engagement with the tube holder.

Embodiments of this invention will now be described by way of examples only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of facial tube holder in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the tube holder of Figure 1;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal section through a locking element used with the tube holder of Figure 1;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the locking element of Figure 2 in position around a projecting collar of the tube holder of Figure 1;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of facial tube holder in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 6 is a side view of a patient wearing the tube holder of Figure 1 over the lower lip;

FIGURE 7 is a front view of the patient of Figure 6;

FIGUR 8 is a side view of a patient wearing the tube holder of Figure 1 over the upper lip;

FIGURE 9 is a front view of the patient of Figure 8;

FIGURE 10 is a side view of a patient wearing the tube holder of Figure 5 on the nose; and

FIGURE 11 is a front view of the patient of Figure 10.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown a facial tube holder 10, for holding orotracheal or orogastric tubes, comprising a flat flexible elongate sheet of transparent plastics 15 having an enlarged end 16 in which an aperture 11 is positioned adjacent one of its edges. The other end 17 is less enlarged than the first, and each of the ends 16,17 has an elongate slot 12 parallel to the ends. A C-shaped collar 13 projects perpendicular to the flat elongate sheet 15 and forms an annular wall around the aperture 11. On the opposite side of the C-shaped collar 13 from its opening 31, the collar wall is enlarged to form a vertical rib running lengthwise along the collar from its base to its upper edge. An annular groove 30 extends around the outer periphery of the collar 13 parallel to its upper edge.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through a C-shaped locking clip 40, the inside of which tapers from its lower edge 21 to its upper edge 20. The inside diameter of the clip at the lower edge 21 is slightly greater than the outside diameter of the C-shaped collar 13. An annular rib 22 extends around the inside of the clip parallel to the upper edge 20, and is displaced from it by the same distance as the groove 30 is displaced from the upper edge of the C-shaped collar 13.

Figure 4 shows how the C-shaped locking clip 40 fits over the C-shaped collar 13 of the holder of Figures 1 and 2. The vertical rib 14 of the C-shaped collar lies within the gap 41 in the C-shaped clip 40.

The tube holder also includes straps (not shown) attached to the holder through the slots 12 and having a fastener (e.g. of the hook-pile or velcro type) for attaching their free ends togther at the back of the head. In use, the tube holder 10 can be fitted over the lower lip LL of the patient, as shown in Figures 6 and 7 , or over the upper lip UL

as shown in Figures 8 and 9, and held in place by the head strap 82 fastened at the back of the head H. The enlarged end of the tube holder is shaped so that when it is fitted to the patient's head H, the aperture 11 is directly over the corner of the patient's open mouth M. The holder 10 does not obstruct the patient's mouth whether it is fitted on the upper or lower lip UL,LL. After a doctor has inserted the oral tube 81 through the patient's mouth M, the tube 81 is snap-engaged with the collar 13 by displacing the tube sideways of itself and through the gap 31 of the collar 13. The locking clip 40 is engaged onto the tube 81 in a similar manner, the tube passing sideways through the gap 41, and is then slid lengthwise along the tube over the collar 13 of the holder. Because of the tapering inside surface of the locking clip 40, this clip engages the collar 13 with a wedging action so that the latter grips the tube 81 tightly, and holds it firmly in place. The internal rib 22 of the clip 40 engages within the groove 30 in the collar to prevent the clip 40 from becoming dislodged from the collar 13.

The tube 81 can be removed by sliding the clip 40 lengthwise away from the collar 13, then removing the tube 81 through the gap 31 in the collar.

Figure 5 shows a facial tube holder 50 for holding nasotracheal or nasogastric tubes comprising a triangular shaped sheet of transparent flexible plastics having two extended points 51,53 in which slots 12 are formed parallel to the ends.

The third point 52 is extended a greater distance than the points 51,53, and has a similar slot 12 formed in it. A raised portion 54, set midway between points 51 and 53, extends laterally up the centre of the holder towards the third point

52. The raised portion is wedge shaped, with its apex ending at the third point 52. A C-shaped collar 13, similar to the collar of the holder of Figure 1, is joined to the raised portion

54 at a point offset from the mid point of the edge joining points 51 and 53 of the holder 50. The axis of the collar 13 lies parallel to the slope of the raised portion 54 towards the

point 52.

In use the holder 50 is placed over the patient's nose N as shown in Figures 10 and 11, with the wedge shaped raised portion 54 covering the nose N, and the points 51,53 lying on the cheeks. The point 52 ends at the forehead and is joined to a strap which is passed over the head H, and joined to another strap passed around the head from points 51 to 53. The nasal tube entering the patient's nose is held firmly in place by engaging it with the C-shaped collar 13 situated adjacent the patient's left nostril, then applying the locking clip 40 of Figure 3 to the tube 58, and sliding it lengthwise along the tube 58 to engage the collar 13 and cause the latter to firmly grip the tube 58.

The embodiments described above are comfortable to the patient and firmly hold the tube entering the mouth or nose for substantial periods of time without the fear of the tube becoming dislodged or the holder causing irritation to the patient.