Lighted Tubing

Abstract

Lighted oxygen tubing and methods of method of reducing occurrence of accidents involving inadvertently dislodged medical tubing are disclosed herein. Lighted oxygen tubing of one embodiment includes an elongate wall defining a sterile interior channel for transporting oxygen. The elongate wall has ends and a central portion therebetween. A light source is attached to an outer surface of the wall to indicate location of the wall central portion when in a dark environment. One method of reducing occurrence of accidents involving inadvertently dislodged medical tubing includes: providing medical tubing having an elongate wall defining a sterile interior channel for transporting a medical substance and having a central portion; providing a light source; and attaching the light source to an outer surface of the wall central portion to indicate location of the wall central portion when transporting the medical substance in a dark environment to reduce inadvertent contact with the wall.

1 . Lighted oxygen tubing, comprising:
 an elongate wall defining a sterile interior channel for transporting oxygen, the elongate wall having first and second ends and a central portion therebetween; and   a light source attached to an outer surface of the wall, the light source indicating the location of the wall central portion when in a dark environment.   
   
   
       2 . The lighted oxygen tubing of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the wall presents a generally circular cross-section;   the light source defines at least one of non-medical comforting indicia and indicia displaying a direction of oxygen flow;   the wall has a length;   the light source extends substantially the entire length of the wall; and   the light source includes at least one of:
 a chemical coating having glow-in-the-dark characteristics; 
 a piece of tape having non-electrical glow-in-the-dark characteristics and having adhesive, the adhesive attaching the tape to the wall; 
 a piece of tape having non-electrical glow-in-the-dark characteristics, the tape being a vinyl tape capable of being selectively affixed to the wall through an electrostatic interaction; and 
 a heat-shrink material having glow-in-the-dark characteristics. 
   
   
   
       3 . The lighted oxygen tubing of  claim 1 , wherein the light source includes a chemical coating having glow-in-the-dark characteristics. 
   
   
       4 . The lighted oxygen tubing of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the light source includes a piece of tape having non-electrical glow-in-the-dark characteristics and having adhesive; and   the adhesive attaches the tape to the wall.   
   
   
       5 . The lighted oxygen tubing of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the light source includes a piece of tape having non-electrical glow-in-the-dark characteristics; and   the tape is a vinyl tape capable of being selectively affixed to the wall through an electrostatic interaction.   
   
   
       6 . The lighted oxygen tubing of  claim 1 , wherein the light source is a heat-shrink material having glow-in-the-dark characteristics. 
   
   
       7 . The lighted oxygen tubing of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the wall has a length; and   the light source extends substantially the entire length of the wall.   
   
   
       8 . The lighted oxygen tubing of  claim 1 , wherein the wall presents a generally circular cross-section. 
   
   
       9 . The lighted oxygen tubing of  claim 1 , wherein the light source defines non-medical comforting indicia. 
   
   
       10 . The lighted oxygen tubing of  claim 1 , wherein the light source defines indicia displaying a direction of oxygen flow. 
   
   
       11 . A method of reducing the occurrence of accidents involving inadvertently dislodged medical tubing, comprising the steps of:
 providing medical tubing having an elongate wall defining a sterile interior channel for transporting a medical substance, the elongate wall having first and second ends and a central portion therebetween;   providing a light source; and   attaching the light source to an outer surface of the central portion of the wall, the light source indicating the location of the central portion of the wall when transporting the medical substance in a dark environment to reduce inadvertent contact with the wall.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of providing a light source includes providing a phosphorescent light source. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of providing medical tubing includes providing oxygen tubing having an elongate wall defining a sterile interior channel for transporting oxygen.