The measurement of individual respiratory parameters in the vicinity of the
lungs remains an unresolved problem in the areas of anesthesia and intensi
ve care medicine. New technologies such as fibreoptic technology, which mee
t the extreme demands of medical sensor applications, and their innovative
potential as a basis for the development of marketable products, appear pro
mising. This is illustrated by the fundamental principles developed for a s
ensor-armed tracheal tube for on-line monitoring of ventilated patients.