An improved breathing airway comprising at least two telescopingly engaged flexible elements enabling the airway to be adjusted to the proper length to fit the mouth and pharynx of a patient. To positively secure the adjusted length of the airway, a flap with protruberances extends from the outer element and is engageable with holes in the inner element. Thus, the outer and inner engaged elements can be positively secured at the correct measured mouth to pharynx length. The untelescoped radius of curvature of each element differs from the other causing the radius of curvature of the airway to change as the elements are telescoped together. The radius of airway curvature is therefore automatically adjusted for curvature when the airway is set to desired length. Thus, one size airway of the present invention can substitute for several sizes of the prior art airways, the adjustment for the selected length automatically achieving the correct shape.
Disclosed are artificial airways dimensioned for extension through the oral airway of a medical patient during treatment, the artificial airway having a longitudinal air passageway and being sufficiently pliable so as to conform to the specific configuration of a particular patient during insertion, and having rigid regions which maintain the specific patient configuration after insertion and avoid bending in certain directions.
A medical airway instrument (1) is provided which is capable of facilitating creation of an air passage in the larynx to prevent collapse of the root of a patient's tongue, and having a lingual strip (2) curved in a longitudinal direction to conform with curvature of the tongue and palatal strip (3) curved in roughly the same manner as the lingual strip (2) such that the palatal and lingual strips (2,3) overlap in the anterior direction of curvature. The lingual and palatal strips (2,3) are rotatably coupled by a spindle (5) in the vicinity of a posterior part (2b, 3b) thereof. A stopper (4) is provided on a side of the lingual strip (2) to project in the direction of overlapping, in a position forward of the spindle (5) to hold anterior parts (2a, 3a) of the lingual and palatal strips (2,3) apart from one another at any desired gap without contact therebetween, to thereby secure a breathing passage (10) between the strips (2,3).
An intubation assistance instrument which is used by being inserted into the trachea of a patient through the mouth thereof includes an insertion section having a straight portion with a tip part and a curved portion continuously extended from the tip part of the straight portion. The insertion section is formed with a groove along a longitudinal direction thereof. The curved section has an inner wall part and an outer wall part which define the groove, and the outer wall part is formed with a cut out portion other than a tip part of the curved portion. The intubation assistance instrument and an intubation assistance apparatus provided with the instrument make it possible to carry out intubation operation with simple operation easily and safely.
A guard for preventing occlusion of a tracheostomy tube. The guard includes a ring for slipping over the exposed end of the tracheostomy tube, thereby securing the guard to the tube, and a visor-like extension or guard which projects forwardly of and above the tube open end, thus being in a position to fend off an object which threatens to block the tube open end. The guard includes grips enabling sure grasp thereof to facilitate handling by medical personnel, as during removal and replacement of the tube. An opening is formed in the extension, so that in the event the guard rotates about the tube, and the extension is moved from its original location above the tube opening to a new location therebelow, a secondary airway is established. This will enable a patient to continue breathing, even if an object is sufficiently near the tube opening as to partially obstruct the same. Because a significant number of fatalities result when a patient's head slumps forward, the chin settling upon and obstructing the tube opening, the invention finds greatest application to those having neurological disorders, spinal injuries, and other ailments which reduce control of the head.
An airway having a pair of elongate generally parallel body members guided and restrained for limited longitudinal sliding motion of one member relative to the other, hingedly interconnected at the inner ends thereof to a tongue clamping member, and provided at the outer ends thereof with manual actuators at least one of which has a lateral extension that abuts against the face of a patient when the airway is inserted into the mouth, the body members being curved to conform at least generally to the tongue of the patient and the clamping member being adapted to extend into the throat of the patient when the airway is fully inserted, whereby manipulation of the body members in one direction acts through the hinges to rock the clamping member toward the front of the throat and into pressed engagement with the tongue to compress the same forwardly and whereby manipulation of the body members in the opposite direction rocks the clamping member toward the back of the throat to release the tongue and permit removal of the airway from the mouth.
