Patent ID: 6715491
Filing Date: 2004-04-06
Classification: A61J,A61M

Abstract:
An intubation apparatus for guiding a tube into a preferred passageway within a patient, comprising:a flexible elongated blade body having an insertion end sized to be inserted into an opening connected with a preferred passageway within the patient, said blade body including a first and second cross-sectional axis being perpendicular and non-equal whereby said blade body is more resistant to flex in a lateral direction than flex in a longitudinal direction; a magnetic member rotatably coupled in a flexibly pivoting relationship to said insertion end; and a magnetic field positioned external of the patient, said external magnetic field is manipulated to affect the orientation of said magnetic member within the patient; whereby upon insertion of said insertion end into the patient, said external magnetic field is positioned to guide said magnetic member rotatably coupled in said flexibly pivoting relationship with said insertion end into the preferred passageway within the patient.