Patent ID: 6668821
Filing Date: 2003-12-30
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
A laryngeal mask airway comprising:a curved tubular guide for insertion through a patient's mouth and into the patient's airway and allowing insertion of an endotracheal tube through the guide, said guide having a distal opening defining an axis for advancing an endotracheal tube beyond the guide, and a proximal opening remaining outside the patient's mouth after insertion of the guide; a support member extending from the outer curvature of the distal opening of the guide in a direction substantially parallel to, and offset from the axis of the distal opening of the guide; a laryngeal mask surrounding the support member and distal opening of the guide to substantially seal the patient's glottis about the distal opening of the guide and axially align the distal opening of the guide with the patient's glottis on end as the guide is inserted alone the patient's airway, thereby enabling an endotracheal tube to be advanced axially from the distal opening of the guide into the patient's trachea; and a ventilation attachment removably attachable to the proximal opening of the guide, having a ventilation port to supply a flow of air/oxygen through the guide into the patient's lungs during insertion of an endotracheal tube along the guide.