Patent ID: 7127758

Claim:
A body-supporting mat for positioning a patient undergoing endotracheal intubation, comprising: a base; a mat board dimensioned to extend beneath the patient's torso and head for placement beneath the patient while in a substantially upward-facing prone position; an inflatable torso support bladder positioned between said base and said mat board, said bladder adapted to elevate the mat board with respect to the base as the bladder is inflated and thereby expands; an expandable headrest affixed to a top surface of the mat board and positioned for placement beneath the patient's head, said headrest further including a head support air bladder which is operative to elevate the patient's head as the head support bladder is inflated and the headrest thereby expands; a source of compressed air in fluid communication with said torso support bladder and said head support bladder by way of an air distribution manifold; and valve means on said air distribution manifold for selectively conducting pressurized air from said source to said torso support bladder and said head support bladder whereby the patient's torso/head position may be altered to achieve optimal anatomical alignment of the patient's larynx for intubation.