Patent ID: 8597184

Claim:
A system of diagnosing a patient for a physiological abnormality while protecting their airway, comprising: an esophageal airway protection device that comprises an elongate device body having a distal end for insertion into the stomach through the esophagus and a proximal end, and having a main lumen extending the length of the device and an inflatable esophageal cuff carried by the device body mid-esophagus and an inflation lumen formed within the device body and connecting the inflatable esophageal cuff through which the esophageal cuff is inflated and deflated, wherein upon inflation of said esophageal cuff, emesis and/or reflux is blocked from passing out of the stomach past the esophageal cuff positioned mid-esophagus to protect a patient's airway during an involuntary cough event; a nebulizer lumen extending along the device body and comprising a port through which medication is delivered for administrating the involuntary cough event, wherein said esophageal cuff protects the airway during the involuntary cough event; at least one electromyogram (EMG) pad configured to obtain an EMG from involuntary cough activated paraspinal muscles; and a processing device configured to receive the EMG and process the EMG to determine a physiological abnormality.