Patent ID: 7438717

Claim:
A naso-endotracheal tube guiding device for inserting a naso-endotracheal tube into a patient, the naso-enclotracheal tube guiding device comprising: a pair of arms pivotally connected for relative movement between a first, opened position and a second, closed position; each arm comprising a distal end and a proximal end; the distal end of the first arm defining a first tube guide half section that combines with a second tube guide half section defined by the distal end of the second arm to form a tube guide when the arms are in the closed position, the tube guide defining an inwardly facing surface which is sized and shaped so that it does not make gripping engagement with the tube so as to permit free coaxial movement of the tube within the guide; each arm defining a first bend and a second bend located between the pivot and the proximal ends of each arm, the arms along each of the first and second bends being substantially parallel with each other, and each arm further defining a third bend located between the second bend and the proximal end of the arms, the arms along the third bend being substantially parallel with each other, the bends oriented in such a way that the proximal ends of each arm do not visually interfere with the distal ends when the distal ends of each arm are placed inside the patient's pharynx, allowing an unobstructed view of the patient's vocal cords; the first, second and third bends lying in an area of the device which is substantially equidistant between the pivot and the proximal end of the device; the angle formed by the second bend is substantially 120°; the angle formed by the third bend is substantially 150°; the first bend lies about a first axis; the second bend lies about a second axis; the third bend lies about a third axis; and the first, second, and third axes are non-parallel.