Patent ID: 7506648

Claim:
A laryngeal-mask airway device comprising: (a) an inflatable cuff; (b) a backplate attached to the cuff establishing separation between a laryngeal-chamber region and a pharyngeal region, the cuff and backplate being insertable through a mouth of a patient to an inserted location within the patient, the laryngeal-chamber region being in communication with a laryngeal inlet of the patient when the cuff is inflated and when the cuff is at the inserted location, the backplate including a tube-joint disposed in the pharyngeal region, the device defining an indentation proximate the tube joint, the indentation being accessible by a finger of a person when the person is inserting the cuff and backplate through the mouth of the patient; and (c) an airway tube extending from the tube joint to a proximal end, the proximal end of the airway tube being disposed outside the patient's mouth when the cuff is at the inserted location, a continuous artificial airway extending from the proximal end of the airway tube to the laryngeal-chamber region; wherein the backplate further includes a passageway for communication between said pharyngeal and laryngeal-chamber regions, said backplate having a longitudinal distal rib for longitudinally supporting the distal region of said cuff, wherein the distal rib is narrower than the diameter of the passageway.