Patent ID: 8820320

Claim:
A bite block for use during a transoral medical procedure, comprising a main bite block body defining upper and lower outer surfaces adapted to be positioned between a patient's upper and lower teeth respectively and defining an operating lumen for providing instrument access; wherein the bite block includes an outer face adapted to be positioned outside the patient's mouth during use; wherein upper and lower retention flange portions extend in a direction substantially perpendicular from the upper and lower outer surfaces, respectively, so as to be positioned behind the patient's teeth during use, wherein the upper and lower retention flange portions extend between about 3 to 5 millimeters from the upper and lower outer surfaces, respectively; wherein the outer face of the bite block defines a first opening comprising the entrance to an operating lumen and a second opening comprising the entrance to an oral pharyngeal airway, the airway having a length such that the airway extends through the patient's oral cavity; wherein the main bite block body comprises a polymeric material having a density below 9.4 g/cm 3 and Shore D Durometer hardness less than about 60; wherein the effective inner diameter of the operating lumen is at least about 20 mm; and wherein the distance between the uppermost and lowermost portions of the retention flange portions is between 35 mm and 45 mm.