Endotracheal intubation device
OwnerRichard Schwartz, John Schwartzinventors
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Abstract
A device for facilitating intubation including an elongate tube inserted in a conventional endotracheal tube. An imaging device (e.g., a nasopharyngoscope) is inserted through the device, and the device is then inserted through an endotracheal tube. The device includes a control wire and handgrip to curve the distal end of the device into an L-shaped configuration, which is produced via a series of interlinked, truncated ring-like elements disposed along the distal portion of the tube. The amount of force applied to the handgrip controls the degree of bend in the distal end of the device. The L-shaped configuration facilitates the proper visualization of the vocal cords by the imaging device.
Claims12
A device to facilitate endotracheal intubation comprising:
- a substantially tubular element having first and second portions, said first portion having a proximal attachment section for attachment of an imaging device thereto, said second portion having a distal portion and a terminal end;
- said distal portion comprising a series of interconnected ring elements of predetermined ring thickness, and having shaped spaces therebetween, such that said interconnected ring elements form a channel therethrough, there further being a first ring element at said second portion terminal end;
- a handgrip control mechanism attached to said second portion below the junction between said first and second portions;
- and
- a control wire having first and second ends, with the first control wire end attached to the first ring element, and the second control wire end attached to the handgrip control mechanism, the wire passing entirely through said second portion;
- whereby
- manipulation of said control grip causes said control wire to close said shaped spaces between said ring elements, thus to flex said second portion distal end into a generally L-shaped configuration, in a controlled manner from fully straight to fully L-shaped.
An endotracheal intubation assembly comprising, in combination, a device for facilitating endotracheal intubation, an endotracheal tube and an imaging device, said device for facilitating endotracheal intubation including:
- a substantially tubular element having first and second portions, said first portion having a proximal attachment section for attachment of said imaging device thereto, said second portion having a distal portion and a terminal end;
- said distal portion comprising a series of interconnected ring elements of predetermined ring thickness, and having shaped spaces therebetween, such that said interconnected ring elements form a channel therethrough, there further being a first ring element at said second portion terminal end;
- a handgrip control mechanism attached to said second portion below the junction between said first and second portions;
- and
- a control wire having first and second ends, with the first control wire end attached to the first ring element, and the second control wire end attached to the handgrip control mechanism;
- whereby
- manipulation of said control grip causes said control wire to close said shaped spaces between said ring elements, thus to flex said second portion distal end into a generally L-shaped configuration, in a controlled manner from fully straight to fully L-shaped.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.