US 2013/0255671 A1 · MANUALLY ARTICULATED INTUBATION STYLET, INTUBATION DEVICE AND INTUBATION METHOD

Abstract

Apparatuses useful in and methods for positioning of an endotracheal tube within an airway by allowing manual articulation of the endotracheal tube while a patient is being intubated. The apparatuses and methods are of particular use in intubating patients with unique anatomical conditions that make standard stylets inadequate for intubation. In one embodiment, an apparatus may comprise a stylet having a first end and a second end, with the second end of the stylet being insertable within a lumen of the endotracheal tube. First and second articulatable portions of the stylet may be independently articulated into respective primary and secondary arcuations to bend the endotracheal tube in conformance therewith as desired during the intubation procedure.

Claims33

Dependent claims

An apparatus useful in the positioning of an endotracheal tube within an airway, said apparatus comprising:

a stylet having a first end and a second end, said second end being insertable within a lumen of the endotracheal tube such that at least a portion of a longitudinal extent of said stylet is received within the lumen of the endotracheal tube;
a first filament extending substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of said stylet, said first filament being connected to said stylet at a first location between said first and second ends;
a second filament extending substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of said stylet, said second filament being connected to said stylet at a second location farther from said first end than said first location;
a first tensioning mechanism operable to put said first filament under tension to articulate said stylet into a primary arcuation extending from said first location toward said first end;
and
a second tensioning mechanism operable to put said second filament under tension to articulate said stylet into a secondary arcuation extending from said second location toward said first location.

3 more elements

A method for positioning an endotracheal tube within an airway, said method comprising:

coupling a first end of a stylet with a handle body including first and second articulating mechanisms, wherein the stylet includes a first articulatable portion extending toward the first end from a first location along a longitudinal extent of the stylet and a second articulatable portion extending toward the first location from a second location along the longitudinal extent of the stylet farther from the first end than the first location, and wherein the first and second articulating mechanisms are independently operable;
inserting a second end of the stylet within a lumen of the endotracheal tube such that at least a portion of the longitudinal extent of the stylet is received within the lumen of the endotracheal tube;
and
concurrent with positioning the endotracheal tube within the airway, performing at least one of:
operating the first articulating mechanism to articulate the first portion of the stylet into a primary arcuation;
and
operating the second articulating mechanism to articulate the second portion of the stylet into a secondary arcuation.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Manually articulated intubation stylet, intubation device and intubation method

Life of this patent

Manually articulated intubation stylet, intubation device and intubation method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims33