Imaging Stylet for Intubation
AssigneeSanovas, Inc.
InventorsErhan H. Gunday, Lawrence J. Gerrans, Alex Hsia
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An imaging stylet is provided, including a deformable outer housing having a proximal end and a distal end with a longitudinal axis, and an opening provided at the distal end, an imaging device disposed at the distal end of the outer housing, a deformable support member disposed in the outer housing, and an actuator disposed in the outer housing and coupled to the imaging device. The imaging device is movable by the actuator from an inactivated position, in which the imaging device is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the distal end, to an activated position, in which the imaging device extends out of the opening at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the distal end.
Claims32
An imaging stylet, comprising:
- a deformable outer housing having a proximal end and a distal end with a longitudinal axis, and an opening provided at the distal end;
- an imaging device disposed at the distal end of said outer housing;
- a deformable support member disposed in said outer housing;
- and
- an actuator disposed in said outer housing and coupled to said imaging device;
- wherein said imaging device is movable by said actuator from an inactivated position, in which said imaging device is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of said distal end, to an activated position, in which said imaging device extends out of the opening at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of said distal end.
A medical intubation device, comprising:
- an outer tube having a proximal end opening and a distal end opening;
- an inflatable balloon positioned adjacent the distal end opening;
- and
- an imaging stylet movably disposed in said outer tube through the proximal end opening and extendable out of the distal end opening, said imaging stylet comprising:
- a deformable outer housing having a proximal end and a distal end with a longitudinal axis, and an opening provided at the distal end;
- an imaging device disposed at the distal end of said outer housing;
- a deformable support member disposed in said outer housing;
- and
- an actuator disposed in said outer housing and coupled to said imaging device;
- wherein said imaging device is movable via said actuator from an inactivated position, in which said imaging device is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of said distal end, to an activated position, in which said imaging device extends out of the opening at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of said distal end.
A method of intubating a patient with a medical intubation device, comprising the steps of:
- inserting an imaging stylet into a lumen of an outer tube, wherein said imaging stylet comprises:
- a deformable outer housing having a proximal end and a distal end with a longitudinal axis, and an opening provided at the distal end;
- an imaging device disposed at the distal end of said outer housing;
- a deformable support member disposed in said outer housing;
- and
- an actuator disposed in said outer housing and coupled to said imaging device;
- inserting the outer tube with said imaging stylet into a patient's airway passage such that said imaging stylet extends out of a distal end of the outer tube;
- and
- moving said imaging device from an inactivated position, in which said imaging device is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of said distal end, to an activated position, in which said imaging device extends out of the opening at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of said distal end, to visualize surrounding tissue in the airway passage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.