Intubating laryngeal mask

An intubating laryngeal-mask airway device, comprising a rigid airway tube having a curved portion with a central axis that is curved in a first geometric plane pursuant to an arcuate path of substantially constant radius, said arcuate path being adapted to conform to the anatomical course of a patient's oral pathway between a proximal limit which is in near-overlap with the longitudinal center of a patient's hard palate, and a distal pharyngeal limit in said plane and at offset from the glottic aperture, the included angle of curvature between said proximal and distal limits being in the range between 100.degree. and 145.degree., and mask structure of yieldable material at said distal limit, said rigid tube including a proximal end portion integrally formed with and tangentially related to the proximal limit of said arcuate path;

• said mask structure comprising a backing plate having a generally elliptical periphery in essentially a second geometric plane which is perpendicular to said first geometric plane, said periphery being adapted for sealing conformance to the laryngeal inlet, said mask structure having an airway passage through said backing plate (i) in said first geometric plane and (ii) at an acute angle to said second geometric plane and (iii) connected to the distal limit of said tube, said mask including a compliantly hinged tongue that is normally disposed diametrically across the distal end of said path and is adapted to deflect the epiglottis upon advance of intubation beyond said distal end.

An intubating laryngeal-mask airway device, comprising a rigid airway tube having a curved portion with a central axis that is curved in a first geometric plane pursuant to an arcuate path of substantially constant radius, said arcuate path being adapted to conform to the anatomical course of a patient's oral pathway between a proximal limit which is in near-overlap with the longitudinal center of a patient's hard palate, and a distal pharyngeal limit in said plane and at offset from the glottic aperture, and mask structure of yieldable material at said distal limit, said rigid tube including a proximal end portion integrally formed with and tangentially related to the proximal limit of said arcuate path;

• said mask structure comprising a backing plate having a generally elliptical periphery in essentially a second geometric plane which is perpendicular to said first geometric plane, said periphery being adapted for sealing conformance to the laryngeal inlet, said mask structure having an airway passage through said backing plate (i) in said first geometric plane and (ii) at an acute angle to said second geometric plane and (iii) connected to the distal limit of said tube, said mask structure including a ramp beyond the distal limit of said tube, said ramp being adapted to centrally stabilize the endotracheal tube upon exit from the distal end of the curved portion of said rigid airway tube and in a direction toward a patient's glottic opening, the included angle of curvature of the endotracheal tube, upon exit from said ramp, being in the range of 130.degree..+-.5.degree. with respect to the orientation of said tangentially related proximal end portion.

An intubating laryngeal-mask airway device, comprising a rigid airway tube having a curved portion with a central axis that is curved in a first geometric plane pursuant to an arcuate path of substantially constant radius, said arcuate path being adapted to conform to the anatomical course of a patient's oral pathway between a proximal limit which is in near-overlap with the longitudinal center of a patient's hard palate, and a distal pharyngeal limit in said plane and at offset from the glottic aperture, and mask structure of yieldable material at said distal limit, said rigid tube including a proximal end portion integrally formed with and tangentially related to the proximal limit of said arcuate path;

• said mask structure comprising a backing plate having a generally elliptical periphery in essentially a second geometric plane which is perpendicular to said first geometric plane, said periphery being adapted for sealing conformance to the laryngeal inlet, said mask structure having an airway passage through said backing plate (i) in said first geometric plane and (ii) at an acute angle to said second geometric plane and (iii) connected to the distal limit of said tube, said mask structure including a ramp beyond the distal limit of said tube, said ramp being adapted to centrally stabilize the endotracheal tube upon exit from the distal end of the curved portion of said rigid airway tube and in a direction toward a patient's glottic opening, the included angle of curvature of the endotracheal tube, upon exit from said ramp, being in the range of 130.degree..+-.5.degree. with respect to the orientation of said tangentially related proximal end portion, said mask structure including a compliantly hinged tongue that is normally disposed diametrically across the distal limit of said tube and is adapted to deflect a patient's epiglottis upon advance of the endotracheal tube beyond said distal limit.