A laryngoscopic device for use with a video display monitor, the device comprising:
- a first laryngoscope blade in the form of a laryngoscope video blade comprising:
- an elongate body portion spanning between a coupling portion at a first end and a tip portion at an opposing second end so as to be arranged for insertion into an airway opening of a patient, the coupling portion including a positive contact, a negative contact, and a video output contact;
- and
- a camera supported on the body portion adjacent the tip portion so as to be arranged to generate a video signal, the camera being operatively connected to the positive contact, the negative contact, and the video output contact of the coupling portion of the laryngoscope video blade;
- an electrical power source including positive and negative terminals;
- a handle module which is elongate between a working end and an opposing gripping end suited for gripping in a hand of a user;
- the working end of the handle module having a coupling portion thereon in mating connection with the coupling portion of the laryngoscope video blade in a coupled position, the coupling portion of the handle module and the coupling portion of the video blade being readily separable from one another from the coupled position so as to enable ready separation of the laryngoscope video blade from the handle module;
- the coupling portion at the working end of the handle module including a positive contact, a negative contact and a video output contact supported thereon which are mated with respective ones of the positive contact, the negative contact and the video output contact of the laryngoscope video blade in the coupled position of the laryngoscope video blade with the handle module;
- the positive contact, the negative contact, and the video output contact of the handle module being separable from respective ones of the positive contact, the negative contact, and the video output contact of the laryngoscope video blade together with separation of the coupling portion of the handle module from the coupling portion of the laryngoscope video blade;
- and
- the handle module further comprising a positive electrical conduit communicating between the positive contact of the working end of the handle module and the positive terminal of the power source, a negative electrical conduit communicating between the negative contact of the working end of the handle module and the negative terminal of the power source, and a video output conduit communicating between the video output contact at the working end of the handle and a video output of the handle module which is adapted to communicate the video signal of the camera to the video display monitor;
- and
- a second laryngoscope blade in the form of a direct laryngoscope blade, different in configuration than the first laryngoscope blade, having an elongate body portion spanning between a coupling portion at a first end and a tip portion at an opposing second end and being shaped so as to be adapted to perform direct laryngoscopy, the coupling portion of the direct laryngoscope blade being adapted to be matingly connected to the coupling portion of the handle module in a coupled position of the second laryngoscope blade such that the coupling portions remain readily separable from one another from the coupled position;
- whereby the video laryngoscope blade and the direct laryngoscope blade are interchangeable with one another on the coupling portion of the handle module.