Oropharyngeal Airway

• US 20080000481A1
• Filed: 07/10/2007
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Arjunan Ganesh, Michael Williams, Valerie Armstead
• Original Assignee: Arjunan Ganesh, Michael Williams, Valerie Armstead
• Inventors: Williams, Michael, Armstead, Valerie, Ganesh, Arjunan
• Application Number:
  US11/775,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20080000481A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/207.14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/04 Tracheal tubes catheters in general A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0463 combined with suction tubes, catheters or the like; Outside connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0493 with means for protecting the tube from damage caused by the patient's teeth, e.g. bite block
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0495 with tongue depressors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/085 Gas sampling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0656 Epiglottis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/432 partial CO2 pressure (P-CO2)

Abstract

An oropharyngeal device for insertion into the mouth of a patient. The device includes a body having a distal end and a proximal end with a flange formed at the proximal end. The distal end of the body is inserted into the mouth of the patient until the flange at the proximal end is disposed outside and adjacent to the patient'"'"'s mouth. The flange keeps the proximal device from entering the mouth. The body is sized such that the distal end of the body is disposed within the pharynx above the epiglottis. The device includes a channel through the body that forms an airway between its proximal and distal ends. The device also includes at least three separate conduits integrated into the body for administering oxygen, suctioning, and for assessing ventilation through end-tidal carbon dioxide monitoring. The conduits for oxygenation and suctioning extend through the body between its proximal and distal ends. The conduit for end-tidal carbon dioxide monitoring extends along and is attached to a side wall of the channel and terminates within the channel.

Claims

1. An oropharyngeal device for insertion into the mouth of a patient comprising:

a. a body having a distal end and a proximal end, the body sized such that when the distal end of the body is inserted into the mouth of the patient until the proximal end is disposed outside and adjacent to the patient'"'"'s mouth, the distal end is disposed within the pharynx above the epiglottis;

b. at least one channel forming at least one airway in the device body extending between the proximal end and the distal end of the device body;

c. at least one first conduit in the device body for conveying an inhalant gas to the patient that extends from the proximal end to the distal end of the device body;

d. at least one second conduit for suctioning that extends from the proximal end to the distal end of the device body; and

e. at least one third conduit for sampling gas exhaled by the patient that extends from the proximal end of the device body and terminates at a position in the channel.

2. The oropharyngeal device according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the at least one first, second, and third conduits is disposed within the device body.

3. The oropharyngeal device according to claim 1 wherein the at least one first, second, and third conduits are independently disposed within the at least one channel.

4. The oropharyngeal device according to claim 1 wherein the at least one first, second, and third conduits are independently disposed partly within the device body and partly within the at least one channel.

5. The oropharyngeal device according to claim 1 wherein the third conduit terminates at a position within the channel corresponding to the mouth of the patient.

6. The oropharyngeal device according to claim 1 wherein the device body has a length from its proximal end to its distal end and the at least one third conduit terminates within the channel at a location within the o-thirds of the device body length closest to the proximal end of the device body.

7. The oropharyngeal device according to claim 1 wherein the at least one channel has a U-shaped cross section.

8. The oropharyngeal device according to claim 1 wherein the at least one channel has a closed cross section.

9. The oropharyngeal device according to claim 1 wherein the device is rigid and functions as a bite block.

10. The oropharyngeal device according to claim 1 wherein the first, second, and third conduits each independently have an inside diameter between 2 mm and 5 mm.

11. The oropharyngeal device according to claim 1 wherein the first, second, and third conduits are coupled to connectors at the proximal end of the device for connecting to an inhalant gas source, a suctioning device, and a gas sampling device, respectively.

12. The oropharyngeal device according to claim 1 further comprising at least one flexible extension conduit coupled to at least one of the first, second, and third conduits at the proximal end of the device body.

13. The oropharyngeal device according to claim 1 further comprising a flange at the proximal end of the device for preventing the proximal end of the device body from entering the mouth.

14. The oropharyngeal device according to claim 1 further comprising at least one right-angled connector coupled to at least one of the first, second, and third conduits at the proximal end of the device wherein the right-angled connector bends at a right angle with respect to a surface of the device body at its proximal end.

15. The oropharyngeal device according to claim 6 wherein the at least one channel has a closed cross section, the at least one first conduit is disposed within the device body, and the at least one second conduit is disposed within the device body.

16. A method for establishing and maintaining an airway comprising the steps of:

a. inserting the device according to claim 1 into the mouth of the patient until the proximal end is outside of and adjacent to the patient'"'"'s mouth;

b. connecting at least one inhalant gas source to the at least one first conduit;

c. connecting at least one suctioning device to the at least one second conduit; and

d. connecting at least one gas sampling device to the at least one third conduit.