Combined laryngeal mask and reflectance oximeter
First Claim
1. In combination, a laryngeal mask having a front side and a back side and means for establishing peripherally sealed engagement of said mask around the laryngeal inlet of a patient, with the front side facing into the laryngeal inlet and the back side facing the back wall of the pharynx, an elongate airway tube having a distal end which establishes a sealed passage through said mask between the back and front sides of said mask, and reflectance-oximeter probe means carried at the back side of said mask and oriented to radiate into and to sense radiation reflected from within a localized portion of the back wall of the pharynx.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A reflectance oximeter is so mounted to the upstream or proximal side of a laryngeal mask as to face the posterior wall of the pharynx when the laryngeal mask has been positioned to perform its function of sealed, exclusive airway communication with the laryngeal inlet. Thus positioned, radiation from the oximeter can utilize local back-bone features as a reflector, for two-way passage of the radiation through tissue which characterizes the posterior wall of the pharynx. Moreover, the oximeter-observation region is within the body, so that ambient light has no degrading effect, and changes in oxygen saturation will be detected earlier than by use of any peripherally placed oximeter probe.
191 Citations
28 Claims
- 1. In combination, a laryngeal mask having a front side and a back side and means for establishing peripherally sealed engagement of said mask around the laryngeal inlet of a patient, with the front side facing into the laryngeal inlet and the back side facing the back wall of the pharynx, an elongate airway tube having a distal end which establishes a sealed passage through said mask between the back and front sides of said mask, and reflectance-oximeter probe means carried at the back side of said mask and oriented to radiate into and to sense radiation reflected from within a localized portion of the back wall of the pharynx.
- 18. In combination, a laryngeal mask comprising a plate having a front side and a back side and means including an inflatable annular ring peripherally connected to said plate in essentially a single plane for establishing peripherally sealed engagement of said mask around the laryngeal inlet of a patient, with the front side facing into the laryngeal inlet and the back side facing the back wall of the pharynx, the back side of said plate having a tubular airway inlet formation on an alignment which rises from said plane at an acute angle, an elongate airway tube having a distal end which establishes via said inlet formation a sealed passage through said mask between the back and front sides of said mask, and reflectance-oximeter probe means carried by the inlet formation of said mask and oriented to radiate into and to sense radiation reflected from within a localized portion of the back wall of the pharynx.
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25. An artificial airway device to facilitate a patient'"'"'s lung ventilation, comprising an airway tube, an evacuation tube, and a laryngeal mask at one end of said tubes, said mask including a first inflatable-cuff formation of flexible material in a generally elliptical configuration extending from a proximal end to a distal end and in generally a single plane which is inclined to the axis of the airway tube at the distal end of the airway tube, a second inflatable-cuff formation carried by said mask on the posterior side of said plane, said mask being configured upon inflation of said cuff formations (1) to form a seal of said airway tube solely around the circumference of the laryngeal inlet and (2) to establish a cushioning action via said second cuff formation between the posterior side of said mask and the posterior wall of the pharynx, the distal end of said first cuff formation being configured for entry into and insertional location of said device by engagement with the oesophagus at the upper sphinctral region of the oesophagus when the mask is positioned for sealing the airway tube to the laryngeal inlet, said evacuation tube having an open distal end centrally within and axially short of the distal end of said first cuff formation, inflation-passage means communicating with both said inflatable cuff formations for selective inflation/deflation operation of said cuff formations;
- said cuff formations, upon inflation via said inflation-passage means, sealing said airway tube for communication solely with the laryngeal inlet, sealing said evacuation tube solely to the sphinctral region; and
reflectance-oximeter probe means carried by said second cuff formation and oriented to radiate into and to sense radiation reflected from within a localized portion of the posterior wall of the pharynx. - View Dependent Claims (26)
- said cuff formations, upon inflation via said inflation-passage means, sealing said airway tube for communication solely with the laryngeal inlet, sealing said evacuation tube solely to the sphinctral region; and
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27. An artificial airway device to facilitate a patient'"'"'s lung ventilation, comprising an airway tube, an evacuation tube, and a laryngeal mask at one end of said tubes, said mask being of generally elliptical configuration extending from a proximal end to a distal end and in generally a single plane, said configuration being adapted for support by and around the laryngeal inlet and orienting the distal end of the airway tube at an angle to said plane and in substantial alignment with the axis of the laryngeal inlet when supported by and around the laryngeal inlet, the distal end of said mask having a first cuff formation configured for entry into and insertional location of said device by engagement with the upper sphinctral region of the oesophagus when the mask is Positioned for airway-tube alignment with the axis of the oesophagus inlet, said evacuation tube having an open distal end centrally within and axially short of the distal end of said first cuff formation, a second inflatable-cuff formation carried by said mask on the posterior side of said plane, inflation-passage means communicating with both said cuff formations, and reflectance-oximeter probe means carried by said second cuff formation and oriented to radiate into and to sense radiation reflected from within a localized portion of the posterior wall of the pharynx.
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28. An artificial airway device to facilitate a patient'"'"'s lung ventilation, comprising an airway tube, a suction tube, and a laryngeal mask at one end of said tubes, said mask having a proximal end and a distal end and being configured to form a seal of said airway tube solely around the circumference of the patient'"'"'s laryngeal inlet, said distal end being configured for entry into and insertional location of said device at the entrance of the upper sphinctral region of the oesophagus when said Mask is positioned for sealing the airway tube to the laryngeal inlet, said evacuation tube having an open distal end centrally within but axially short of the distal end of said mask, and the distal end of said mask including a first inflatable flexible cuff formation for peripherally sealed engagement of the upper sphinctral region to the distal end of said evacuation tube, thus exposing a passage via said mask for airway-tube communication solely with the laryngeal inlet on the anterior side of said mask, while exposing the posterior side of said mask to the posterior wall of the pharynx, a second inflatable-cuff formation carried by the posterior side of said mask for inflated engagement to the posterior wall of the pharynx, inflation-passage means communicating with both said cuff formations, and reflectance-oximeter probe means carried by said second cuff formation and oriented to radiate into and to sense radiation reflected from within a localized portion of the posterior wall of the pharynx.
Specification