Intubation instrument

• US 6,142,144 A
• Filed: 04/15/1998
• Issued: 11/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verathon Medical (Canada) ULC (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: John A. Pacey
• Inventors: Pacey, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Aaron J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mitchell, Teena
• Application Number:
  US09/060,891
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.26, 128/207.14, 128/207.15, 128/206.29, 128/911, 128/912, 128/DIG. 26, 600/187, 600/188, 600/190, 600/194, 600/199
• US Class Current: 128/200.26
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/06 with illuminating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/267 for the respiratory tract, e.g. laryngoscopes, bronchoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/2676 Bronchoscopes

Abstract

The configuration and arrangement of the instrument greatly facilitate safe placement of the instrument and an associated endotracheal tube. The instrument provides a path for guiding movement of the endotracheal tube in a manner that permits the distal end of the tube to move along the instrument directly toward the glottis. The instrument includes a passage into which a telescope is mounted. The arrangement of the guide path and passageway ensure that the advancing end of the tube remains observable as it is advanced to the glottis. Suction is provided to remove fluid etc that would otherwise obscure the view of the tube.

Claims

1. An intubation instrument, a portion of which is for insertion into a patient through the patient'"'"'s mouth, comprising:

a body having a handle attached thereto;

an arm attached to the body, the arm having a distal end and being arranged for insertion distal-end first through a patient'"'"'s mouth and having an anterior surface that faces a patient'"'"'s lower jaw when the arm is inserted;

a telescope passage carried by the arm and having an inner end located at the distal end of the arm; and

a guide path formed on the anterior surface of the instrument body and configured for guiding the sliding movement of an endotracheal tube along the anterior surface between the telescope passage and a patient'"'"'s lower jaw, wherein the guide path includes a loop protruding from the distal end of the arm, through which loop an endotracheal tube is extendable.

2. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the loop defines an elongated opening through which the endotracheal tube is extendable, the protruding loop being arranged so a leading end of the endotracheal tube is free to move away from the distal end of the arm while remaining in the opening.

3. The instrument of claim 2 wherein the portion of the loop opening away from the arm is shaped to conform to the outside diameter of the endotracheal tube and wherein that portion of the opening combines with the remainder of the guide path away from the loop to permit the endotracheal tube to assume a curved orientation at the distal end of the arm.

4. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the arm is of a length such that the distal end of the arm is adjacent to a patient'"'"'s glottis when the arm is inserted and wherein the loop protrudes from the distal end of the arm by an amount sufficient to bear against a patient'"'"'s epiglottis.

5. The instrument of claim 1 further comprising a suction passageway formed in the arm and having an interior end located at the distal end of the arm such that the inner end of the telescope passage is substantially between the interior end of the suction passageway and the anterior surface of the arm.

6. The instrument of claim 5 further comprising a guard connected to the distal end of the arm and projecting distally therefrom with respect to the interior end of the suction passageway thereby to prevent contact between the interior end of the suction passageway and a patient'"'"'s tissue.

7. The instrument of claim 5 further comprising another passageway formed in the arm for conducting fluid to or from the distal end of the arm.

8. An intubation instrument, a portion of which is for insertion into a patient through the patient'"'"'s mouth, comprising:

a body having a handle attached thereto;

an arm attached to the body, the arm having a distal end and being arranged for insertion distal-end first through a patient'"'"'s mouth and having an anterior surface that faces a patient'"'"'s lower jaw when the arm is inserted;

a telescope passage carried by the arm and having an inner end located at the distal end of the arm;

a guide path formed on the anterior surface of the instrument body and configured for guiding the sliding movement of an endotracheal tube along the anterior surface between the telescope passage and a patient'"'"'s lower jaw; and

a guard connected to the distal end of the arm and extending distally therefrom with respect to the inner end of the telescope passage thereby to prevent contact between the inner end of the telescope passage and tissue of a patient into whom the arm is inserted.

9. The instrument of claim 8 wherein the guide path includes a loop protruding from the distal end of the arm, through which loop a leading end of an endotracheal tube is extendable, the loop extending distally from the arm with respect to the inner end of the telescope passage so that adjacent to the inner end of the telescope passage there is established between the guard and the loop a clearing into which a patient'"'"'s tissue is prevented from entry when the arm is inserted.

10. The instrument of claim 8 wherein the guard is angled relative to the arm in a direction toward the anterior surface of the arm thereby to facilitate insertion of the arm into the mouth of a patient.

11. An intubation instrument, a portion of which is for insertion into a patient through the patient'"'"'s mouth, comprising:

a body having a handle attached thereto;

an arm attached to the body, the arm having a distal end and being arranged for insertion distal-end first through a patient'"'"'s mouth and having an anterior surface that faces a patient'"'"'s lower maw when the arm is inserted;

a telescope passage carried by the arm and having an inner end located at the distal end of the arm; and

a guide path formed on the anterior surface of the instrument body and configured for guiding the sliding movement of an endotracheal tube along the anterior surface between the telescope passage and a patient'"'"'s lower jaw;

wherein the guide path includes a loop protruding from the distal end of the arm, through which loop an endotracheal tube is extendable; and

wherein the handle is an elongated member that is substantially perpendicular to the arm and wherein the guide path includes a channel formed in the handle and through which channel an endotracheal tube may fit, wherein the length of the channel extends in a direction oblique to the arm and the handle thereby to permit the tube to assume a curved orientation away from the handle and along the anterior surface of the arm.

12. The instrument of claim 11 further comprising another channel formed in the handle, thereby to facilitate passage of a secondary instrument toward the distal end of the arm.

13. The instrument of claim 11 wherein the channel comprises a groove that opens to one side of the handle.

14. An intubation instrument, a portion of which is for insertion into a patient through the patient'"'"'s mouth, comprising:

a body having a handle attached thereto;

an arm attached to the body, the arm having a distal end and being arranged for insertion distal-end first through a patient'"'"'s mouth and having an anterior surface that faces a patient'"'"'s lower jaw when the arm is inserted;

a telescope passage carried by the arm and having an inner end located at the distal end of the arm; and

a guide path formed on the anterior surface of the instrument body and configured for guiding the sliding movement of an endotracheal tube along the anterior surface between the telescope passage and a patient'"'"'s lower jaw; and

wherein the telescope passage includes an outer end through which a telescope may be passed into the telescope passage, the instrument including a clip mounted near the outer end for releasably retaining a telescope in the telescope passage.

15. The instrument of claim 14 wherein the clip includes arms that are arranged to engage a radially projecting part of the telescope, thereby to restrict rotation of the telescope relative to the telescope passage.