Airway management

• US 9,326,669 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2013
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Turocy and Watson LLP (Amin Turocy & Watson LLP), University Hospitals of Cleveland (University Hospitals Health System Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Amin Turocy & Watson LLP, University Hospitals of Cleveland (University Hospitals Health System Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nearman, Howard S., Voltz, Donald M., Aharon, Alon S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Manahan, Todd E
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARTER, TARA ROSE E
• Application Number:
  US13/914,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20130274556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 600166-177, 600188-190, 600/194, 600/196, 600/223, 600/225, 600/239, 600/240
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00004 characterised by electronic signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00011 characterised by signal transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00045 Display arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/015 Control of fluid supply or evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/04 combined with photographic or television appliances
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/267 for the respiratory tract, e.g. laryngoscopes, bronchoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/04 Tracheal tubes catheters in general A61M25/00

Abstract

The claimed subject matter provides systems and/or methods that facilitate improving visualization associated with intubation. A dynamically articulating laryngoscope blade can be controlled to configure to normal anatomic variants and pathologic abnormalities to facilitate placing of an endotracheal tube into a patient'"'"'s trachea. Further, cameras can be integrated into and/or mounted upon the dynamically articulating laryngoscope blade. The cameras can enable stereoscopic visualization of the laryngeal aperture allowing for depth perception. Moreover, the cameras can be moved independently of the blade allowing for optimal viewing of the laryngeal opening.

Claims

1. A method that enables utilizing a laryngoscope with an articulating blade, comprising:

controlling movement of a first portion of the articulating blade to adjust a curvature of the articulating blade while the articulating blade is in an oral cavity;

controlling movement of a tip of the articulating blade while the articulating blade is in the oral cavity, wherein the movement of the first portion of the articulating blade is independent from the movement of the tip of the articulating blade;

controlling movement of a camera mounted on the articulating blade while the articulating blade is in the oral cavity, wherein the movement of the camera is independent from the movement of the first portion and the tip of the articulating blade; and

receiving intubation data via the camera.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the movement of the first portion, the tip and the camera comprises employing a motor of the laryngoscope operatively coupled to the first portion, the tip, and the camera, respectively.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving other intubation data from another camera associated with the articulating blade;

combining the intubation data and the other intubation data to produce a stereoscopic visualization that provides depth perception; and

facilitating a presentation of the stereoscopic visualization on an external device in real time.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the combining comprises:

collecting the intubation data from the camera and the other intubation data from the other camera;

processing the intubation data and the other intubation data into a set of processed data; and

transmitting the set of processed data for the presentation on the external device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the processing the intubation data and the other intubation data further comprising combining data from the camera and the other camera to yield an output image or a video.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the movement of the first portion of the articulating blade, the tip of the articulating blade, and the camera comprises wirelessly transmitting control signals to the articulating blade via a remote device, wherein the articulating bladed is configured to process and implement the control signals.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the movement of the first portion of the articulating blade, the tip of the articulating blade, and the camera comprises actuating a motor of the articulating blade from a handle attached to the articulating blade, wherein the motor is operatively coupled to the first portion, the tip, and the camera.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the first portion, the controlling the tip, the controlling the camera, and the receiving the intubation data, is performed by a device remote from the laryngoscope, the method further comprising:

presenting, by the device, the intubation data via a display of the device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the intubation data comprises receiving the intubation data at a handle of the laryngoscope, the method further comprising:

sending the intubation data to a remote device configured to display the intubation data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the articulating blade comprises at least one articulation point and the camera is mounted on the articulating blade at the at least one articulation point.

11. A method, comprising:

adjusting a first articulating blade of a laryngoscope positioned in an oral cavity based on first input applied to the first articulating blade via a handle operatively coupled to the first articulating blade; and

adjusting a second articulating blade, mechanically connected to the first articulating blade and positioned in the oral cavity, based on second input applied to the second articulating blade via the handle, wherein the handle is operatively coupled to the second articulating blade and the adjusting the first articulating blade is independent of the adjusting the second articulating blade.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

adjusting a third articulating blade, mechanically connected to the second articulating blade and positioned in the oral cavity, based on third input applied to the third articulating blade via the handle, wherein the handle is operatively coupled to the third articulating blade and the adjusting the second and first articulating blades is independent of the adjusting the third articulating blade.

13. A method, comprising:

collecting a set of oral cavity data from a laryngoscope blade comprising moving a set of cameras independently from moving the laryngoscope blade while in an oral cavity, wherein respective cameras of the set are mounted on the laryngoscope blade;

processing the set of oral cavity data into a set of processed oral cavity data;

transmitting the set of processed oral cavity data to a disparate device;

facilitating a display of the set of processed oral cavity data on the disparate device while the laryngoscope blade is in the oral cavity; and

manipulating a shape of the laryngoscope blade using one or more articulation joints of the laryngoscope blade while the laryngoscope blade is within the oral cavity, including moving a tip of the laryngoscope blade, and moving of a middle section of the laryngoscope blade, wherein the moving the tip is independent from the moving the middle section.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the processing the set of oral cavity data comprises:

combining the set of oral cavity data from the respective cameras of the set; and

yielding a stereoscopic view of the set of oral cavity data based on the combining.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the facilitating the display comprises facilitating a rendering of the set of processed oral cavity data on a display device in real time while the laryngoscope blade is in the oral cavity, wherein the display device is located remotely from the laryngoscope blade.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

capturing additional oral cavity data during the manipulating;

transmitting the additional oral cavity data to the disparate device; and

facilitating a rendering of a view of the additional oral cavity data while the laryngoscope blade is in the oral cavity.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the laryngoscope blade comprises a first flat metal blade and at least a second flat metal blade, and wherein the manipulating the laryngoscope blade comprises articulating the first flat metal blade on at least the second flat metal blade.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

applying an anesthetic medication in the oral cavity through a channel operatively attached to the laryngoscope blade, wherein the applying is performed while the laryngoscope blade is inserted in the oral cavity.