Intubation instrument
DCFirst Claim
1. An intubation instrument, a portion of which is for insertion into a patient through the patient'"'"'s mouth, the patient having a respiratory system with an oropharynx, a laryngopharynx, and an epiglottis, said intubation instrument comprising:
- a body having a handle attached thereto;
an elongate arm having an elongate base portion operably secured to said body at one end and an elongate lifter portion extending from said elongate base portion toward an opposite end of said elongate base portion thereby defining an angle between said elongate base portion and said elongate lifter portion, said elongate base portion having a first defined length, said first defined length being long enough to extend through the patients mouth into the patient'"'"'s oropharynx;
said elongate lifter portion having, a distal end for insertion distal-end first through a patient'"'"'s mouth, a second defined length, said second defined length being long enough to extend into the laryngopharynx and operably engage the epiglottis of the patent when the elongate base portion is extended into the patient'"'"'s oropharynx, and, a smooth surface for engaging the patient'"'"'s epiglottis.
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Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
The configuration and arrangement of the instrument greatly facilitate safe placement of the instrument and an associated endotracheal tube. The instrument includes a handle with an arm extending therefrom. The arm includes a base portion and a distal lifter portion preferably having an angle between 5° and 85°, inclusive, and the lifter is sized and shaped to engage or lift the patient'"'"'s epiglottis, thereby to expose the glottis. In a preferred embodiment, the base portion and lifter portion are substantially the same length, and a viewing device, which is preferably a CCD or CMOS camera positioned near the transition portion between the base and lifter portions, is aligned to provide a perspective view toward the distal end of the lifter. Lights, which are preferably LED units, are positioned toward the distal end of the lifter to facilitate viewing. A transparent protective sheathing may be positioned over the assembly to facilitate cleaning and provide sterile multiple use of the device, and the lifter may be pivotally secured to the base portion to facilitate on-site adjustment by the practioner.
162 Citations
44 Claims
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1. An intubation instrument, a portion of which is for insertion into a patient through the patient'"'"'s mouth, the patient having a respiratory system with an oropharynx, a laryngopharynx, and an epiglottis, said intubation instrument comprising:
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a body having a handle attached thereto;
an elongate arm having an elongate base portion operably secured to said body at one end and an elongate lifter portion extending from said elongate base portion toward an opposite end of said elongate base portion thereby defining an angle between said elongate base portion and said elongate lifter portion, said elongate base portion having a first defined length, said first defined length being long enough to extend through the patients mouth into the patient'"'"'s oropharynx;
said elongate lifter portion having, a distal end for insertion distal-end first through a patient'"'"'s mouth, a second defined length, said second defined length being long enough to extend into the laryngopharynx and operably engage the epiglottis of the patent when the elongate base portion is extended into the patient'"'"'s oropharynx, and, a smooth surface for engaging the patient'"'"'s epiglottis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An intubation instrument, a portion of which is for insertion into a patent through the patient'"'"'s mouth, comprising:
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a body having a handle attached thereto;
an elongate arm having an elongate base portion attached to the body and an elongate lifter portion having a smooth surface for engaging the patient'"'"'s epiglottis, said elongate lifter portion having a distal end for insertion distal-end first through a patient'"'"'s mouth;
said elongate lifter portion being at least 3 centimeters long and extending from said elongate base portion by at least a 5 degree angle;
a viewer positioned substantially near the area where said elongate base portion meets said elongate lifter portion of said elongate arm, said viewer directed toward the distal end of said elongate lifter portion; and
,a light operably secured to said elongate lifter portion. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. An intubation instrument, a portion of which is for insertion into a patient through the patient'"'"'s mouth, comprising:
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a body having a handle attached thereto;
an elongate arm having an elongate base portion attached to the body and an elongate lifter portion having a smooth surface for engaging the patient'"'"'s epiglottis, said elongate lifter portion having a distal end for insertion distal-end first through a patient'"'"'s mouth and pivotally secured to said elongate base portion at a pivot point;
said elongate lifter portion being at least 3 centimeters long and extending from said elongate base portion by at least a 5 degree angle. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. An intubation instrument, a portion of which is for insertion into a patient through the patient'"'"'s mouth, comprising:
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a body having a handle attached thereto;
an elongate arm having an elongate base portion operably secured to said body at one end and an elongate lifter portion extending from said elongate base portion toward an opposite end of said elongate base portion, said elongate lifter portion having a smooth surface for engaging the patient'"'"'s epiglottis and a distal end for insertion distal-end first through a patient'"'"'s mouth;
said elongate lifter portion being at least as long as said elongate base portion and extending from said elongate base portion by at least a 5 degree angle. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An intubation instrument, a portion of which is for insertion into a patient through the patient'"'"'s mouth, comprising:
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a body having a handle attached thereto;
an elongate arm having an elongate base portion attached to the body and an elongate litter portion having a smooth surface for engaging the patient'"'"'s epiglottis, said elongate lifter portion having a distal-end for insertion distal-end first through a patient'"'"'s mouth and being approximately as long as said elongate base portion and extending from said elongate base portion by at least a 5 degree angle;
a complementary metal oxide semiconductor camera positioned substantially where the elongate base portion meets said elongate lifter portion of said elongate arm, said complementary metal oxide semiconductor camera directed toward the distal-end of said elongate lifter portion; and
,a light operably secured to said elongate lifter portion. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. An intubation instrument, a portion of which is for insertion into a patient through the patient'"'"'s mouth, comprising:
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a body having a handle attached thereto;
an elongate arm having an elongate base portion attached to the body and an elongate lifter portion extending from said elongate base portion, said elongate base portion having a first defined length, said elongate lifter portion having a second defined length and a smooth surface for engaging the patient'"'"'s epiglottis and a distal end for insertion distal-end first through a patient'"'"'s mouth, said elongate arm defining an anterior side positioned toward said handle and an opposite posterior side;
said second defined length being about as long as said first defined length; and
,a viewer operably secured to said posterior side of said arm substantially where said elongate base portion meets said elongate lifter portion, said viewer directed toward the distal end of said elongate lifter portion. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. An intubation instrument a portion of which is for insertion into a patient through the patient'"'"'s mouth, comprising;
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a body having a handle attached thereto;
an elongate arm having an elongate base portion attached to the body and an elongate lifter portion having a smooth surface for engaging the patient'"'"'s epiglottis, said elongate lifter portion having a distal end portion for insertion distal end portion first through a patient'"'"'s mouth, said elongate arm defining an anterior side positioned toward said handle and an opposite posterior side;
a viewer operably secured to said posterior side of said elongate arm substantially near where said elongate base portion meets said elongate lifter portion, said viewer directed toward the distal end portion of said elongate lifter portion; and
,said elongate arm having a center, and said elongate base portion meets said elongate lifter portion substantially near said center. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification