Claims
- 1. A laryngeal airway device, comprising:
an air tube with two ends; a sealing member mounted to the air tube, near one end of the tube, and including a distal end; and a coupler on the sealing member near the distal end.
- 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the sealing member includes:
a compressible pad; and a support member posterior to pad, the support member including two sides and a distal end, the coupler including a flexible flange extending forwardly from the distal end of the support member.
- 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the flexible flange has a first position in which it extends forwardly from the distal edge and is moveable from the first position to a second position.
- 4. The device of claim 3, wherein the flexible flange includes a tab having a lateral extent that is less than a lateral extent of the distal edge and a pedestal, narrower than the tab and the distal edge, connecting the tab and the distal edge.
- 5. The device of claim 1, wherein the sealing member includes:
a compressible pad; and a support member posterior to the pad, the support member having two sides and a distal end, the coupler including a pair of opposing flanges extending upwardly from the sides with portions extending medially toward each other.
- 6. A sealing airway device, comprising:
an air tube with two ends; a sealing member mounted to the air tube, near one end of the air tube, and including a distal end; a passageway opening through the sealing member; and a coupler on the sealing member near the distal end.
- 7. The device of claim 6, wherein the coupler includes a flexible flange extending forwardly from the distal end.
- 8. The device of claim 6, wherein the coupler includes a compressible pad and a support member posterior to the pad, the support member having two sides and a distal end, the coupler including a pair of opposing flanges extending upwardly from the sides with portions extending medially toward each other.
- 9. A combination for airway management, comprising:
a sealing airway device that includes an air tube with two ends, a sealing member mounted to the air tube near one end of the tube and including a distal end, a passageway opening through the sealing member, and a coupler on the sealing member near the distal end; an introducer that includes a blade with a proximal end on a first portion of the blade and a distal end on a second portion of the blade, anterior and posterior sides, and a track on the posterior side extending from near the proximal end to near the distal end; whereby the coupler may couple to the track for tracking the airway sealing device along the posterior side of the introducer.
- 10. The combination of claim 9, wherein the introducer is substantially Jshaped.
- 11. The combination of claim 9, wherein the introducer comprises a laryngoscope blade.
- 12. An introducer for tracking a sealing airway device into the throat of a person, comprising:
a shaped section with a first portion with a proximal end and a second portion with a distal end; anterior and posterior sides; and a track on the posterior side extending from near the proximal end to near the distal end.
- 13. The introducer of claim 12, wherein the shaped section has a substantially J-shape.
- 14. The introducer of claim 12, wherein the introducer includes a laryngoscope blade.
- 15. The introducer of claim 12, wherein the track includes a pair of opposing wall sections that extend longitudinally on the posterior side and a pair of medially-extending sections, each medially-extending section extending toward the other medially-extending section along an edge of a respective wall section.
- 16. The introducer of claim 12, wherein the track includes a pair of opposing wall sections that extend longitudinally on the posterior side and a pair of laterally-extending sections, each laterally-extending section extending away from the other laterally-extending section along an edge of a respective wall section.
- 17. The introducer of claim 12, further including a epiglottic engager mounted on the shaped section near the distal end.
- 18. The introducer of claim 17, wherein the epiglottic engager is pivotally mounted on the shaped section near the distal end.
- 19. A blade device for seating in an airway, comprising:
a shaped section with anterior and posterior surfaces, a proximal end, and a distal end; and an epiglottic engager mounted to the shaped section near the distal end.
- 20. The blade device of claim 19, wherein the epiglottic engager is pivotally mounted to the shaped section near the distal end for moving between a first position near the posterior side and a second position away from the posterior side.
- 21. The device of claim 19, wherein the epiglottic engager has a substantially triangular shape with an apex and a base, the distal end has a pair of slots with the apex received in a first slot and the base received in a second slot, the epiglottic engager further including a substantially flat section that projects beyond the base toward the distal end on the base of the shaped portion.
- 22. The device of claim 19, wherein the epiglottic engager is formed of a metal material.
- 23. The device of claim 19, wherein the epligottic engager is formed of a non-metal material.
- 24. The device of claim 19, wherein the epligottic engager is formed of a plastic material.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application contains subject matter that is related to the following patent applications:
[0002] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/730,791, filed Oct. 16, 1996, for LARYNGEAL AIRWAY DEVICE;
[0003] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/885,682, filed Jun. 30, 1997, for LARYNGEAL AIRWAY DEVICE;
[0004] PCT Application No. US97/16838, filed Sep. 24, 1997, for LARYNGEAL AIRWAY DEVICE; and
[0005] U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed on even date herewith, for AIRWAY DEVICE WITH PROVISION FOR LATERAL ALIGNMENT, DEPTH POSITIONING, AND RETENTION IN AN AIRWAY.