Disposable cover for laryngoscope blade

Abstract

Abstract 1,121,432. Laryngoscopes. LONGWORTH SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT CO. Ltd. 12 May, 1966 [20 May, 1965], No. 21425/65. Heading A5R. [Also in Division B8] A disposable cover for the blade of a laryngoscope comprises a sheath formed of a semi-rigid transparent or highly translucent material; the sheath is adapted to enclose at least that part of the blade which will be inserted within the mouth of a patient and is shaped to conform to the shape of the blade at least to an extent such as not to obstruct the path defined for intubation of the patient. As illustrated in Figure 5, the sheath 6 is formed with channel 7 and bulbous end portion 9 which correspond respectively to a channel formed on and a tip portion of the blade of a laryngoscope (not shown) upon which the sheath is retained frictionally. The portion 8 of the sheath which extends across the beam from a light source situated on the blade of the laryngoscope preferably is steeply angled, for example at right angles, to the intended direction of the beam. The sheath, which may be made either by dip-moulding from liquid or powdered material or by vacuum-moulding from sheet with subsequent welding, preferably is formed of an artificial plastics material suitable for sterilisation by irradiation; examples of suitable materials are listed in the Specification. The external surface of the sheath preferably is coated with a non-toxic lubricant, for example a mineral jelly such as petroleum jelly. Prior to use, the sheath may be enclosed in an internally sterile gas-tightly sealed pack which preferably also is formed of an artificial plastics material suitable for sterilisation by irradiation, for example a material that may be used for the sheath itself. The pack preferably is elongated, is of a width such as to prevent end-to-end rotation of the sheath and is so formed as to facilitate opening at the end adjacent the open end of the sheath thereby to enable mounting of the sheath on the blade of a laryngoscope before removal of the sheath from the pack. The packaged article comprising pack and sheath may be sterilized by irradiation.

Inventors

• 👤 John A Jephcott

Bibliographic Details