Tracheal intubation with a stylet guide

Claim 1

A medical apparatus for guiding a tube into a trachea, comprising: an elongate, flexible member with a front section in the shape of an arc, the front section including distal and proximal ends; a flexible, tracheal-seeking offset on the distal end of the front section, the tracheal-seeking offset being substantially coplanar with and shorter than the front section, the tracheal-seeking offset forming an angle of greater than 20 degrees with a tangent to the arc at the distal end; a flexible tracking offset substantially coplanar with the front section and tracheal-seeking offset and extending toward the tangent; a central opening extending from the proximal end of the front section through the tracheal-seeking offset; and an opening in said tracheal-seeking offset, the opening extending from the surface of tracheal-seeking offset to the central opening.

Claim 5

An apparatus for airway intubation, comprising: an endotracheal tube with proximal and distal ends; a tracheal intubation guide means for seating in the throat against the hyo-epiglottic ligament of a patient to retain and guide the endotracheal tube toward the trachea; and a stylet guide means for being slidably received in the endotracheal tube, the stylet guide means including an elongate flexible section having a generally arcuate shape, the flexible section having a distal end, and a tracheal-seeking means on the distal end for guiding the stylet guide means into the trachea; wherein the tracheal-seeking means includes a first offset on the distal end which is generally coplanar with an arc described by the elongate section, and a second offset on the first offset which is generally coplanar with the arc and the first offset.

Claim 6

An apparatus for airway intubation, comprising: an endotracheal tube with proximal and distal ends; a tracheal intubation guide means for seating in the throat against the hyo-epiglottic ligament of a patient to retain and guide the endotracheal tube toward the trachea; and a stylet guide means for being slidably received in the endotracheal tube, the stylet guide means including an elongate flexible section having a generally arcuate shape, the flexible section having a distal end, and a tracheal-seeking means on the distal end for guiding the stylet guide means into the trachea; wherein the tracheal-seeking means includes a first offset on the distal end which is generally coplanar with an arc described by the elongate section, and a second offset on the first offset which is generally coplanar with the arc and the first offset.

Claim 13

A method for intubating the trachea of a patient using a stylet guide with an arcuate section having proximal and distal ends and a substantially J-shaped, tracheal-seeking offset on the distal end, wherein the elongate, flexible member is a flexible shape-retaining member and the generally J-shaped section is a flexible shape-retaining section, the method comprising the steps of: (a) inserting the stylet guide, tracheal-seeking offset first, into an endotracheal tube; (b) positioning the endotracheal tube in the throat of a patient such that a distal end of the endotracheal tube and the tracheal-seeking offset are adjacent the posterior surface of the epiglottus, opposing the opening to the larynx; (c) advancing the stylet guide through the distal end of the endotracheal tube so that the tracheal-seeking offset enters and tracks down the larynx and trachea; (d) advancing the endotracheal tube along the stylet guide into the larynx and trachea; and (e) withdrawing the stylet guide from the endotracheal tube while having the endotracheal tube in the trachea.

Claim 14

A method for intubating the trachea of a patient using a stylet guide with an arcuate section having proximal and distal ends and a substantially J-shaped, tracheal-seeking offset on the distal end, wherein the elongate, flexible member is a flexible shape-retaining member and the generally J-shaped section is a flexible shape-retaining section, the method comprising the steps of: (a) inserting the stylet guide, tracheal-seeking offset first, into an endotracheal tube; (b) positioning the endotracheal tube in the throat of a patient such that a distal end of the endotracheal tube and the tracheal-seeking offset are adjacent the posterior surface of the epiglottus, opposing the opening to the larynx; (c) advancing the stylet guide through the distal end of the endotracheal tube so that the tracheal-seeking offset enters and tracks down the larynx and trachea; (d) advancing the endotracheal tube along the stylet guide into the larynx and trachea; and (e) withdrawing the stylet guide from the endotracheal tube while having the endotracheal tube in the trachea.