Cuffed oro-pharyngeal airway

Claim 2

A pharyngeal tube for insertion into the pharynx, comprising: a cannula having a first, distal end for placement within the pharynx of a patient, and a second, proximal end adapted to be disposed outside of the patient's oral cavity, said cannula having a length such that when the proximal end is disposed outside and adjacent the patient's mouth and the cannula extends through the patient's mouth, the distal end is disposed within the pharynx and terminates distally at a point above the patient's epiglottis, wherein said cannula is preformed so as to have a generally straight proximal portion and an upwardly arched intermediate portion; and an inflatable cuff means for forming a seal between a wall of said cannula and a wall of the patient's pharynx, said inflatable cuff means defining, on inflation, a ventral/anterior portion and a posterior portion, said ventral/anterior portion being disposed on said cannula so as to displace, on inflation, a base of the patient's tongue, when said distal end is disposed in the pharynx, thereby locking said cannula in the pharynx and displacing the patient's epiglottis to an open disposition for anesthesia gas delivery to the lungs, said posterior portion being disposed on said cannula so as to displace, on inflation, the patient's soft palate against the nasopharynx, when said distal end is disposed in the pharynx, thereby to seal-off the patient's nasal passage.

Claim 3

A pharyngeal tube as in claim 1, wherein said ventral/anterior portion comprises a protuberance having a length along a ventral/anterior side of the cannula less than a length of said posterior portion along a posterior side of the cannula.

Claim 4

A pharyngeal tube as in claim 2, wherein a proximal end of said ventral/anterior portion defines a seat surface for receiving a portion of the patient's tongue.

Claim 5

A pharyngeal tube as in claim 1, wherein said cuff is collapsible so that on deflation it can be disposed substantially flush against the wall of the cannula for insertion of said cannula into the pharynx.

Claim 6

A pharyngeal tube as in claim 1, wherein said cuff is formed from a substantially inelastic material and is collapsed against said wall by evacuating an inflation medium therefrom.

Claim 7

A pharyngeal tube as in claim 1, further comprising a tooth/lip guard on said cannula adjacent said proximal end.

Claim 8

A pharyngeal tube as in claim 6, wherein said tooth/lip guard includes a flange element which projects in a plane that intersects a central axis of the cannula at an angle of about 90 degrees.

Claim 9

A pharyngeal tube as in claim 6, wherein said tooth/lip guard includes a flange element which projects in a plane that intersects a central axis of the cannula so as to be inclined with respect thereto.

Claim 10

A pharyngeal tube as in claim 1, wherein said cannula has a downwardly depending distal portion and is formed from a semi-rigid material that resists kinking.

Claim 11

An oral airway for administering anesthesia gases to a patient, consisting essentially of: an elongated tubular member having a proximal end, a proximal portion, an intermediate portion, a distal portion, and a distal end, said tubular member having a length such that said proximal end is adapted to be disposed adjacent to but outside the oral cavity of the patient, said intermediate portion is adapted to be disposed in the patient's mouth, and the distal end is adapted to be disposed in the lower pharynx of the patient, above the epiglottis, said proximal portion of said elongated tubular member being preformed so as to be generally straight and said intermediate portion being preformed so as to define an upwardly arched shape; an inflatable cuff one of mounted to and defined on said tubular member adjacent said distal end, said inflatable cuff being constructed and arranged such that when said distal end is disposed in the lower pharynx, above the epiglottis, and the inflatable cuff is inflated, the inflatable cuff displaces the soft palate against the nasopharynx to seal-off the nasal passage and defines a seal between an outer wall of said tubular member and the pharyngeal wall, said inflatable cuff further displacing a base of the patient's tongue, thereby locking said tubular member in the pharynx and displacing the patient's epiglottis to an open disposition for anesthesia gas delivery to the lungs; means for conveying a fluid between a source of fluid outside the patient's oral cavity and said inflatable member, for selective inflation and deflation thereof; and a tooth/lip guard on said cannula adjacent said proximal end.

Claim 12

An oral airway for administering anesthesia gases to a patient, consisting essentially of: an elongated tubular member having a proximal end, a proximal portion, an intermediate portion, a distal portion, and a distal end, said tubular member having a length such that said proximal end is adapted to be disposed adjacent to but outside the oral cavity of the patient, said intermediate portion is adapted to be disposed in the patient's mouth, and the distal end is adapted to be disposed in the lower pharynx of the patient, above the epiglottis, said proximal portion of said elongated tubular member being preformed so as to be generally straight and said intermediate portion being preformed so as to define an upwardly arched shape; an inflatable cuff one of mounted to and defined on said tubular member adjacent said distal end, said inflatable cuff being constructed and arranged such that when said distal end is disposed in the lower pharynx, above the epiglottis, and the inflatable cuff is inflated, the inflatable cuff displaces the soft palate against the nasopharynx to seal-off the nasal passage and defines a seal between an outer wall of said tubular member and the pharyngeal wall, said inflatable cuff further displacing a base of the patient's tongue, thereby locking said tubular member in the pharynx and displacing the patient's epiglottis to an open disposition for anesthesia gas delivery to the lungs; means for conveying a fluid between a source of fluid outside the patient's oral cavity and said inflatable member, for selective inflation and deflation thereof; and a tooth/lip guard on said cannula adjacent said proximal end.

Claim 13

An oral airway as in claim 10, wherein inflatable cuff includes a ventral/anterior portion constructed and arranged to displace the base of the patient's tongue, and a posterior portion constructed and arranged to displace the patient's soft palate.

Claim 14

A pharyngeal tube as in claim 11, wherein said ventral/anterior portion comprises a protuberance having a length along a ventral/anterior side of the tubular member less than a length of said posterior portion along a posterior side of the tubular member.

Claim 15

An oral airway as in claim 10, wherein said inflatable cuff is selectively collapsible against an outer wall of the tubular member on insertion of said tubular member into the pharynx.

Claim 16

An oral airway as in claim 10, wherein said distal portion depends downwardly from said intermediate portion to said distal end.

Claim 19

A method as in claim 15, wherein said step of providing comprises providing a device including a tooth/lip guard having means for attaching a stabilizing strap thereto and further comprising attaching a strap to the tooth/lip guard.

Claim 20

A method as in claim 14, wherein said step of providing comprises providing a device having a cuff means comprising a membrane sealingly mounted to a wall of the cannula so that an inflatable compartment of said cuff means is bounded by said membrane and said wall.

Claim 21

A method as in claim 15, wherein said step of providing comprises providing a device having a ventral/anterior portion comprising a protuberance having a length less than a length of said posterior portion.

Claim 22

A method as in claim 15, wherein said step of providing comprises providing a device preformed to define a generally straight proximal portion and an upwardly arched intermediate portion.

Claim 23

A method as in claim 15, further comprising forming said device from a semi-rigid material that resists kinking.