GB1446907A - Intubation guide - Google Patents

Abstract

1446907 Intubation guides T M RESCE & ASSOCIATES INC and M R SALEM 19 Dec 1973 [19 Dec 1972] 59317/73 Heading A5R A flexible intubation guide (11) Fig. 1, (not shown), for introducing a tubular device e.g. an endotracheal tube into a body passage, comprises a tube 12, a rod 13 disposed within and having a part thereof longitudinally slidable with respect to said tube, means 26 firmly joining the distal tips of the tube and rod, a handle 14 slidably interconnecting the proximal ends of the tube and rod, a plurality of slots (17) Fig .1, (not shown), peripherally disposed in the distal portion of the tube, and at least one slot or cut-out 22 in the distal portion of the rod on the opposite side thereof with respect to the slots in the tube. The proximal portion of the tube member is hollow whereas the distal portion thereof includes a solid portion 21 the rod being solid. Cut-out 22 extends for substantially the entire length of the distal portion of the rod. Alternatively, the tube may be completely hollow, the rod being optionally solid or hollow. The handle comprises an element 15 firmly attached to the tube and a longitudinally slidable member 16 attached to the rod, member 16 engaging in a groove (31) Fig. 6, (not shown), in element 15, movement of the member 16 resulting in curvature of the distal portion of the guide. Different peripheral and lengthwise arrangements of the slots, and a shallower depth of that slot nearest the proximal portion of the tube respectively allow for various curvatures including an S-shape, of the guide and remove the possibility of sharp angle formation of the distal portion with the proximal portion of the guide. In a further embodiment, the tube (312) Fig. 16, (not shown), and rod (313) are hollow throughout, both the distal tips and proximal ends thereof being open, thereby providing a passage (351) for the insertion of a tube within the guide as opposed to insertion of a tube over the guide in previous embodiments.