Insertion section for laryngoscope with lateral tube guide

Abstract

A laryngoscope insertion section for a laryngoscope, which is typically a video laryngoscope, includes a lateral tube guide configured to retain an endotracheal tube in a plane. A viewing port for a camera or other image collector is laterally displaced from the plane of the endotracheal tube. The said plane of the endotracheal tube is aligned substantially in the same plane as a patients median plane and the tube can be advanced into the larynx using a natural curving motion similar to the motion used to introduce an endotracheal tube using a convention laryngoscope. In a preferred embodiment, the distal tip of the insertion section and a retained endotracheal tube will be located in the patients median plane during intubation. As the tube guide retains endotracheal tubes substantially in a plane, lateral curvature is avoided, reducing resistance to advancement of the tube.

1 . A laryngoscope insertion section having a proximal end and a distal end for insertion into a patient's oral cavity, the insertion section comprising a viewing port to enable an image collector to collect images of a patient's larynx during intubation, and a tube guide for retaining an endotracheal tube and guiding a retained endotracheal tube towards a patient's larynx, wherein the tube guide is configured to retain an endotracheal tube in a plane, at least in a region including the most distal location where the insertion section contacts a retained endotracheal tube, and the viewing port is laterally offset from the said plane. 
     
     
         2 . A laryngoscope insertion section according to  claim 1 , wherein the insertion section is configured such that, when the insertion section has been inserted into the oral cavity and located to insert a guided endotracheal tube into a patient's larynx, the said plane is co-planar with the patient's median plane. 
     
     
         3 . A laryngoscope insertion section according to  claim 1 , wherein the most distal patient contacting inferior surface of the insertion section is directly inferior or superior of a portion of a retained endotracheal tube. 
     
     
         4 . A laryngoscope insertion section according to  claim 3 , wherein the most distal patient contacting inferior surface of the insertion section is in the said plane. 
     
     
         5 . A laryngoscope insertion section according to  claim 1 , wherein the viewing port has a distal surface and the distal surface of the viewing port is oriented such that the normal of the distal surface of the viewing port intersects the said plane distally of the distal tip of the insertion section. 
     
     
         6 . A laryngoscope insertion section according to  claim 1 , wherein the viewing port is a light transmitting surface of the insertion section. 
     
     
         7 . A laryngoscope insertion section according to  claim 1 , wherein the insertion section comprises an image collector and the viewing port is a surface of the image collector. 
     
     
         8 . A laryngoscope insertion section according to  claim 1 , wherein the insertion section is demountably attachable to an insertion section retaining element of a laryngoscope and the insertion section further comprises an elongate cavity through which an image collector can be located within the insertion section in use so as to collect images through the viewing port. 
     
     
         9 . A laryngoscope insertion section according to  claim 1 , wherein the image collector is demountably attachable to an insertion section, wherein the insertion section preferably comprises a recess to locate the image collector and align the image collector such that it receives images in a field of view including a point in the said plane, distal of the insertion section, where a retained endotracheal tube would enter into a patient's larynx during intubation. 
     
     
         10 . A laryngoscope insertion section according to  claim 1 , wherein the tube guide is adapted to retain an endotracheal tube in the said plane and to allow a retained endotracheal tube to be removed laterally from the tube guide. 
     
     
         11 . A laryngoscope insertion section according to  claim 1 , wherein the tube guide is adapted to retain an endotracheal tube such that it is curved, within the said plane, from the most proximal location at which it contacts the insertion section to the most distal location at which it contacts the insertion section. 
     
     
         12 . A laryngoscope insertion section according to  claim 1 , wherein the tube guide is arranged to retain an endotracheal tube under flexural tension continuously from the most proximal location where the insertion section contacts a retained endotracheal tube to the most distal location where the insertion section contacts a retained endotracheal tube. 
     
     
         13 . A laryngoscope having an insertion section retaining formation to demountably retain an insertion section according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A laryngoscope comprising a handle and an insertion section according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . A laryngoscope according to  claim 13 , wherein the laryngoscope comprises an image collector support which extends in a plane which is parallel to but spaced apart from the said plane. 
     
     
         16 . A kit comprising a laryngoscope according to  claim 13 . 
     
     
         17 . A method of intubating a patient comprising the steps of using a laryngoscope according to  claim 13 , with an endotracheal tube retained in the tube guide, to lift the tissue adjacent a patient's epiglottis and to obtain a view of the patient's larynx, using the image collector, such that the retained endotracheal tube is co-planar with the patient's median plane and advancing the endotracheal tube into the patient's larynx. 
     
     
         18 . A method of intubating a patient according to  claim 17 , the method comprising the step of aligning the most distal patient contacting inferior surface of the insertion section with the patient's median plane before the retained endotracheal tube is advanced.