Laryngoscope

Abstract

Disclosed is a laryngoscope comprising a handle and an insertion section which extends from the handle, wherein the insertion section comprises a tube guide for retaining and guiding an endotracheal tube during intubation, wherein the handle comprises at least one external tube engaging formation, such as a tube guiding member or tube retaining member. There is also disclosed a laryngoscope having a handle and insertion section which adapted to detachably retain and guide an endotracheal tube along a lateral side of the insertion section and handle such that a retained endotracheal tube is continuously curved, and preferably under flexural tension, from the most proximal location where the handle contacts the retained endotracheal tube to the most distal location where the insertion section contacts the superior side of a retained endotracheal tube.

1 . A laryngoscope comprising a handle and an insertion section which extends from the handle, the insertion section comprising a tube guide for retaining and guiding an endotracheal tube during intubation, wherein the handle comprises at least one external tube engaging formation. 
     
     
         2 . A laryngoscope according to  claim 1  wherein at least one external tube engaging formation is a tube guiding member arranged to guide along the handle an endotracheal tube which is received within the tube guide. 
     
     
         3 . A laryngoscope according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one tube guiding member comprises a groove on the external surface of the handle of the laryngoscope. 
     
     
         4 . A laryngoscope according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one groove is configured so that a guided endotracheal tube remains at least partially exposed along at least the majority of the handle. 
     
     
         5 . A laryngoscope according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one groove is configured so that either the most inferior or the most superior point on the surface of a guided endotracheal tube remains exposed along at least the majority of the length of the handle. 
     
     
         6 . A laryngoscope according to  claim 3 , adapted for use in the intubation of human adults, wherein the depth of the at least one groove is less than 6 mm at its deepest point. 
     
     
         7 . A laryngoscope according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one tube guiding member is an elongate tube guiding wall. 
     
     
         8 . A laryngoscope according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle is configured so that it can be grasped during intubation with the intubaters hand in contact with the endotracheal tube. 
     
     
         9 . A laryngoscope according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one tube engaging formation is arranged such that a retained and/or guided endotracheal tube is contactable by a user where the endotracheal tube is retained on and/or guided along the handle, whilst the user grips the handle. 
     
     
         10 . A laryngoscope according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one tube engaging formation is arranged such that a retained and/or guided endotracheal tube is pinchable by a user where the endotracheal tube is retained on and/or guided along the handle, whilst the user grips the handle. 
     
     
         11 . A laryngoscope according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one external tube engaging formation is a tube retaining member arranged to detachably retain on the handle an endotracheal tube which is received within the tube guide. 
     
     
         12 . A laryngoscope according to  claim 11 , configured such that the endotracheal tube can be detached from the at least one tube retaining member without the endotracheal tube being advanced or withdrawn within the tube guide. 
     
     
         13 . A laryngoscope according to  claim 11 , configured such that a retained endotracheal tube can be detached from the at least one tube retaining member without removing the retained endotracheal tube from the tube guide, such that the retained endotracheal tube is fully exposed proximally of the most proximal part of the insertion section which contacts the retained endotracheal tube. 
     
     
         14 . A laryngoscope according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one tube retaining member comprises a tube retaining surface. 
     
     
         15 . A laryngoscope according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least one tube retaining surface is located on the handle at a location such that an endotracheal tube brought into tube retaining contact with at least one tube retaining surface is retained by virtue of flexural tension in the endotracheal tube. 
     
     
         16 . A laryngoscope according to  claim 15 , wherein at least one tube retaining surface is typically located such that a tube received within the tube guide of the insertion section has to be curved by more than its integral curvature to be brought into tube retaining contact with the at least one tube retaining surface. 
     
     
         17 . A laryngoscope according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one tube retaining surface is arranged to detachably retain an endotracheal tube without guiding the endotracheal tube. 
     
     
         18 . A laryngoscope according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one tube retaining surface defines a tube guiding formation. 
     
     
         19 . A laryngoscope according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one tube retaining member comprises at least one tube retaining protrusion which protrudes from the handle. 
     
     
         20 . A laryngoscope according to  claim 19 , wherein the at least one tube retaining protrusion protrudes laterally from the handle.