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Abstract

An oral airway (510) includes an elongate tubular member (512) having a distal (510) and a proximal end (514) with an enlarged wedge-shaped housing (520) at the distal end. The wedge-shaped housing (520) is for insertion into the mouth (1) and pharynx (7A) of a patient with the proximal end of the tubular member extending from the mouth of the patient. The wedge-shaped housing (520) has anterior (522) and posterior (524) walls forming an enlarged proximal portion (530) tapering to a smaller distal portion (532) with a leading opening (534) separating the anterior (522) and posterior (524) walls at the distal end of the housing. A grate (537) covers the leading opening. Sidewalls (526, 528) extend between the anterior (522) and posterior (524) walls and the wedge-shaped housing (520) is configured so that the sidewalls abut the aryepiglottic folds (576) as the wedge-shaped housing is inserted in to the hypopharynx (7) of a patient to arrest insertion of the wedge-shaped housing and seat the wedge-shaped housing with the leading opening (534) adjacent to the glottis (9). The grate (537) is inclined between the anterior and posterior walls (522, 524) so that as a patient's epiglottis (4) is engaged by the grate (537) during insertion of the wedge-shaped housing into the hypopharynx (7), the epiglottis (4) slides up the grate (537) and into abutment with the anterior wall (522) of the wedge-shaped housing. A method of providing an oral airway to a patient includes inserting the wedge-shaped housing (520) into the mouth (1) of the patient, axially advancing the wedge-shaped housing (520) to slide the epiglottis (4) over the grate (537) and seating the wedge-shaped housing (520) with a leading surface of the enlarged proximal portion (530) abutting the patient's aryepiglottic folds (576), the anterior wall (522) of the wedge-shaped housing (520) abutting the epiglottis (4) and the grate (537) adjacent to the glottis (9).

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First Claim