Apparatus and method for pulmonary ventilation of a patient concurrent with fiberoptic respiratory tract examination and tracheal intubation

Claim 1

The combination of an oral ask for fitting over the mouth and the peri-oral tissues of a patient and a ventilating, intubating, fiberoptic-facilitating, depth-adjustable oral airway for accommodating devices such as an endotracheal tube, a flexible fiberoptic scope, a suction catheter wherein: A. said oral mask comprises: A. a curved body having a side identified as a first curved side and a side identified as a second curved side and a central part; B. In the central part of said curved body there being an outwardly projecting central housing; C. an opening in said central housing; and, D. a sealing means in said opening and operatively connecting with said central housing: B. said oral airway comprises: E. a dental contact zone; F. a pharynegeal segment having an upper part having a complete front wall and a lower part having a partial front wall; G. a neck zone tapering and decreasing in cross-sectional dimension upon moving away from said dental zone; H. said dental contact zone, said pharyngeal segment and said neck zone being unitary; I. said oral airway having an enclosed central channel in said dental contact zone, the upper part of said pharyngeal segment and said neck zone for the flow of fluid and of such dimensions as to be capable of simultaneously receiving a flexible fiberoptic scope and a tracheal tube; J. in the lower part of the pharyngeal segment an outlet orifice in the front wall connecting with the central channel for the flow of fluid wherein said outlet orifice has dimensions to allow simultaneous said flexible fiberoptic scope and said tracheal tube to pass out of said pharyngeal segment and with said flexible fiberoptic scope being positioned within said tracheal tube; K. the lower part of said pharynegeal segment being curved to adapt to the oral cavity and the oropharynx of a patient; L. said dental contact zone having a width dimension greater than a thickness dimension: M. in the interior of said dental contact zone there being two spaced apart walls to define three passageways such as said central channel for receiving an endotracheal tube, and two enclosed lateral channels identified as a first lateral conduit and a second lateral conduit; N. said three passageways are for the flow of fluid; O. said pharynegeal segment having a curved distal part having a concave anterior area; P. said curved distal part being tapered to be of less thickness than most of the pharyngeal segment for ease of insertion into a patient's mouth; Q. said oral airway having an outwardly directed ventilating side arm having a passageway operatively connecting with at least one of said three passageways; R. said ventilating side arm tapering and decreasing in cross-sectional dimension upon moving away from said dental contact zone; C. said combination comprises: S. said oral airway being adjustably positioned in said sealing means in said opening in said oral mask; and T. said side arm preventing movement of said oral mask onto said neck zone while allowing movement of said oral mask on said dental contact zone.