Device for facilitating respiratory monitoring and support for patients
The Respiratory Interface Device is a novel, mouth-inserted airway management tool designed to facilitate both oxygen delivery and carbon dioxide sampling through an integrated oral pathway. Unlike conventional nasal cannulas or oropharyngeal airways, this device features internal channels configured to house standard or capnography-compatible tubing, allowing simultaneous gas delivery and exhaled gas monitoring. The device includes a contoured dental plate and an airway arch that conforms to the patient's hard palate, maintaining upper airway patency while avoiding stimulation of the protective airway reflex. Its ergonomic design supports a secure oral fit and provides a streamlined interface for procedural sedation, monitored anesthesia care, emergency airway support, and alternative oxygenation strategies in patients where nasal access is limited or contraindicated. The Respiratory Interface Device represents a versatile, dual-function solution for enhanced airway management and respiratory monitoring.
1 . A respiratory interface device comprising:
a dental plate defining at least one conduit receiving cutout;
a bridge portion extending rearward from the dental plate;
a bridge portion upper flange that extends outward from an upper portion of a first side of the bridge portion from the dental plate;
a bridge portion lower flange that extends outward from a lower portion of the first side of the bridge portion from the dental plate spaced apart from the bridge portion upper flange;
an elliptical quadrant shaped airway arch arcing from the bridge portion from an opposing portion of the bridge portion from the dental plate, the airway arch defining an air outlet on a back face of the airway arch, wherein the respiratory interface device defines at least one channel that extends from the at least one conduit receiving cutout, through the bridge portion and the airway arch, and terminating at the air outlet;
an airway arch upper flange that extends outward from an upper portion of the first side of the airway arch;
an airway arch lower flange that extends outward from a lower portion of the first side of the airway arch spaced apart from the airway arch upper flange; and
a conduit stabilizing portion that extends from the airway arch upper flange to the airway arch lower flange adjacent a rear portion of the airway arch, wherein:
the at least one channel is configured to receive at least one conduit through the at least one conduit receiving cutout and maintain an end of the at least one conduit adjacent the air outlet;
the bridge portion upper flange, the airway arch upper flange, the bridge portion lower flange, and the airway arch lower flange define the at least one channel;
the conduit stabilizing portion is configured to maintain the end of the at least one tubing adjacent the oxygen outlet within the at least one channel, and
the at least one channel is at least partially enclosed and at least partially open.
2 . The respiratory interface device of claim 1 , wherein the air outlet is disposed at a height greater than the at least one conduit receiving cutout when the respiratory interface device is in a neutral position with the bridge portion parallel to the ground.
3 . The respiratory interface device of claim 1 , wherein the airway arch is configured to engage a hard palate of a patient when inserted into a mouth of the patient without triggering a protective airway reflex of the patient.
4 . The respiratory interface device of claim 3 , wherein the dental plate is configured to at least partially engage at least a portion of one or more lips, teeth, or alveolar ridge of the patient to maintain the respiratory interface device at a desired distance into the mouth of the patient.
5 . The respiratory interface device of claim 1 , wherein the respiratory interface device comprises at least one of thermoplastic polyurethane or thermoplastic elastomer.
6 . The respiratory interface device of claim 1 , wherein the conduit stabilizing bar defines at least a portion of the at least one channel that is partially enclosed.
7 . The respiratory interface device of claim 1 , wherein the dental plate has a height of up to about 1.5 cm.
8 . A respiratory interface device for a patient, the respiratory interface device comprising:
a dental plate defining a front face and a rear face;
a bridge portion extending rearward from the rear face of the dental plate, the bridge portion comprising:
a bridge portion upper flange that extends outward from an upper portion of a first side of the bridge portion from the dental plate; and
a bridge portion lower flange that extends outward from a lower portion of the first side of the bridge portion from the dental plate spaced apart from the bridge portion upper flange; and
an airway arch arcing from the bridge portion from an opposing portion of the bridge portion from the dental plate, the airway arch comprising:
an airway arch upper flange that extends outward from an upper portion of the first side of the airway arch;
an airway arch lower flange that extends outward from a lower portion of the first side of the airway arch spaced apart from the airway arch upper flange; and
a conduit stabilizing bar that extends from the airway arch upper flange to the airway arch lower flange adjacent a rear portion of the airway arch, wherein:
the respiratory interface device defines at least one partially open channel that extends from the front face of the dental plate through the bridge portion and the airway arch and terminates at a rear portion of the airway arch, the at least one partially open channel defined by the airway arch upper flange, the airway arch lower flange, the bridge portion upper flange, and the bridge portion lower flange;
an end of the at least one channel is disposed substantially adjacent the mark that is substantially ⅔rds back on the hard palate of the patient when the respiratory interface device is placed in the mouth of the patient;
the at least one partially open channel is configured to receive and at least temporarily maintain at least one conduit through the at least one partially open channel from the dental plate to the rear portion of the airway arch; and
the conduit stabilizing bar is configured to maintain an end of the at least one conduit adjacent the rear portion of the airway arch within the at least one partially open channel.
9 . The respiratory interface device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one partially open channel comprises a first channel and a second channel and each of the first channel and the second channel are each configured to respectively receive and at least temporarily maintain at least a portion of at least one conduit, the at least one conduit comprising a first tubing for oxygen delivery and a second tubing for carbon dioxide sampling.
10 . The respiratory interface device of claim 8 , wherein the airway arch has a shape that is an elliptical quadrant.
11 . The respiratory interface device of claim 8 , wherein the airway arch is configured to engage at least a portion of the hard palate of the patient when the respiratory interface device is placed in the mouth of the patient.
12 . The respiratory interface device of claim 8 , wherein the airway arch is configured to extend into the mouth of the patient sufficiently far to provide oxygen through the at least one partially open channel in a desired position within the mouth without triggering a protective airway reflex of the patient.
13 . The respiratory interface device of claim 8 , wherein the respiratory interface device comprises a biocompatible material including one or more of silicone, thermoplastic elastomer, polyurethane, or medical-grade rubber selected depending on a desired rigidity, flexibility, or transparency of the respiratory interface device.
14 . The respiratory interface device of claim 8 , wherein:
the dental plate comprises an upper lip engaging portion that extends upward from a distal portion of the dental plate and a lower lip engaging portion that extends downward from the distal portion of the dental plate; and
the dental plate is c-shaped.
15 . The respiratory interface device of claim 14 , wherein the dental plate has a height that is about 1.5 times a height of the bridge portion.
16 . The respiratory interface device of claim 8 , wherein the respiratory interface device is sufficiently rigid such that a biting force from the patient when the respiratory interface device is in the mouth of the patient does not deform the at least one partially open channel.
17 . A method of delivering oxygen to a patient or monitoring carbon dioxide from a patient during a medical procedure, the method comprising:
providing a respiratory interface device comprising:
a dental plate defining a front face, a rear face, and an oxygen inlet;
an airway arch arcing from the rear face of the dental plate and defining an oxygen outlet;
an airway arch upper flange that extends outward from an upper portion of a first side of the airway arch;
an airway arch lower flange that extends outward from a lower portion of the first side of the airway arch spaced apart from the airway arch upper flange; and
a conduit stabilizing bar that extends from the airway arch upper flange to the airway arch lower flange adjacent a rear portion of the airway arch, wherein:
the respiratory interface device defines at least one channel that extends from the oxygen inlet to the oxygen outlet through at least a portion of the airway arch, the at least one channel being both partially open and partially enclosed;
the airway arch upper flange and the airway arch lower flange define the at least one channel; and
the conduit stabilizing bar is configured to maintain the end of the at least one conduit adjacent the air outlet within the at least one channel;
inserting the respiratory interface device into the mouth of the patient such that the dental plate is adjacent a front of the mouth of the patient, and the airway arch extends about two-thirds back of the hard palate of the patient;
inserting at least one tubing through the oxygen inlet and the at least one channel until an end of the at least one tubing is adjacent the oxygen outlet;
engaging the at least one tubing with the conduit stabilizing bar to maintain the end of the at least one tubing adjacent the oxygen outlet; and
causing at least one of:
oxygen to flow through the at least one channel and exit the at least one channel adjacent the oxygen outlet; or
detection of carbon dioxide exhaled by the patient through the at least one channel.