Laryngeal mask

1. A device for maintaining an airway in a patient, the device comprising a mask having a portion that forms a seal with the larynx when the mask is positioned in the laryngo pharynx to thereby prevent ingress of extraneous fluids into the larynx, and an airway tube connected to or formed with the mask for passing gas to the larynx when the mask is properly inserted into the laryngo pharynx, the mask includes a chamber having an opening in fluid communication with the airway tube, the chamber including an outlet through which pressurised gases are supplied to the patient, the chamber including a wall having a wall portion extending from a ventral side of the mask towards a dorsal side of the mask, the wall of the chamber includes a proximal wall portion, opposed side wall portions and a distal portion, the mask includes a soft, flexible portion that contacts tissues surrounding the laryngeal opening when the device is inserted into a patient, the soft, flexible portion being arranged whereby application of pressurised gas to the airway tube urges the soft, flexible portion into contact with the tissues surrounding the laryngeal opening or the pharyngeal wall, the chamber including a region of relatively higher strength or stiffness extending at least partly around a soft, flexible portion surrounding the outlet, wherein the mask includes a proximal portion adapted to collapse or compress so that a proximal ventral part of the mask can move relatively towards a dorsal part of the device during insertion of the mask, the region of relatively higher strength or stiffness being at least partly located in a region between the soft, flexible portion surrounding the outlet of the mask and the proximal portion that is adapted to collapse or compress.

2. A device for maintaining an airway in a patient as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mask includes a proximal portion that is adapted to collapse or compress and a distal portion that is adapted to collapse or compress.

3. A device for maintaining an airway in a patient as claimed in claim 2 wherein the proximal portion comprises a region having a lesser wall thickness than a wall thickness of adjacent regions and the distal portion comprises a region having a lesser wall thickness than a wall thickness of adjacent regions.

4. A device for maintaining an airway in a patient as claimed in claim 2 wherein the proximal region may comprise a region of a wall of a chamber and the distal region comprises a region of a wall of the chamber.

5. A device for maintaining an airway in a patient as claimed in claim 2 wherein the proximal portion has a different wall thickness to the distal wall portion.

6. A device for maintaining an airway in a patient as claimed in claim 2 wherein the proximal portion that is adapted to collapse or compress comprises a proximal region of the mask that is located near a mid-line of the mask, or extends to both sides of a midline of the mask.

7. A device for maintaining an airway in a patient as claimed in claim 2 wherein the distal portion that is adapted to collapse or compress comprises a distal region of the mask that is located near a mid-line of the mask, or extends to both sides of a midline of the mask.

8. A device for maintaining an airway in a patient as claimed in claim 7 wherein the mask includes a chamber having an outlet through which gases are supplied to the patient, the chamber including a region of relatively higher strength or stiffness extending at least partly around a soft, flexible portion surrounding the outlet, the region of relatively higher strength or stiffness extending at least partly around the soft flexible portion surrounding the outlet of the mask comprises a region of relatively high strength or stiffness surrounding the soft flexible portion, the region of relatively higher strength or stiffness being at least partly located in a region between the soft, flexible portion surrounding the outlet of the mask and the proximal portion that is adapted to collapse or compress.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8 wherein the ventral portion of the mask dips towards the dorsal side of the mask in the proximal region thereof.

10. A device for maintaining an airway in a patient as claimed in claim 1 wherein a middle part of the mask is provided with a region of relatively higher strength or stiffness to facilitate pushing of the mask during insertion.

11. A device for maintaining an airway in a patient as claimed in claim 1 wherein the region of relatively higher strength or stiffness comprises a region located in a middle part of opposed side walls of the mask.

12. A device for maintaining an airway in a patient as claimed in claim 11 wherein the region of relatively higher strength or stiffness comprises a region of larger wall thickness.

13. A device for maintaining an airway in a patient as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mask is made from medical grade silicone polymer having a Shore A hardness of from 20 to 50.

14. A device for maintaining an airway in a patient as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wall of the chamber includes a proximal wall portion, opposed side wall portions and a distal portion and the proximal portion of the mask that is adapted to collapse or compress extends from the proximal wall portion of the wall of the chamber and at least partly along the opposed side walls of the chamber.

15. A device for maintaining an airway in a patient as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mask comprises the region of relatively high strength or stiffness, the proximal portion that is adapted to collapse or compress and a dorsal region of relatively high strength or stiffness, the region of relatively high strength or stiffness being continuous with or joining with the dorsal region of relatively high strength or stiffness at a position located distally of a distal part of the proximal portion that is adapted to collapse or compress.

16. A device for maintaining an airway in a patient as claimed in claim 1 wherein the proximal portion that is adapted to collapse or compress comprises a region having a lesser wall thickness than a wall thickness of adjacent regions.

17. A device for maintaining an airway in a patient, the device comprising a mask having a portion that forms a seal with the larynx when the mask is positioned in the laryngo pharynx to thereby prevent ingress of extraneous fluids into the larynx, and an airway tube connected to or formed with the mask for passing gas to the larynx when the mask is properly inserted into the laryngo pharynx, the mask includes a chamber having an opening in fluid communication with the airway tube, the chamber including an outlet through which pressurised gases are supplied to the patient, the chamber including a wall having a wall portion extending from a ventral side of the mask towards a dorsal side of the mask, the wall of the chamber includes a proximal wall portion, opposed side wall portions and a distal portion, wherein the mask includes a proximal portion adapted to collapse or compress so that a proximal ventral part of the mask can move relatively towards a dorsal part of the device during insertion of the mask, wherein the proximal portion that is adapted to collapse or compress is shaped to facilitate collapsing or compressing, wherein the proximal portion of the mask, when viewed in cross section, has a first region extending inwardly into the chamber, a second region depending ventrally from the first region, the second region extending outwardly from the first region, whereby the second region can flex outwardly relative to the first region to thereby facilitate collapsing or compressing.

18. A device for maintaining an airway in a patient as claimed in claim 17 wherein the mask includes a soft, flexible portion that contacts tissues surrounding the laryngeal opening when the device is inserted into a patient, the soft, flexible portion being arranged whereby application of pressurised gas to the airway tube urges the soft, flexible portion into contact with the tissues surrounding the laryngeal opening or the pharyngeal wall.

19. A device as claimed in claim 17 further comprising a third region extending ventrally and inwardly from the second region, such the third region can flex inwardly relative to a ventral part of the second region to thereby facilitate collapsing or compressing.