Articulated oral airway
One embodiment of an oral airway comprised of two articulating parts which displace the tongue anteriorly and stent open the oropharynx. This device reversibly locks in a conformation which allows it to be used as a conduit for a fiberoptic scope or other airway device. An adjunct to airway management which can be used when mask ventilation or endotracheal intubation is indicated and can be removed easily after intubation without manipulation of the endotracheal tube. Other embodiments are described as shown.
1. An oropharyngeal stent comprising:
(a) an anterior part with posteriorly facing concavity, a proximal end and a distal end;
(b) a posterior part with anteriorly facing concavity, a proximal end and a distal end;
(c) a joint that hingedly attaches the anterior and posterior parts via articulants thereby allowing the stent to transition between two states:
a first state in which a complete distal lumen is formed as the distal ends of the anterior and posterior parts are a positioned; and
a second state in which a complete proximal lumen is formed as the proximal ends of the anterior and posterior parts are apositioned;
wherein the articulants are positioned on the stent such that, when the stent is in the second state, the articulants are completely external to the proximal lumen; and
(d) a coupling for reversibly affixing the proximal ends of the posterior and anterior parts to one another thereby reversibly securing the stent in the second state;
whereby when the stent is positioned in an oropharynx in the second state, passage of entities via said oropharynx is eased by distraction of oropharyngeal obstructions by the distal ends of the anterior and posterior parts.
2. The oropharyngeal stent of claim 1 wherein the articulants comprise a male portion and a female portion, the male portion protruding from the anterior part and sized and shaped to mate with the female portion on the posterior part such that, when the male portion mates with the female portion and the stent is in the second state, the male portion is completely external to the proximal lumen.
3. The oropharyngeal stent of claim 2 wherein the female portion is an opening through and defined by the anterior part.
4. The oropharyngeal stent of claim 1 wherein the articulants comprise a male portion and a female portion, the male portion protruding from the posterior part and sized and shaped to mate with the female portion on the anterior part such that, when the male portion mates with the female portion and the stent is in the second state, the male portion is completely external to the proximal lumen.
5. The oropharyngeal stent of claim 4 wherein the female portion is an opening through and defined by the posterior part.
6. The oropharyngeal stent of claim 1 wherein the coupling comprises two magnets, one attached to each of the anterior part and the posterior part.
7. The oropharyngeal stent of claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional shape of the distal lumen is ovoid.
8. The oropharyngeal stent of claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional shape of the proximal lumen is ovoid.
9. The oropharyngeal stent of claim 1 wherein the articulants comprise a hook and a hook receptacle sized and shaped to mate with the hook.
10. The oropharyngeal stent of claim 1 sized and shaped so that when the proximal ends of the anterior and posterior parts are positioned adjacent to the lips of a human, the distal ends of the anterior and posterior parts are positioned at the mid-tongue of the human.