Laryngeal mask airway device

Abstract

A laryngeal-mask airway device including provision for drainage of the oesophagus including an inflatable main-cuff and a backplate having a laryngeal-side and a pharyngeal-side. The backplate also has an external tube joint adjacent to the proximal region of the main-cuff. The backplate is hermetically bonded to the periphery of the main-cuff establishing separation between a laryngeal-chamber region and a pharyngeal region. A distally open evacuation tube includes a distal portion which longitudinally traverses the interior of the distal region of the main-cuff in sealed relation therewith for operative engagement and communication with the inlet of the oesophagus. The evacuation tube traverses the laryngeal-chamber region generally adjacent to the laryngeal-side of the backplate and passages through a proximally located tube-joint to the pharyngeal region. An airway tube also extends into the tube joint for communication with an airway port to provide a flowpath between the airway tube and laryngeal-chamber region.

1 . A laryngeal mask airway device comprising:
 a cuff, the cuff being insertable through a mouth of a patient to an inserted location within the patient, the cuff forming a seal around a laryngeal inlet of the patient when the cuff is at the inserted location, the cuff defining a distal end and a central aperture;   an airway tube having a proximal end, a continuous airway extending from the proximal end of the airway tube to the central aperture of the cuff, the proximal end of the airway tube being disposed outside the patient's mouth when the cuff is at the inserted location;   the cuff including a seam formed from welded opposing edges of the cuff.   
     
     
         2 . The laryngeal mask airway device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a backplate defining an oval portion. 
     
     
         3 . The laryngeal mask airway device according to  claim 2 , wherein the seam is inserted into a groove provided within the oval portion. 
     
     
         4 . The laryngeal mask airway device according to  claim 3 , wherein the seam abuts the periphery of the oval portion in anterior relation to the backplate. 
     
     
         5 . The laryngeal mask airway device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a drainage tube configured to drain gastric discharge from an oesophageal inlet area of the patient when the cuff is at the inserted location. 
     
     
         6 . The laryngeal mask airway device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a biteplate, wherein the biteplate is disposed between the upper and lower teeth of the patient when the device is in the inserted position within the patient. 
     
     
         7 . The laryngeal mask airway device according to  claim 6 , wherein the biteplate is configured such that it fits around the airway tube and the drainage tube. 
     
     
         8 . The laryngeal mask airway device according to  claim 6 , wherein the biteplate comprises a sleeve. 
     
     
         9 . The laryngeal mask airway device according to  claim 8 , wherein the sleeve is telescopically fitted around the airway tube and the drainage tube. 
     
     
         10 . The laryngeal mask airway device according to  claim 1 , wherein the airway tube and drainage tube are separate from one another. 
     
     
         11 . The laryngeal mask airway device according to  claim 1 , wherein the airway tube and drainage tube are bonded together. 
     
     
         12 . The laryngeal mask airway device according to  claim 11 , wherein the airway tube and drainage tube are in side by side tangential relation. 
     
     
         13 . A method of making a laryngeal mask airway device according to  claim 1 , the method including an intermediate step wherein the opposing edges of the cuff are welded together to form the seam. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the backplate and main cuff are formed by extrusion as a single unitary piece.