Endotracheal intubation assistance device including arc-shaped laryngeal cover lifting member, and video laryngoscope system including same

Abstract

The present invention relates to an endotracheal intubation assistance device including an arc-shaped laryngeal cover lifting member, and a video laryngoscope system including same. The present invention enables natural opening of the epiglottis without requiring a separate skilled operation, thereby securing a visual field and facilitating the insertion of an intubation tube to increase the success rate of intubation. The endotracheal intubation assistance device comprises: an insertion plate insertable up to a patient's esophageal inlet; and a laryngeal cover lifting member which is rotatably provided on the insertion plate, is caught by the vallecula located in front of the patient's epiglottis during advancement of the insertion plate to the esophageal inlet, and in this state, gradually rotates backward to an upright position while the insertion plate reaches the esophageal inlet, thereby lifting the vallecula and opening the epiglottis, whereby the intubation tube can be inserted into the airway while the vocal folds are exposed by opening the epiglottis in a state in which the laryngeal cover lifting member is in an upright position on the insertion plate.

Description

Endotracheal intubation assist device with an arc-shaped laryngeal flap elevating member and a video laryngoscope system equipped therewith

[0001] The present invention relates to an endotracheal intubation assist device, and more particularly, to an endotracheal intubation assist device and a video laryngoscope system equipped therewith, which open the epiglottis naturally without a separate skilled operation to secure a field of view and facilitate insertion of an intubation tube, thereby increasing the success rate of intubation.

[0002] In general, a laryngoscope is an emergency treatment tool for inserting the distal end of a tube, such as an intubation tube, into a target area, such as the trachea, for connection to a ventilator in patients who require airway maintenance or mechanical ventilation treatment.

[0003] These laryngoscopes are divided into direct laryngoscopes, Mackintosh or Miller laryngoscopes, and video laryngoscopes, which have a camera mounted on the blade of the laryngoscope to provide an improved field of view.

[0004] A typical Macintosh laryngoscope consists of a long piece with a curved tip that is inserted through the oral cavity of an unconscious patient. The tip of the tip lifts the vallecula, opening the epiglottis to expose the vocal cords and allow insertion of an intubation tube into the trachea.

[0005] However, because the Macintosh laryngoscope requires the patient's tongue root and mandible to be elevated sufficiently to open the epiglottis, if the patient has an anatomically narrow upper airway or is conscious and interferes with this process by exerting force on the mandible and tongue, the field of view may be limited, and sometimes important anatomical landmarks may not be identified, potentially delaying or even failing to be identified, potentially leading to intubation. The Miller laryngoscope uses a straight tip to directly elevate the epiglottis to expose the vocal cords, making intubation easier. However, this also requires simultaneous elevation of the tongue root and maxilla, potentially leading to intubation failure if the patient has an anatomically narrow upper airway or is conscious and interferes with this process by exerting force on the mandible and tongue. In a large-scale study conducted in the emergency room and intensive care unit, the first-attempt intubation success rate was only 70% when direct laryngoscopy was used.

[0006] A video laryngoscope comprises an imaging unit having a CCD (charge-coupled device) and a lens at the tip of a blade (20) for securing an airway, and a display unit (not shown) for displaying images captured by the imaging unit. This video laryngoscope allows the operator to more easily observe the patient's pharynx or larynx without having to lift the patient's lower jaw and tongue root less, thereby facilitating the procedure of securing an airway (2) through the patient's oral cavity (1) and inserting an intubation tube (10). Therefore, the use of video laryngoscopes has been increasing recently.

[0007] However, in the case of a video laryngoscope according to the prior art, as shown in Fig. 1, the vallecula in front of the patient's epiglottis must be lifted with a blade (20) held in one hand to open the epiglottis, and in this state, the intubation tube (10) must be inserted into the airway (2) with the other hand. This task requires a lot of strength from the operator to lift the lower jaw with one hand, and it is difficult to control the direction of the intubation tube (10) with the other hand while the epiglottis is open, so intubation often fails. In a large-scale study conducted in an emergency room and intensive care unit, the success rate of intubation on the first attempt was only 85% when a video laryngoscope was used.

[0008] Accordingly, the present invention has been proposed to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and the purpose of the present invention is to provide an endotracheal intubation assist device and a video laryngoscope system equipped with the same, which can secure a field of view and facilitate insertion of an intubation tube by naturally opening the epiglottis without a separate skilled operation, thereby increasing the success rate of intubation.

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the technical idea of ​​the present invention provides an endotracheal intubation assist device, comprising: an insertion plate inserted into the esophageal opening of a patient; a laryngeal flap elevating member provided in a rotatable manner on the insertion plate so that the insertion plate is caught in the vallecula in front of the epiglottis of the patient during the process of entering the esophageal opening, and in that state, while the insertion plate reaches the esophageal opening, the vallecula is gradually raised by being rotated backwards to open the epiglottis; and the technical configuration of the laryngeal flap elevating member is characterized by allowing an intubation tube to be inserted into the trachea while the epiglottis is opened and the vocal cords are exposed in a state in which the insertion plate is raised.

[0010] Here, the laryngeal cover member may be characterized in that it has an arc shape and both ends are hinged to the insert plate.

[0011] In addition, the hood cover member may be characterized in that it is hinged to the left and right ends of the insertion plate so as to lie down with an incline toward the front and then rotates backwards to stand up when it is caught in the front valley of the patient's epiglottis.

[0012] In addition, the laryngeal cover member may be characterized in that it has an arc shape, both ends are integrally connected to the insertion plate, and can be deformed in the forward and backward direction by elasticity.

[0013] In addition, the hood cover member may be characterized by having a relatively thin thickness compared to other parts and having concave portions formed in a concave manner at both ends so that it is hung on the front valley of the patient's epiglottis and rotates backwards around the concave portions to stand up.

[0014] Additionally, the insertion plate may be characterized by having a video camera installed to enable filming of the esophagus and the trachea entrance.

[0015] The above video camera may be characterized by having a light installed near it so as to be able to investigate toward the entrance of the esophagus and airway.

[0016] In addition, the laryngeal cover member may be characterized by being made of an elastic material so as to be deformable in response to a valley shape when rotated and erected on the insertion plate.

[0017] In addition, the insertion plate may be characterized by further having a U-shaped intubation guide installed on the lower surface thereof to guide the insertion of the intubation tube to the vicinity of the laryngeal cover elevating member without interference from the lower jaw.

[0018] In addition, the laryngeal cover member may be characterized by being made of a low-friction member to reduce friction when in contact with the valley.

[0019] In addition, the laryngeal cover lifting member may be characterized in that a rolling tube is rotatably installed in the central portion so that when the laryngeal cover lifting member is erected in contact with the valley, the rolling tube rotates to reduce frictional contact with the valley.

[0020] Additionally, the laryngeal cover member may be characterized in that at least a portion thereof is made of a shape memory alloy.

[0021] In addition, it may be characterized by further including a forward rotation string connected to the laryngeal cover lifting member to remotely induce the laryngeal cover lifting member to rotate forward.

[0022] In addition, it may be characterized by further including a rear rotation string that is connected to the laryngeal cover lifting member and induces the laryngeal cover lifting member to rotate rearward remotely.

[0023] In addition, it may be characterized by further including a forward rotation string connected to the laryngeal cover lifting member to remotely induce the laryngeal cover lifting member to rotate forward, and a rear rotation string connected to the laryngeal cover lifting member to remotely induce the laryngeal cover lifting member to rotate backward.

[0024] In addition, the front end of the insertion plate may be characterized in that a catch portion having a catch groove is formed so that the laryngeal cover lifting member can be stopped by hanging over the esophageal inlet and the arytenoid cartilage when the laryngeal cover lifting member is erected.

[0025] Meanwhile, the video laryngoscope system of the present invention is characterized in its technical configuration by including the aforementioned endotracheal intubation assist device; and a display that outputs images captured by the video camera to a screen.

[0026] The endotracheal intubation assist device according to the present invention, when the insertion plate is pushed to the entrance of the esophagus, the arc-shaped laryngeal flap elevating member is erected by being caught in the vallecula in front of the patient's epiglottis, thereby naturally opening the epiglottis and providing a passage for insertion inside the arc-shaped structure of the laryngeal flap elevating member, so that even a non-skilled surgeon can easily insert the intubation tube into the trachea.

[0027] Figure 1 is a reference diagram for explaining a video laryngoscope according to the prior art.

[0028] Figure 2 is a diagram showing the state of use of an endotracheal intubation assist device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 3 is a side view illustrating the configuration of an endotracheal intubation assist device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 4 is a reference drawing showing a friction-reducing rolling tube additionally installed on a laryngeal cover lifting member in an endotracheal intubation assist device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figures 5a to 5d are a series of reference drawings for explaining the operation and function of an endotracheal intubation assist device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 6 is a side view illustrating the configuration of an endotracheal intubation assist device according to a modified embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figures 7a to 7d are a series of reference drawings for explaining the operation and function of an endotracheal intubation assist device according to a modified embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] <Explanation of symbols>

[0035] 110: Insert plate 120: Laryngeal cover lifting member

[0036] 130: Video camera 130a: Lighting

[0037] 140: Intubation guide 150a: Anterior sling

[0038] 150b: Rear swivel strap 160: Rolling tube

[0039] T: Trachea E: Esophagus

[0040] Hereinafter, an endotracheal intubation assist device according to embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The present invention can be modified in various ways and can take various forms, and specific embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the text. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to a specific disclosed form, but it should be understood that the invention includes all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. In describing each drawing, similar reference numerals are used to indicate similar components. In the attached drawings, the dimensions of structures are illustrated in an enlarged form for clarity of the present invention or in a reduced form for understanding the schematic configuration.

[0041] Furthermore, while terms such as first and second may be used to describe various components, these components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used solely to distinguish one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be referred to as the second component, and similarly, the second component may also be referred to as the first component. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning they have in the context of the relevant technology, and shall not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this application.

[0042] <Example>

[0043] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the state of use of an endotracheal intubation assist device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 3 is a side view for explaining the configuration of an endotracheal intubation assist device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a reference diagram showing a state in which a rolling tube for reducing friction is additionally installed on a laryngeal cover lifting member in an endotracheal intubation assist device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] As illustrated, the endotracheal intubation assist device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes as its main components an insertion plate (110) inserted into the esophageal inlet of a patient, an arc-shaped epiglottis lifting member (120) inserted into the oral cavity of a patient together with the insertion plate (110) to lift the anterior valley of the epiglottis to open the epiglottis, a video camera (130), and an intubation guide (140), so as to open the epiglottis naturally without a separate skilled operation, thereby securing a field of view and allowing easy insertion of an intubation tube (10).

[0045] Hereinafter, an endotracheal intubation assist device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail, focusing on each of the above components.

[0046] The above insertion plate (110) serves to rotatably support the laryngeal flap lifting member (120) and move it to the front of the patient's epiglottis. A hooking portion (111) having a hooking groove (111a) is formed at the front end of the insertion plate (110) so that the laryngeal flap lifting member (120) can be hung over the esophageal inlet and the arytenoid cartilage when it is in an upright state. According to the configuration in which the hooking portion (111) is formed at the front end of the insertion plate (110), the insertion plate (110) is prevented from being inserted into the esophagus or trachea, and is stopped at the optimal time when the laryngeal flap lifting member (120) is upright and sufficiently lifts the valley.

[0047] The above-described laryngeal flap lifting member (120) is a novel and unique member that lifts the vallecula in front of the patient's epiglottis to open the epiglottis. To this end, the laryngeal flap lifting member (120) has a linear arc shape and is installed with both ends rotatably hinged (121) to the left and right of the front end of the insertion plate (110). The laryngeal flap lifting member (120) is not initially set to lie flat in complete contact with the front of the insertion plate (110), but rather to lie flat in a manner that is lifted from the lower surface of the insertion plate (110) and inclined forward.

[0048] According to this configuration, as shown in a series of reference drawings in FIGS. 5a to 5d, when the insertion plate (110) enters the entrance of the esophagus (E), the hood cover lifting member (120) gets caught on the vallecula in front of the patient's epiglottis (see FIG. 5c), and while the insertion plate (110) advances further in that state to reach the entrance of the esophagus (E), the laryngeal cover lifting member (120) gradually rotates backward around both ends to stand up from the insertion plate (110) (see FIG. 5d) and naturally lifts up the valley. When the laryngeal cover lifting member (120) is raised in this way to lift the vallecula in front of the epiglottis and open the epiglottis, the vocal cords are exposed and a wide field of view toward the entrance of the airway (T) can be secured. In addition, it is noteworthy that since the laryngeal flap lifting member (120) is formed in a linear arc shape, the intubation tube (10) can be inserted into the airway (T) through its inner space. In this way, the present invention has a great advantage in that the laryngeal flap lifting member (120) operates by simply pushing the insertion plate (110) into the entrance of the esophagus (E) in the patient's oral cavity, thereby opening the epiglottis and securing a space in which the intubation tube (10) can be safely inserted into the airway (T) without interference.

[0049] The above hood cover lifting plate can be manufactured from a linear metal material or plastic material. If plastic is used, elasticity can be imparted so that when it is rotated and erected on the insertion plate (110), it can be slightly bent to correspond to the valley shape. However, in no case should the arc shape of the hood cover lifting plate collapse. If shape control is required so that the hood cover lifting plate is deformed into a specific shape when it comes into contact with the valley, one method may be to form all or part of the hood cover lifting member (120) from a shape memory alloy.

[0050] The laryngeal cover lifting member (120) above must be able to naturally rotate while in contact with the valley at the final moment of rearward rotation and erection. To this end, the laryngeal cover lifting member (120) is preferably made of a low-friction material with a smooth surface, whether made of metal or plastic. Generally, there is no problem if a well-treated, human-friendly metal or plastic is used as the material.

[0051] If the laryngeal cover lifting member (120) is in a sensitive situation where frictional contact with the valley due to the rotational motion is present when it is erected, it is preferable to additionally install a rolling tube (160) that is installed in a rollable manner in the central portion of the laryngeal cover lifting member (120) as illustrated in FIG. 4. This prevents even minor scratches from occurring due to frictional contact by the rotating rolling tube (160) even when the laryngeal cover lifting member (120) rotates while in contact with the valley.

[0052] In the case of the above-mentioned laryngeal cover lifting member (120), it is configured to be operated and erected during the process of inserting the insertion plate (110) into the entrance of the patient's esophagus, but a front rotation strap (150b) and a rear rotation strap (150a) are further provided so that the laryngeal cover lifting member (120) can be forcibly erected or laid down as needed. The front rotation strap (150b) is connected to the laryngeal cover lifting member (120) by penetrating the first through hole (112b) of the insertion plate (110) formed on the front side of the laryngeal cover lifting member (120). Thus, when the front rotation strap (150b) is pulled from outside the patient's mouth, the laryngeal cover lifting member (120) rotates forward. The above-mentioned rear rotation strap (150a) is connected to the laryngeal cover lifting member (120) by penetrating the second through hole (112a) of the insertion plate (110) formed on the rear side of the laryngeal cover lifting member (120). Thus, when the rear rotation strap (150a) is pulled from outside the patient's mouth, the laryngeal cover lifting member (120) is pulled from the rear side, thereby causing the laryngeal cover lifting member (120) to rotate rearward. In this way, according to the configuration having the front rotation strap (150b) and the rear rotation strap (150a), it becomes possible to remotely rotate the laryngeal cover lifting member (120) to stand up or lie down.

[0053] The above video camera (130) is installed on the insertion plate (110) so as to be able to photograph the esophagus and the airway entrance. When the video camera (130) is installed on the insertion plate (110), it is preferable to face forward from the rear side near the point where the laryngeal cover lifting member (120) is installed, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. This is because the video camera (130) can photograph the esophagus and the airway entrance up to the laryngeal cover lifting member (120) without being too far away. This allows the video camera (130) to smoothly photograph the appearance of the intubation tube (10) inserted into the airway via the inside of the hood cover lifting member (120) when the video camera (130) is in an upright position. It is preferable to install a light (130a) near the video camera (130) so as to be able to shine light toward the esophagus and the airway entrance.

[0054] The present invention can be expanded from an endotracheal intubation assist device to a video laryngoscope system by further including a display that outputs images captured by the video camera (130) on a screen. The display may be provided in a compact form attached to the rear end of the insertion plate (110), or may be connected via wire or wireless connection to enable remote monitoring of the operation.

[0055] FIG. 6 is a side view for explaining the configuration of an endotracheal intubation assist device according to a modified embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 7a to 7d are a series of reference drawings for explaining the function and operation of an endotracheal intubation assist device according to a modified embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] As shown, the endotracheal intubation assist device according to the modified embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that, unlike the previous modified embodiment in which the laryngeal cover lifting member (120a) had a linear arc shape and both ends were hinged, it is integrally connected to the insertion plate (110) and can be deformed in the forward and backward directions by elasticity.

[0057] According to this modified embodiment of the present invention, when no external force is applied to the laryngeal cover lifting member (120a), the laryngeal cover lifting member (120a) is initially in a standing state, but when inserted into the oral cavity, it is bent and folded as shown in FIGS. 7a and 7b, and then reaches and gets caught in the vallecula in front of the epiglottis as shown in FIG. 7c, and at this time, due to the additional entry of the insertion plate (110), the laryngeal cover lifting member (120a) rotates and stands up as shown in FIG. 7d, lifting the vallecula and opening the epiglottis.

[0058] Here, the hood cover lifting member (120a) may have a concave portion (121a) formed in a concave shape with a relatively thin thickness compared to other portions at both ends thereof. According to the configuration in which the hood cover lifting member (120a) has the concave portion (121a), the concave portion (121a) functions as the hinge (121) of the embodiment before deformation, thereby inducing the hood cover lifting member (120a) to smoothly rotate around the concave portion (121a) to stand up or lie down.

[0059] According to this modified embodiment, there is an advantage in that a more simplified configuration can be implemented compared to the previous modified embodiment in which the insertion plate (110) and the hood cover member (120a) are hinge-joined.

[0060] For reference, other configurations not described in the modified embodiment of the present invention are similar to the embodiment before modification, so further detailed description will be omitted.

[0061] While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is susceptible to various modifications, variations, and equivalents. It is clear that the present invention can be applied in the same manner by appropriately modifying the above embodiments. Therefore, the above description does not limit the scope of the present invention, which is defined by the limitations of the following claims.

Claims

1. An insertion plate inserted into the patient's esophageal opening; Including a laryngeal cover lifting member that is rotatable on the above insertion plate, so that the insertion plate is caught in the vallecula in front of the patient's epiglottis during the process of entering the esophageal inlet, and then gradually rotates backwards while the insertion plate reaches the esophageal inlet, thereby lifting the vallecula and opening the epiglottis; An endotracheal intubation assist device characterized in that an intubation tube can be inserted into the trachea while the epiglottis is opened and the vocal cords are exposed in a state where the laryngeal flap elevating member is erected in the above insertion plate.

2. In paragraph 1, An endotracheal intubation assist device characterized in that the laryngeal cover lifting member has an arc shape and both ends are hinged to the insertion plate.

3. In paragraph 2, An endotracheal intubation assist device characterized in that the hood cover member is hinged to the left and right ends of the insertion plate so as to be rotated backwards and erected while being caught in the front valley of the patient's epiglottis.

4. In paragraph 1, An endotracheal intubation assist device characterized in that the laryngeal cover lifting member has an arc shape, both ends are integrally connected to the insertion plate, and can be deformed in the forward and backward direction by elasticity.

5. In paragraph 4, An endotracheal intubation assist device characterized in that the hood cover member has a relatively thin thickness compared to other parts and has concave portions formed in a concave manner at both ends so that it is hung on the front valley of the patient's epiglottis and rotates backwards around the concave portions to stand up.

6. In paragraph 1, An endotracheal intubation assist device characterized in that a video camera is installed in the above insertion plate to enable filming of the esophagus and the trachea entrance.

7. In paragraph 1, An endotracheal intubation assist device characterized in that a light is installed near the video camera so as to be able to investigate the esophagus and trachea entrance.

8. In paragraph 1, An endotracheal intubation assist device characterized in that the laryngeal cover lifting member is made of an elastic material so as to be deformable in response to a valley shape when rotated and erected on the insertion plate.

9. In paragraph 1, An endotracheal intubation assist device characterized in that a U-shaped intubation guide is further installed on the lower surface of the insertion plate to guide the insertion of the intubation tube to the vicinity of the laryngeal cover lifting member without interference from the lower jaw.

10. In paragraph 1, An endotracheal intubation assist device characterized in that the laryngeal cover lifting member is made of a low-friction member to reduce friction when in contact with a valley.

11. In paragraph 1, An endotracheal intubation assist device characterized in that a rolling tube is rotatably installed in the central portion of the laryngeal cover lifting member so that when the laryngeal cover lifting member is erected in contact with the valley, the rolling tube rotates to reduce frictional contact with the valley.

12. In paragraph 1, An endotracheal intubation assist device characterized in that the laryngeal cover lifting member is at least partially made of a shape memory alloy.

13. In paragraph 1, An endotracheal intubation assist device characterized in that it further includes a forward rotation string connected to the laryngeal cover lifting member and inducing the laryngeal cover lifting member to rotate forward remotely.

14. In paragraph 1, An endotracheal intubation assist device characterized in that it further includes a rear rotation strap connected to the laryngeal cover lifting member and inducing the laryngeal cover lifting member to rotate rearward remotely.

15. In paragraph 1, An endotracheal intubation assist device characterized by further comprising a forward rotation strap connected to the laryngeal cover lifting member to remotely induce forward rotation of the laryngeal cover lifting member, and a rearward rotation strap connected to the laryngeal cover lifting member to remotely induce backward rotation of the laryngeal cover lifting member.

16. In paragraph 1, An endotracheal intubation assist device characterized in that a catch portion having a catch groove is formed at the front end of the insertion plate so that the laryngeal cover lifting member can be suspended over the esophageal inlet and the arytenoid cartilage when the laryngeal cover lifting member is erected.

17. Endotracheal intubation assist device of paragraph 1; and A video laryngoscope system characterized by including a display that outputs images captured by the video camera to a screen.

Images