Inflatable Intubation Pillow for Adjustable Head Elevation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current prehospital airway management lacks a device to effectively elevate a patient's head into the sniffing position for oral intubation, leading to high intubation failure rates in EMS and hospital settings due to the absence of adjustable and portable equipment.

Innovation Solution

An inflatable pillow with an air valve that can be positioned under the patient's neck and shoulder area, allowing for adjustable height adjustment by inflation and deflation to align the airway axes for optimal vocal cord view during intubation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a fixed and non-adjustable head elevation device is used, then the device structure is simple, but the adaptability to different patient heights and positions is poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to different patient heightsVSAvoiddevice structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the dynamics principle by transforming a static, fixed head elevation device into a dynamic, adjustable one. The inflatable pillow allows continuous adjustment of elevation height through air inflation and deflation, enabling adaptation to different patient heights and positioning requirements while maintaining a simple single-component structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs parameter changes by modifying the volume and pressure parameters of the inflatable pillow to achieve different elevation heights. By controlling the amount of air injected into the pillow, the device can be adjusted to various heights to accommodate different patient anatomies and intubation requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If a fixed material head support device is used, then the manufacturing is simple, but the comfort and adaptability to patient anatomy is poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to patient anatomyVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a flexible inflatable pillow structure that can conform to different patient neck and head anatomies. The flexible material allows the device to adapt to various patient shapes and sizes, providing both comfort and effectiveness, while the simple inflatable design keeps manufacturing straightforward.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Reliability

If no head elevation device is used, then the device complexity is minimized, but the intubation success rate decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintubation success rateVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes pneumatics by employing an inflatable pillow filled with air to provide head elevation. This pneumatic approach allows for easy adjustment of elevation height through air injection and deflation, improving intubation success rates while maintaining device simplicity and portability for prehospital use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The inflatable pillow enhances the success rate of first-pass intubation by providing a comfortable and adjustable means to elevate the patient's head, minimizing intubation failures and improving the efficiency of the oral intubation procedure in prehospital settings.

Implementation Method 1

The inflatable pillow can be used to adjust the height of the patient's head by inflating and/or deflating the pillow through the air valve

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAir inflation and deflation:

Implementation Method 2

An inflatable bladder and/or pillow that can be used to elevate the head of a patient into the sniffing position

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Data Source

PatentUS11406552B2Enliner inflatable intubation pillow

Publication Date: 2022.08.09 VILJOEN GERHARD

AI summary

An inflatable pillow is invented to provide an effective and efficient method to improve the oral intubation procedure in the pre-hospital setting, both in the ground and air ambulances along with emergency rooms in hospitals to eliminate intubation failures. The inflatable pillow comprises a bladder body and an air valve. The air valve is distally positioned on the body so that the air valve is not in the way when a user is positioning a patient's head on the pillow. Thus, the inflatable pillow can be positioned or moved more towards the patient's neck and shoulder area for a better head position or view of the vocal cords. Additionally, the inflatable pillow can be used to adjust the height of the patient's head by inflating and/or deflating the pillow through the air valve prior to and/or during the first pass intubation procedure, thus, making the intubation procedure more reliable.