A cricothyrotomy introducer tool comprising a guide member and a location member, wherein said guide member comprises a longitudinal axis and a guide surface for defining a path through the skin of a patient into the trachea, wherein said location member comprises a locating surface lateral to said longitudinal axis for contacting the skin of the patient to delimit the extent said guide member penetrates said trachea, and wherein said location member is movable between a first position wherein said locating surface is spaced from a first end of said guide member by a first distance, and a second position wherein said locating surface is spaced from said first end by a second distance.

A device for performing a tracheotomy on a patient without the assistance of a medical professional. The device may include one or more mechanical arms that cause a blade to create an incision, cause a dilating tool to dilate the incision, and cause a tracheotomy tube to be inserted into the incision. The device may further include a scanner and/or a hollow needle connected to an air pressure sensor that may be used to detect whether the device is aligned with the patient's airway.

Systems, methods, and devices for facilitating insertion of an endotracheal tube and/or for verifying the position of the endotracheal tube within an airway of a patient with respect to an anatomical landmark of a patient are disclosed. Systems, methods, and devices for facilitating removal of debris from the distal airways of a patient under direct visualization are also disclosed.

A device and method for performing a cricothyrotomy and/or a tracheotomy has an outer cannula. An inner cutting cannula is positioned within the outer cannula. An actuator is coupled to a proximate end of the inner cutting cannula. The actuator keeps the inner cutting cannula in a retracted position within the outer cannula when the actuator is not activated and an extended position where a distal end of the inner cutting cannula extends out of the outer cannula with a force for the distal end of the inner cutting cannula to penetrate one of a cricothyroid membrane or tracheal wall when the actuator is activated.

An apparatus (100) includes: a expandable structure (140) formable into three dimensional shapes including a range of diameters (D) and corresponding lengths (L); a movable component (106) moveable between a range of positions (124, 126) effecting the range of diameters; and a mechanical linkage (110) disposed between the movable component and the expandable structure. The expandable structure is configured to fit inside a working channel (204) of an endoscope (202) when the expandable structure is collapsed. The mechanical linkage is configured to move the collapsed expandable structure through the working channel to a selected location (400) past a distal end (404) of the endoscope and to increase and decrease a diameter of the expandable structure in response to changes in the position of the movable component when the expandable structure is at the selected location.

An apparatus includes: a expandable structure formable into three dimensional shapes including a range of diameters and corresponding lengths; a movable component moveable between a range of positions effecting the range of diameters; and a mechanical linkage disposed between the movable component and the expandable structure. The expandable structure is configured to fit inside a working channel of an endoscope when the expandable structure is collapsed. The mechanical linkage is configured to move the collapsed expandable structure through the working channel to a selected location past a distal end of the endoscope and to increase and decrease a diameter of the expandable structure in response to changes in the position of the movable component when the expandable structure is at the selected location.

A device for performing a tracheotomy on a patient without the assistance of a medical professional. The device may include one or more mechanical arms that cause a blade to create an incision, cause a dilating tool to dilate the incision, and cause a tracheotomy tube to be inserted into the incision. The device may further include a scanner and/or a hollow needle connected to an air pressure sensor that may be used to detect whether the device is aligned with the patient's airway.

The present invention provides an improved percutaneous dilation tracheostomy device. The device is configured to include all of the required components to perform a percutaneous tracheotomy. The device includes a retractable needle and an extendable j-wire rather than having separate components as in typical percutaneous tracheostomy devices. The device includes a dilator section to expand the diameter of a patient's stoma. The device is further configured to allow an operator to perform a bubble test to alert the user that the tube is in the trachea. In addition, the device is generally more compact than typical emergency tracheostomy devices.

Apparatus for locating an incision on a patient, the apparatus comprising: an elongate guide element for guiding a cutting tool to a location at a distal end of the guide element; an optical emitter for emitting an optical beam, the optical emitter being attached to the guide element so that the beam is directed to the distal end of the guide element; and an incision location template slidably attached to the guide element, the incision location template comprising a first feature adapted to be optically correlated with an anatomical feature of the patient and a second feature adapted to be optically aligned with an impingement point of the beam on the patient.

Airway management methods, devices, assemblies and systems. Methods, devices, assemblies and systems may include robotic movement and control of an intubation tube introducer or guide, and may include utilizing image data from one or more image sensors. The methods, devices, assemblies and systems may optionally be used in endotracheal intubation procedures.