Patient Airway Positioning Apparatus

Abstract

A wearable apparatus designed to assist an anesthesia provider in maintaining a patent airway comprises an elastomeric mandible harness with projecting members, elastic straps and connecting rings. The mandible harness is designed to hold the patient in a “jaw-thrust” position during surgical procedures. The apparatus attaches to a standard operating-table frame.

Claims

1. An apparatus for positioning a patient's mandible comprising: a cradle; at least one wedge form fixedly engaged with said cradle and configured to fit against the patient's mandible; wherein the patient's mandible is held fast by the at least one wedge form in combination with the cradle to maintain the patient's airway open.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the at least one wedge form further comprising: a first section of wedge form with a relatively higher incline, which transitions to a concave section, which transitions to a second, relatively lower-inclined section of wedge form; wherein the patient's mandible resides in said concave portion, while said first section of wedge form resides on the upper part of the inferior border of the patient's mandible, and said second, relatively lower-inclined section resides on the lower part of the inferior border of the mandible, so that the patient's mandible is cradled.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising: at least one strap configured to affix at a first end to a provided operating-table frame structure; and configured to affix at a second end to said cradle; and at least a portion of said at least one strap being elastic; wherein the at least one strap having at least a portion being elastic, holds the cradle and the at least one wedge form against the patient's mandible while the strap provides a force in the direction toward said operating table frame structure.

4. An apparatus for positioning a patient's mandible to maintain the patient's airway comprising: a cradle; at least one wedge form fixedly engaged with said cradle and configured to fit against the patient's mandible; and an adjustable strap fixedly engaged with the cradle; and the adjustable strap having at least an elastic portion; and the adjustable strap removably engaged to a provided operating-table frame; wherein the at least one wedge form configured to fit against the patient's mandible cradles the mandible to hold it in a “jaw-thrust” position; and said strap at least one elastic section stretches with the patient's movement.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective, front view of the embodiment.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective, side view of the embodiment.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a rear, perspective and detail view of the embodiment

[0014] FIG. 4 is an orthographic, front view of the embodiment.

[0015] FIG. 5 is an orthographic view of the anatomy of a mandible.

DESCRIPTION

[0016] In FIG. 1 an example embodiment 100 shows the mandible cradle 110 of the apparatus. It holds a patient's head in a jaw-thrust position. Wedge forms 112 are affixed to the cradle 110 and are contoured to meet the upper and lower inferior borders of a patient's mandible. The illustrated wedge forms have at their top ends a relatively high incline 124, and at their bottom ends a relatively lower incline 128, with a concavity 126 between, into which the patient's mandible rests. One skilled in the art understands that variously sized wedge forms are used to fit various patients.

[0017] FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are numbered alike. FIG. 2, 100 shows the example embodiment attached to a standard operating-table frame structure 116. The mandible cradle 110 holds the patient's head in jaw-thrust position, with the attached strap 114 at the back of the cradle extending to reach a standard operating-table frame structure 116, to which it is tethered by a standard loop and D-ring connection 118 known in the art. The strap's length is adjustable on two sides through a buckle mechanism 120 known in the art. An elastic-band portion of the strap 122 is designed to absorb the movement of the patient's body during a surgical procedure. This keeps the head and spine in alignment and immovably secured to avoid spinal-cord injury.

[0018] FIGS. 3 and 4 show the apparatus in use. Numbers are the same as those in FIG. 2. Jaw-thrust position is achieved by adjusting straps 114. In the example embodiment, the mandible cradle 110 extends around the base of the patient's mandible 130. The two wedge forms 112 are contoured to meet the upper and lower inferior borders of a patient's mandible. The illustrated wedge forms have at their top ends a relatively high incline 124, and at their bottom ends a relatively lower incline 128, with a concavity 126 (FIG. 2) between, into which the patient's mandible rests.

[0019] FIG. 5 shows the area of a mandible 132 generally known as the inferior border 134, 136 indicates the upper, or outer part of the inferior border, and 138 indicates the lower, or inner part of the inferior border.

[0020] These embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting.