INTUBATION AID

Abstract

One aspect of the invention relates to an intubation aid (10). The intubation aid (10) comprises an elongated main part (12), and the intubation aid (10) is provided with an operating device (26). The main part (12) is designed to be curved in a first region (18) of the main part (12), and the main part (12) is additionally designed to be curved in a second region (20) of the main part (12), said second region being separated from the first region (18) and being arranged adjacently to the free end (16) of the main part (12). The main part (12) additionally comprises a positioning device (24) which is designed to limit a translational displacement of a tube (46) placed on the intubation aid (10) in at least one direction. A second aspect of the invention relates to an intubation aid which can be placed on an endoscope.

Claims

1. Intubation aid (10) for inserting a tube (46) into a patient's trachea, wherein the intubation aid (10) comprises an elongate main part (12) which at its one end is connected to a handle (14) and at its other end has a free end (16), wherein the intubation aid (10), in particular the handle (14), is provided with an operating device (26), wherein the main part (12) is designed to be bent in a first region (18) of the main part (12) when the operating device (26) is actuated, wherein the main part (12) is furthermore designed, upon further actuation of the operating device (26), to be bent in a second region (20) of the main part (12), which is separate from the first region (18) and is arranged adjacent to the free end (16) of the main part (12), and wherein the main part (12) further comprises a positioning device (24) which is designed to limit a translational displacement of a tube (46) fitted onto the intubation aid (10) in at least one direction.

2. Intubation aid (10) according to claim 1, wherein the positioning device (24) comprises a holding device which is designed to engage with a segment of the tube (46) in order to secure the latter, at least translationally, relative to the main part (12), in particular wherein the holding device is a cone (24) that is arranged adjacent to the handle (14) and that engages a segment of the tube (46) in a friction fit, and/or is embodied as a locking unit which engages the segment of the tube (46) in a positive fit.

3. Intubation aid (10) according to claim 1, wherein the main part (12) comprises a channel (36) which extends parallel, at least in part, to a longitudinal axis of the main part (12) and which is suitable for receiving fluid and for conducting the fluid to an end (40) of the channel (36) assigned to the handle (14), wherein advantageously one of the following is selectively connectable to the end (40) of the channel (36) assigned to the handle (14) a suction unit and a virus and bacteria filter suitable for filtering viruses and bacteria from the fluid suctioned out from the patient, or a gas source, in particular an oxygen source designed to deliver oxygen to the patient via the channel (36).

4. Intubation aid (10) according to claim 3, wherein a wall of the main part (12), viewed in the circumferential direction of the elongate main part (12), is designed interrupted such that a gap (38) extending in the longitudinal direction of the main part (12) is formed and connects the channel (36) to an exterior surrounding the main part (12).

5. Intubation aid (10) according to claim 1, wherein the intubation aid (10) comprises an intermediate piece designed to be arranged between the tube (46) and the main part (12).

6. Intubation aid (10) according to claim 1, wherein the main part (12) has a tapering segment (22) which is arranged adjacent to the free end (16) of the main part (12), in particular between the free end (16) of the main part (12) and the second bendable region (20) of the main part (12).

7. Intubation aid (10) according to claim 3, wherein the channel (36) extends from the end (40) associated with the handle (14) to the tapering segment (22) of the main part (12).

8. Intubation aid (10) according to claim 1, wherein an imaging unit (42), in particular an image sensor, which is designed to record and forward imaging data, is arranged on the free end (16) of the main part (12).

9. Intubation aid (10) according to claim 1, wherein an illumination device (44), which is designed to emit light, in particular onto the region to be recorded by the imaging unit (42), is arranged at the free end (16) of the main part (12).

10. Intubation aid (10) according to claim 1, wherein the first bendable area (18) is arranged at a distance of 10 cm to 20 cm, in particular about 15 cm, from the free end (16) of the main part (12).

11. Intubation aid (10) according to claim 1, wherein planes in which the main part (12) can be curved in the first region (18) and in the second region (20) are essentially parallel to one another, in particular coinciding.

12. Intubation aid (10) according to claim 1, wherein the first region (18) can be bent from 0° to 30° and/or the second region (20) can be bent from −60° to 45°.

13. Intubation aid (10) according to claim 1, wherein the operating device (26) comprises at least a first operating element (28) and a second operating element (30), wherein the first operating element (28) is designed for deflecting the first region (18) of the main part (12) and the second operating element (30) is designed for deflecting the second region (20) of the main part (12), and wherein the first operating element (28) is assigned a latching device designed for preventing rearward movement of the first operating element (28), counter to the actuating direction thereof, upon actuation of the first operating element (28) by at least a predetermined amount.

14. Intubation aid (10) according to claim 1, wherein the intubation aid (10) comprises a communication module (52), in particular a wireless communication module (52), which is designed to communicate with an external unit (58, 60), wherein the communication module (52) is arranged in particular in the handle (14) of the intubation aid (10).

15. Intubation aid (100) for inserting a tube (46) into the trachea of a patient, comprising an elongate main part (112), a tapering segment (122) which is arranged on and connected to a longitudinal end of the main part (112), a connecting segment (162) which is arranged on and connected to the other longitudinal end of the main part (112), wherein the connecting segment (162) has a first engaging segment which in the radial direction is essentially inwardly oriented and is designed to engage with a superordinate assembly, in particular an endoscope, and has a second engagement segment which in the radial direction is essentially outwardly oriented and is designed to engage with the tube, and wherein both the connecting segment (162) and the tapering segment (122) have a receiving segment (170, 172) each, each of which is essentially embodied as a through-hole and is designed to receive a segment of the superordinate assembly, in particular the endoscope.

Description

[0046] The present invention will be described in greater detail hereinafter using an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of the inventive intubation aid according to the first aspect;

[0048] FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of the free end of the main part of the intubation aid according to arrow II from FIG. 1;

[0049] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of the intubation aid from FIG. 1 with the tube arranged thereon and the monitor connected; and,

[0050] FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of the intubation aid from FIG. 1 with the tube arranged thereon and the monitor attached directly;

[0051] FIG. 5a shows a standard endoscope;

[0052] FIGS. 5b and 5c show the standard endoscope from FIG. 5a, on which an intubation aid according to the second aspect is arranged;

[0053] FIG. 6 shows the intubation aid according to the second aspect in a schematic sectional side view;

[0054] FIG. 7 shows a schematic sectional side view of the intubation aid according to the second aspect.

[0055] An inventive intubation aid is generally denoted with reference number 10 in FIG. 1. The intubation aid 10 comprises an elongate main part 12 which has a handle 14 at its one end and a free end 16 at its other end. In FIG. 1, the main part 12 is designed to be bent in a first region 18 such that a segment of the main part 12 arranged between the free end 16 and the first region 18 can be deflected downward by up to an angle α. Furthermore, the main part 12 has a second region 20, which is designed to be bent such that the free end 16 can be deflected relative to a segment between the first region 18 and the second region 20 by an angle up to 13 which extends in the same direction as the angle α, or, in the opposite direction, up to an angle γ.

[0056] Arranged between the free end 16 and the second region 20 of the main part 12 is a tapering segment 22, across which an outer diameter of the main part 12 in the segment of the second region 20 gradually decreases to an outer diameter of the main part 12 in the segment of the free end 16.

[0057] At its end opposite the free end 16, the elongate main part 12 has a positioning device 24, designed here as a cone 24. Arranged in a segment between the cone 24 and the handle 14 is an operating device 26, which comprises a first operating element 28 and a second operating element 30. The first operating element 28 is coupled to the first region 18 via a cable pull, such as a Bowden cable, for example, such that an actuation of the first operating element 28 by an operator in a corresponding direction causes a deflection of the first region 18 in accordance with the amount input on the first operating element 28. The second operating element 30 is coupled to the second region 20 in an analogous manner.

[0058] The first operating element 28 is connected to a latching device, so that a set deflection of the first region 18 can be locked using the operating element 28 itself or, for example, using a corresponding segment of the handle 14.

[0059] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the handle 14 includes a single-finger receiving element 32, which is designed in particular to receive an operator's index finger, and which is arranged on the same side of the intubation aid 10 on which the first region can be deflected by up to the angle α and the second region can be deflected by up to the angle ß, and a two-finger receiving element 34, which is designed to receive in particular the middle finger and the ring finger of the operator.

[0060] FIG. 2 shows a view of the free end 16 of the inventive intubation aid 10 from FIG. 1, as indicated by the arrow II in FIG. 1. It can be seen here that a channel 36 is arranged in the main part 12 and is formed along the longitudinal extension of the main part 12. The channel 36 is not arranged completely within the main part 12, but extends along its length, in the embodiment shown here from the free end 16 to the cone 24, via an interruption in the circumferential direction of the channel 36 with an outside of the main part 12 in fluid communication. This creates a gap 38 which, in this embodiment, extends from the free end 16 to the cone of the positioning device 24, wherein the channel 36 is accessible via this gap 38, for example for cleaning. However, as described above, it is also possible for the channel 36 to terminate at the tapering segment 22 of the main part 12.

[0061] The channel 36 is connected at its end opposite the free end 16 to an interface 40 (see FIG. 1) which is designed to be connected to a suction device and/or to a gas source and/or to a virus/bacteria filter or the like. Under the action of the suction device connected to the interface 40, aerosol can be suctioned out of the mouth/pharynx, larynx, and trachea of the patient when the patient is being intubated, so that free escape of the potentially virus-laden aerosol into an environment can be prevented. The channel 36 can also be used to introduce, for example, oxygen, into the patient from a gas source via the interface 40.

[0062] Furthermore, it can also be seen in FIG. 2 that an imaging unit 42 designed for recording imaging information in surroundings of the free end 16 of the intubation aid 10, as well as an illumination device 44, embodied here as two LED light sources 44, is embodied at the free end 16 of the main part 12.

[0063] FIG. 3 shows the intubation aid 10 from FIG. 1, wherein a ventilation tube 46 has been fitted over the main part 12. The ventilation tube 46 has a collar 48 which, after the tube 46 has been used in a patient and the intubation guide 10 has been removed from the tube 46 and the patient, functions as an interface to a ventilation device. In the region of the collar 48, the tube 46 is held by the cone 24, which acts as a holding device here, in a friction fit against a specific force that displaces the tube 46 from the main part 12 (to the right in FIG. 3). The ventilation tube 46 further has an expandable region 50 which can be filled with a gas, for example, in order to seal off an air space connected to the lungs from an air space connected to the mouth once the tube 46 is at its desired location in the patient.

[0064] The intubation aid 10 comprises a communication module 52 designed to communicate wirelessly 54 and/or in a wired connection 56 with an external unit 58, which in this case is a portable monitor, designed to display the image data recorded using the imaging unit 42.

[0065] FIG. 4 shows that a monitor 60 can be arranged directly on the intubation aid 10, as an alternative or in addition to coupling the intubation aid 10 to an external monitor according to FIG. 3, on a segment on which in particular the operating unit 26 is arranged. Of course, the intubation aid 10 can also be embodied such that it can communicate both with the monitor 58 (FIG. 3) and with the monitor 60 (FIG. 4) at the same time.

[0066] A standard endoscope 200 is shown in FIGS. 5a to 5c and has a corresponding bending mechanism at its free end 216, wherein an intubation aid 100 according to a second aspect of the present invention is attached in FIGS. 5b and 5c (of which here only one main part 112 is shown for the sake of clarity). Elements of the intubation aid 100 according to the second aspect that are similar to the intubation aid 10 according to the first aspect are provided with the same reference numbers, but increased by 100.

[0067] FIGS. 5b and 5c show two main parts 112, which each have different prebends which equate to a curvature functionality of the “first region” of the first aspect of this invention.

[0068] FIG. 6 shows a schematic side view of the intubation aid 100. It can be seen that the intubation aid 100 is fitted over the endoscope 200 until a connecting segment 162, or more precisely, in the embodiment shown, a first engagement segment 164 (see FIG. 7), engages with the endoscope 200.

[0069] A main part 112 is attached to the connecting segment 162 via a retaining clip 166 and has a tapering segment 122 at its end opposing the retaining clip 166. A ventilation tube 146 is fitted over the main part 112 such that it is held on the connecting segment 162 via a suitable second engagement segment 168 (see FIG. 7) against a releasing force which acts on the intubation aid 100 in a direction opposite to the direction in which the ventilation tube 164 is fitted on.

[0070] It can also be seen in FIG. 6 that a distal segment of the endoscope 200 is guided through receiving segments 170 and 172, respectively, of the connecting segment 162 and of the tapering segment 122.

[0071] A schematic side sectional view of the intubation aid 100 is shown in FIG. 7. As can be seen here, in the interior of the tube 146 the fitted tube 146 forms a channel 136 which can be used to suction off aerosol using a suction device connected to the interface 140 of the connecting segment 162. Going back to FIG. 6, it can be seen that in addition to the interface 140, which is connected to a virus/bacteria filter 174, an interface 176 via which oxygen can be introduced into the channel 136 is embodied separate from the interface 140 on the connecting segment 162.