Scott Douglas Unice

US Patent:

57332428, Mar 31, 1998

Filed:

Feb 7, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/598113

Inventors:

Robert L. Rayburn - Salt Lake City UT
Scott D. Unice - Salt Lake City UT

International Classification:

A61B 1012

US Classification:

600120

Abstract:

An intubator includes a housing and a memory cylinder connected for axial movement relative to the housing. A flexible scope tube attached to the housing extends within and through the memory cylinder such that the scope tube can be retracted within or caused to extend beyond the distal end of the memory cylinder by the relative axial movement between the housing and memory cylinder. The scope tube is angularly adjustable and includes a light transmitting fiber optic cable, a visual transmission fiberoptic cable, and a fluid conduit. In use, an endotracheal tube is mounted on the memory cylinder such that the endotracheal tube, memory cylinder and scope tube have their distal ends flush. The intubator is then inserted through the patient's mouth to the larynx opening. Collapsing the memory cylinder within the handle causes the scope tube to be extended from the memory cylinder for positioning within the trachea.