The intubating laryngeal mask. I: Development of a new device for intubation of the trachea

• Published in: British journal of anaesthesia : BJA Vol. 79; no. 6; pp. 699 - 703
• Main Authors: Brain, A I, Verghese, C, Addy, E V, Kapila, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.12.1997; Oxford University Press; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Anesthesia; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Anesthesia: equipment, devices; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical Engineering; Epiglottis; Equipment Design; Humans; Laryngeal Masks; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Medical sciences; Pharynx - anatomy & histology; Radiography; Trachea - diagnostic imaging; Human; Prototype; Mask; Anesthesia; Larynx; Oropharynx; Intubation; Anatomy; Trachea; Technical equipment
• ISSN: 0007-0912; 1471-6771
• DOI: 10.1093/bja/79.6.699

The standard laryngeal mask airway (LMA) functions both as a ventilatory device and as an aid to blind/fibrescopic-guided tracheal intubation. We describe the radiological and laboratory work used to bioengineer a new laryngeal mask prototype, the intubating laryngeal mask airway (ILMA). The aim was to create a new airway system with better intubation characteristics than the LMA. Other design goals were to eliminate the need for head-neck manipulation and insertion of fingers in the mouth during placement. Development was aided by analysis of magnetic resonance images of the human pharynx and laboratory testing with a variety of tracheal tubes. The principal features of this new system are an anatomically curved, rigid airway tube with an integral guiding handle, an epiglottic elevating bar replacing the mask bars, a guiding ramp built into the floor of the mask aperture and a modified silicone tracheal tube developed for use with the device.