GB2332375A

GB2332375A - Multi-port mask

Info

Publication number: GB2332375A
Application number: GB9726997A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian James Broome
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-12-22
Filing date: 1997-12-22
Publication date: 1999-06-23
Also published as: GB9726997D0

Abstract

The mask, which forms a gas-tight seal around the mouth and nasal passages, is fitted with more than one port, a first port 1 allowing gas to pass to and from the lungs and a second port 2 being fitted with a variably sized, aperture-sealing device for maintaining a gas-tight seal around a fibre-optic scope or other equipment and being large enough to permit passage of an endotracheal tube. The ports may either enter the mask independently or be on a detachable portion 5 of the mask, the position of which can be altered to allow alignment of the port 2 with the nose or mouth. Use of the mask enables adequate ventilation of the lungs to be effected whilst simultaneously allowing use of a fibre-optic scope to facilitate intubation.

Description

2332375 THE MULTI-PORT MASK This invention relates to a mask for use in

anaesthetic breathing circuits. Masks provide a convenient method of supplying oxygen or oxygen and anaesthetic gases to patients undergoing investigations and/or surgery. However, there are three important problems associated with their use. Firstly, they do not ensure good access for gas to the patient's lungs. Secondly, they do not protect a patient's lungs from aspiration of stomach acid or contents. Thirdly, neuromuscular blocking drugs are often used during anaesthesia to abolish a patient's muscular activity. This renders the patient unable to breathe so artificial ventilation of the lungs must take place and it can be difficult to provide reliable positive pressure ventilation to the paralysed patient using a mask. To overcome these problems an endotracheal tube is commonly placed into the patient's trachea to establish a secure path for gases to and from the patient's lungs. In the majority of cases, this can be done using a rigid laryngoscope placed in the patient's mouth enabling the endotracheal tube to be passed under direct vision into the correct position. In some cases however, a good view of the relevant anatomy cannot be obtained using this technique and endotracheal intubation cannot be accomplished using this method. In these circumstances, it is common practice to place the endotracheal tube over a flexible fibre- optic laryngoscope or 1 bronchoscope and use this device to find the patient's trachea. Once the trachea is found, the endotracheal tube can be passed down over the scope into the correct position, thus allowing successful intubation to take place. This procedure is commonly carried out with the patient either heavily sedated or anaesthetised and neuromuscular blocking drugs may also be used to paralyse the patient. Currently various airway devices which fit into either the patient's mouth or nose are used which allow either oxygen or oxygen and anaesthetic gases to be administered during fibre-optic intubation. These devices suffer the disadvantage that they do not prevent the escape of gas from the nose and/or the mouth. This has two effects, firstly it is difficult to aid the delivery of gas to the patients lungs by positive pressure ventilation which can mean that attempts at fibre-optic intubation have to be terminated whilst a conventional facemask is used to ensure adequate oxygenation of the patient. Secondly, there is no gas tight seal between the gas supplied to the patient's lungs and the local atmosphere, consequently there may be contamination of the local environment with anaesthetic gases with potential adverse effects on the anaesthetist and/or other staff.

According to the present invention there is provided a mask, which can be used to form a gas tight seal around a patient's mouth and nasal passages.

2 i 1 1 1 This mask is fitted with more than one port. One port allows gas to pass to and from the patient's lungs. The second is fitted with a variably sized aperture sealing device. This port may be fiffly closed or it may be partially opened to maintain a gas tight seal around a fibre-optic scope or other relevant medical instrument or piece of equipment. This port is large enough to permit the passage of commonly used endotracheal tubes and their connectors (which are usually inserted into the end of endotracheal tubes to facilitate their easy connection to an anaesthetic circuit). By using this mask it is therefore possible to ensure adequate ventilation of a patient's lungs (using positive pressure if necessary) whilst simultaneously using a fibre-optic scope to facilitate intubation. Alternatively, it would also be possible to perform various other investigative and operative procedures using the second port.

To facilitate easy use the port fitted with the variably sized aperture sealing device may be aligned with the patient's mouth and / or nasal passages. This can be done by placing the port fitted with the variably sized aperture sealing device in a position where instruments, scopes or equipment can be placed easily into both the mouth or nasal passages. Alternatively, different masks in which the port fitted with the variably sized aperture sealing device is aligned with either the mouth or the nasal passages can be made. A third way in which optimum alignment of the 3 port fitted with the variably sized aperture sealing device and the nasal passages or mouth can be achieved is to use a mask in which the position of this port can be moved ( as shown m figure 1). It is also possible to make a mask where the two ports mentioned above enter the body of the mask through a single common aperture. Such a combination of ports may be made as part of the mask or be detachable firom it. This type of mask can be made where the position of the port with the variably sized aperture sealing device can be altered to optimise alignment with the patient's mouth or nasal passages.

All masks can be made with fitments that permit them to be secured in position against the patient's face.

All the masks described above can be made with an additional port or ports. Each additional port may or may not be fitted with a variably sized aperture sealing device.

All the ports described above may be replaceable items that can be detached from the mask.

4 1 i A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawmgs.

Figure 1 shows a front view of the mask showing 2 ports. Port 1 (1) allows entry and exit of gas. Port 2 (2) is fitted with a variably sized aperture sealing device that allows the introduction of relevant scopes, instruments and / or equipment. In this example, a gas filled cushion (3) provides a gas tight seal around the nasal passages and mouth. The tube (4) that allows this cushion to be filled with gas is fitted with a bung. In this example, the two ports (1 and 2) are on a detachable portion (5) of the mask, the position of which can be altered to allow alignment of the port (2) with the patient's nasal passages or mouth. In figure one, port (2) is aligned with the patient's nasal passages. Figure two shows a mask as shown in figurel with the detachable portion (5) re-sited to allow alignment of port (2) with the patient's mouth. Figure 3 shows a cross section of the mask in which port 2 (2) is aligned with the patient's mouth. Figure 4 shows a cross section of port 2 (2) with a detachable bung (6) that can be used to completely occlude the port in place.

Figure 5 shows a cross section of port 2 (2) from which the detachable bung (6) has been removed. The variable sealing device is made up of a flexible sealing piece (7) that can be distorted to enlarge the size of its central hole (8). This flexible sealing piece (7) is held in place by a collar (9) that clips around an outward projecting ring (10). Part of the detachable portion of the mask is shown (5). Figure 6 shows a cross section of port 2 (2) with the tip of a fibre-optic scope (12) through the central hole of the flexible sealing piece (7). It can be seen that the flexible sealing piece forms a gas tight seal around the scope (11). The part of the figure above the line (15) shows a cross section of the upper part of an endotracheal tube (13) with its associated connector (14) placed over the fibre-optic scope. It can be seen that the endotracheal tube and its associated connector can be passed down the fibre-optic scope and through port (2).

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Claims

1) A mask, which can be used to form a gas tight seal around a patient's mouth and nasal passages. This mask is fitted with more than one port, these either independently enter the mask or are in the form of a single entry site containing separate ports. One port allows gas to pass to and from the patient's lungs. The second is fitted with a variably sized aperture sealing device. This port may be used to maintain a gas tight seal around a fibreoptic scope or other relevant medical instrument or piece of equipment. This port is large enough to permit the passage of commonly used endotracheal tubes and their connectors (which are usually inserted into the end of endotracheal tubes to facilitate their easy connection to an anaesthetic circuit).

2) A mask as claimed in 1 in which the port fitted with the variably sized aperture sealing device is aligned with the patient's mouth and / or nasal passages.

3) A mask as claimed in 1 but in which the position of the port fitted with the variably sized aperture sealing device can be altered.

7 4) A mask as claimed in 1 where the two ports join the mask through a single common aperture.

5) A mask as claimed m 4 where the position of the port with the variably sized aperture sealing device can be altered.

6) A mask as claimed in 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 7 which is provided with an additional port or ports. Each additional port may or may not be fitted with a variably sized aperture sealing device.

7) A mask as claimed in any preceding claim which is provided with a means of being secured in position against the patient's face.

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