GB2385793A

GB2385793A - Folding laryngoscope with stop engagement

Info

Publication number: GB2385793A
Application number: GB0301009A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Jenkins
Original assignee: Flexicare Medical Ltd
Current assignee: Flexicare Medical Ltd
Priority date: 2002-01-16
Filing date: 2003-01-16
Publication date: 2003-09-03
Also published as: GB0200941D0; GB0301009D0

Abstract

A laryngoscope comprising a pivotally joined blade 2 and handle 1 that make a stop engagement 6 adjacent to the pivot point A when the blade 2 is moved to a folded position, keeping the rest of the blade 2 from contact with the handle 1. The blade 2 may have light guide element 4 in a lateral direction relative to the blade 2.

Description

LARYNGOSCOPES AND PARTS THEREOF This invention has to do with laryngoscopes.

Laryngoscopes are instruments used for the inspection of the larynx or vocal chords. One type of laryngoscope has an element in the form of a blade which can be inserted into the mouth, mounted pivotably on a handle so that it can be swung into an operating position or folded down next to the handle. The blade serves to hold down the patient's tongue to give a clear line of sight to the back of the throat. The handle incorporates an electric light and a light guide-typically in the form of a flexible plastic rod of predetermined refractive index-extending from a light source in or on the handle to the distal end of the blade. This light shines forward to illuminate the back of the throat during examination.

The laryngoscope blade may be a metal or a plastic element, and typically has a clip by which it can be joined to a pivot projection e. g. a cross-bar on the handle.

What we now propose in general terms is to form the blade and handle of a laryngoscope so that they make a stop engagement adjacent the pivot point which, when the blade is moved to the folded position, keeps the rest of

the blade from contact with the handle in the folded position.

The reason this is valuable is as follows.

In use, laryngoscope blades pick up contamination from the patient's mouth. Steel blades are normally sterilised for re-use. However sterilisation is seldom 100% effective and there can be cross-contamination between patients. Plastic/disposable blades avoid that particular problem, but because the handles (which incorporate the electric light) are re-useable and need to be sterilised, there is still a possibility of contamination when the plastic blade is folded down next to the handle. To prevent this it has been known to put a plastic wrapper around the blade in this condition.

Our proposal prevents the blade from being folded into contact with the handle and therefore reduces or avoids the contamination difficulty.

Typically the stop engagement will be between a stop feature on the blade adjacent its pivot and a corresponding feature or portion at the top of the handle. For example, a conventional type of blade has a proximal (pivot) end with a pivot engagement portion having a forwardly undershot part. The length or thickness of such a part can be adjusted to engage the handle top as the blade is folded down, before the

tip/length of the blade reaches the handle. Such an adapted blade may be useful in combination with standardform (conventional) laryngoscope handles.

Additionally or alternatively, the handle can be particularly adapted to prevent the blade from folding down into contact. Thus, the upper portion of the handle may have a stop feature in the form of a lateral and/or upward projection, preferably localised to one side of the handle, which meets the blade as it is folded down to prevent contact as mentioned. Such a handle may therefore be useable in combination with conventional laryngoscope blades.

Clearly it is possible to design both the blade and handle complementarily to achieve this effect, but it also is advantageous to be able to adapt either of existing blades and handles to show this new behaviour, by modifying the other component.

Typically the handle is in the conventional form consisting essentially of a casing for batteries with a light source (e. g. a conventional light bulb) at the top end where it can be brought into opposition with the proximal end of the light guide of the blade when the blade is in place. Usually the handle and blade can make a snap or catch engagement to hold the blade releasably in the operating position. It is also preferred and

conventional that moving the blade to the operating position from the folded position switches the light on.

The blade may have the generally conventional form, e. g. an elongate, curved and flattened or spatulate onepiece element of metal or plastic. The light guide likewise may be essentially conventional.

However a further aspect of the invention, which may be combined with the aspect described above, relates to an adaptation of the lighting function of the blade.

What we propose is that the blade and light guide are adapted to direct light not only forwardly from the distal end-as in a conventional laryngoscope-but also (or alternatively) in a lateral direction from the blade, preferably at an intermediate position along the blade.

This has the advantage of enabling the interior of the mouth to be illuminated. It can be useful for example at accident locations to check for broken teeth.

Preferably the adaptation provides for light to travel sideways on one side, or in opposed directions, to the right and/or left of the blade in use.

Additionally/alternatively it may shine upwards and/or downwards in relation to the conventional operating orientation of the blade.

To provide for this lateral illumination, a preferred method modifies part of the surface of the

light guide element so that, whereas the element generally prevents the lateral escape of light between the ends, the modified region allows light to escape.

For example, the element may have a highly polished surface to promote internal reflection. The provision of a matt or unpolished region on the surface enables light to escape laterally. This phenomenon is known in itself, and is exploited in various lighting devices, so the skilled person will have no difficulty in adapting various forms of light guide in an appropriate manner.

The blade preferably houses or grips the light guide at an intermediate portion to protect and retain it.

This housing may then have one or more lateral window openings for the controlled lateral escape of light from the light guide.

It will be appreciated that the lateral direction of light is the essential general feature, and this need not necessarily be from the same light guide that conveys light to the distal end, although this is preferred. One or more supplementary light guides may be provided as sources of laterally-directed light, if wished.

An embodiment of the invention is now described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which;

Fig. 1 is an oblique view of a laryngoscope embodying the invention; Figs. 2 and 3 are side views of the laryngoscope in the operating and folded conditions respectively; Fig. 4 (a), (b), (c), (d) are respectively an oblique view, side view, back view and top view of a handle of the laryngoscope, with Fig. 4 (b) indicating an adaptation thereof; Fig. 5 is an enlarged side view of the blade seen in Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a median cross-section of the blade; Fig. 7 is an enlarged side view of showing an adaptation of the blade's pivot clip; and Fig. 8 is a side view of an alternative clip modification.

With reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the handle 1 is a generally cylindrical element and in itself conventional, forming a housing for batteries which power a light source (see Fig. 4) at the top of the handle.

The blade 2 has the form of a curved beak, with a base part 21 making a pivoting engagement with the top mounting portion 11 of the handle 1, and the body of the blade extending in a downward curve to its tip 22. The body of the blade consists of a generally flat (spatular or laminar) base portion 23 with a tubular integrally-

moulded housing 24 extending along its upper side. This housing incorporates a flexible plastics light guide 4, in a manner which is in itself conventional. However in this laryngoscope the housing 24 has lateral window 241 half-way along its length, directed sideways. The light guide 4, which consists of a solid flexible plastic rod of refractive index selected for the light concerned, and having a polished surface for internal reflection, is adapted by abrading its surface in the regions or region opposed to the window 241 so that a portion of light travelling along the guide will escape from it and shine out sideways through the window 241. This is a new feature enabling illumination of the mouth interior.

Another distinctive feature of this laryngoscope is the pivoting relationship between the handle and blade.

With reference to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that in the operating position (Fig. 2) the base 21 of the blade sits squarely on top of the handle top mounting 11. A snap engagement feature e. g. pimples 211 clips into corresponding snap features e. g. dimples 111 of the handle top 11. This is conventional. The top of the handle (Fig. 4) also houses an upwardly directed light bulb 12 which, in the position shown in Fig. 2, faces the proximal end of the light guide 4.

The handle can be pushed down to fold the blade away when it is not in use, as shown in Fig. 3. As indicated in Fig. 3, the adjacent portion of the blade base 21 and handle top 11 make a stop engagement-generally indicated at 6-immediately adjacent the pivot location A. This prevents the distal length of the blade from folding closer to the handle than the position indicated in Fig. 3, so that the laryngoscope can be folded for convenience but without allowing cross-contamination between the blade and the handle.

Fig. 4 shows a first way of achieving this.

Fig. 4 (a) shows the shape of a conventional (standard) handle, with the pivot axis provided by a cross bar 15 mounted between cheek flanges 17. The front of the channel that receives the blade mount 21 can be extended forwardly in a local projection 13 (see also Fig. 4 (b)).

This projection 13 will prevent even a conventional blade from being folded down into contact with the handle.

Figs. 5 to 7 show an alternative in which the blade 2 is the component modified to provide the stop engagement. The hook or clip formation 213, which hooks around the pivot bar 15 of the handle, is formed with a downward enlargement-here in the form of a convex rib 216-beneath its lower"jaw". When the blade is folded downwardly, at the position shown in Fig. 3 this rib 216

meets the top structure of the handle, between the cheek flanges 17, to prevent further movement.

Note also the integral nib 217 in the mouth of the hook 213 which holds the clip securely but releasably in position at the axis A.

Fig. 6 shows the internal structure of the blade, featuring a cavity which accommodates the light guide described previously.

Fig. 8 shows an alternative of how the blade module may be adapted to achieve the same effect. Namely the hook formation 213 of the blade base 21 has its lower, undershot portion prolonged forwardly as a stop extension 214 which will meet the handle top "early" so as to prevent the blade 2 from being folded down into contact with the handle.

The skilled person will appreciate that the blade and/or handle may take a variety of forms. The forms illustrated have the advantage of enabling conventional handles, or in the other case conventional blades, to be used while achieving a new beneficial effect.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A laryngoscope comprising a pivotally joined blade and handle that make a stop engagement adjacent the pivot point when the blade is moved to a folded position, keeping the rest of the blade from contact with the handle.
2. A laryngoscope according to claim 1, in which the blade is an elongate, curved element of metal or plastic, including a light guide element.
3. A laryngoscope according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the blade has a clip part to engage a pivot axis of the handle, and a stop abutment projecting on the clip part makes the stop engagement with the handle top.
4. A laryngoscope according to claim 3 in which the clip has a forwardly undershot hook part and the stop feature is a downward projection on the underside thereof.
5. A laryngoscope according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the handle comprises a casing for batteries with a light source at the top end, brought into opposition with the proximal end of a light guide of the blade when the blade is in an operating position.
6. A laryngoscope according to claim 5, wherein moving the blade to the operating position from the folded position switches the light source on.

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7. A laryngoscope according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the handle and blade make a snap or catch engagement to hold the blade releasably in the operating position.
8. A blade for a laryngoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising a stop abutment adjacent the pivot portion thereof.
9. A laryngoscope blade according to claim 8 comprising a light guide element that directs light forwardly to the distal end of the blade.
10. A laryngoscope blade according to claim 8 or 9 comprising a light guide element that directs light laterally from the blade.
11. A laryngoscope blade according to claim 10 in which the light guide element has an internally reflective surface and a window opening to enable light to escape laterally.
12. A laryngoscope blade according to claim 11 in which the window opening is provided by a matt or unpolished region of the light guide element surface.
13. A laryngoscope handle for a laryngoscope according to any one of claims 1 to 7, having a forward stop projection adjacent its pivot to provide said stop engagement.
14. A laryngoscope comprising a blade with a light guide element which directs light in a lateral direction

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relative to the blade, or a blade for such a laryngoscope.
15. A laryngoscope, a blade for a laryngoscope, or an adapted handle for a laryngoscope, substantially as described herein as an embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.