LARYNGOSCOPE AND DISPOSABLE BLADE THEREFOR

摘要

A disposable laryngoscope blade connects to a handle especially to facilitate endotracheal intubation of a patient. The blade includes a base portion that attaches to the handle, and an elongated blade portion extends from a proximal end to terminate in a distal tip. The blade portion is arcuate and flattened so as to have a flat upper wall and a flat lower wall joined at lateral edges, and the lateral edges converge toward the distal tip. The blade includes a passageway therethrough so that a vaccum source may attach to a nipple near the proximal end and an inlet port is formed near the distal tip so that fluids may pass through the blade portion. The handle carries a battery power source and electrical contacts. The base portion of the blade also has contacts so that, when the blade is mounted a circuit is completed to power a light source disposed on the blade portion. The blade is preferably formed of two separate plastic pieces joined along a plane perpendicular to the flat upper and lower surfaces of the blade portion to create a housing for the light source and its electrical leads as well as the fluid flow passageway. The base portion has a breakaway latch that engages a notch in the handle so that removal of the blade from the handle breaks the latch structure thereby inhibiting reattachment to the handle.