Cold Light Source Endotracheal Tube Stylet with Handle for Medical Intubation

The procedure of placing an endotracheal tube (ETT) in the trachea for ventilation and oxygenation is more than a thousand years old. It was first performed on pigs by the Persian physician, Avicenna, between 980 and 1037 AD.1,2 Blind digital intubation in humans was first described in 1796 by Herholdt and Rafn in a resuscitation protocol for drowning victims.3 In 1880, Macewen described blind digital intubation in awake patients using a curved metal tube.4 However, modern methods of laryngoscopic endotracheal intubation did not emerge until early in the 20th century, after the introduction of a flexible metal tube by Kuhn5 and of the laryngoscope by Jackson.6

Over the years, direct laryngoscopic intubation has been shown to be an effective, safe, and relatively easy technique. In fact, using a laryngoscope to obtain line of sight to the laryngeal inlet has become the standard method of endotracheal intubation in the operating room, the intensive care unit, and the emergency department. However, even in the hands of experienced laryngoscopists, accurate and prompt placement of the ETT remains a significant challenge in some patients. This is particularly true in “unprepared” patients and in patients requiring emergency intubation. With any standard laryngoscope, obtaining line of sight to the patient’s larynx can prove difficult in the presence of specific anatomic variations such as a receding mandible, prominent upper incisors, a restricted mouth opening, or limited movement of the cervical spine. It has been estimated that 1% to 3% of surgical patients have a so-called difficult airway (DA), making laryngoscopic intubation problematic and sometimes impossible.7 In the obstetric population, the incidence of failed laryngoscopic intubation has been reported to be 0.05% to 0.35%.8 Many predictors of difficult laryngoscopy (DL) have been suggested in the literature,9,10 but the sensitivity and specificity of these tests remain relatively low.11–13 Therefore, all clinicians must be prepared to deal with the prospect of both anticipated and unanticipated DLs.

Given that direct laryngoscopic visualization of the glottis may not be possible, especially in a timely manner during emergency situations, a number of devices have been developed to enable the clinician to pass the ETT “blindly” into the trachea. During the last few decades, the use of intubating guides such as stylets and introducers and light-guided intubation based on the principle of transillumination have proved to be effective, safe, and simple approaches. This chapter briefly reviews the principles and techniques of these alternative intubation procedures.

Many types of intubating guides and lighted stylets have been commercially available for many years. Where possible, this chapter focuses on devices that have been proven to be effective and safe in the medical literature. However, the concepts and techniques discussed here may be applicable to other similar devices.

The Stylet has a flexible soft tip that prevents patient injuries associated with the commonly used rigid stylets. The stylet that is most similar to the Moffitt stylet is the ‘Rapid Positioning intubation Stylet’ that shares the following features with the Moffitt stylet: a soft tip, a slimmer profile to allow a clear and unblocked view of the patient’s airway, and a user-controlled flexible tip. The Rapid Positioning intubation Stylet costs $40 leading to a potential US market for the Moffitt stylet of $230 million.

Data Sheet

Used for guiding light source during tracheal intubation to assist tracheal intubation. The light source of this product is red light LED which provides power via the lithium battery inside the device to light up the LED to produce the illuminated red light which illuminates at the front end through optical fibers.

Advantage 1: High intensity LED red light can reach up to 20000 lux (golden one), and can be adjusted steplessly.

Advantage 2: Malleable wand of proper stiffness can be easily shaped and maintained.

Advantage 3: The wand is coated with self-lubricating material, matching tracheal intubation smoothly.

Advantage 4: Large capacity rechargeable lithium battery provides super long endurance.

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