Charles A Baldwin

US Patent:

20080149114, Jun 26, 2008

Filed:

Dec 22, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/602921

Inventors:

Charles Craig Baldwin - Columbia MD, US

International Classification:

A61C 5/14

US Classification:

128859

Abstract:

The Awake Airway is an oral device designed with two arches to gently hold both the maxillary and mandibular dental arches in a fixed position angled slightly open in such a way as to not stimulate any part of the oral cavity or oropharynx so a fully wide awake user would tolerate it. It would be made of a resilient material such as a soft plastic with a foam insert to hold the teeth or edentulous arches. It is shaped to conform to the teeth and maxillary and mandibular anatomy, and easily inserted by the user him/herself By gently maintaining the mouth slightly open it would enhance the patency of the airway. The mandibular (jaw) thrust feature capitalizes on the unique anatomy of the human tempormandibular joint wherein anterior (frontal) movement of only a few millimeters changes the joint from a hinge to a can, and both motions are separate: thus thrusting the mandibular component a mere few millimeters elevates that mandibular condyle, opening the orpharynx without gagging the patient or further opening the mouth, enhancing airway patency. It's usefulness would include that of a clinical airway in awake to sedated or anesthetized or obtunded patients that may be more flexible than currently available airway support devices since it may be tolerated until the user is fully awake. Another use might be in Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) as the patient may place it themselves and tolerate it as they sleep with airway support that could supplement or replace current therapies. In the Glossal Variant a shallow arch bridges the premolar edges of the mandibular component to gently hold the tongue in place without gagging the user and to allow the user to thrust and/or place his/her tongue in front of the arch, behind or over the incisor portion of the mandibular component, enhancing the Awake Airway's potential to maintain a patent airway.