Charles Craig Baldwin

US Patent:

20080149110, Jun 26, 2008

Filed:

Dec 22, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/602918

Inventors:

Charles Craig Baldwin - Columbia MO, US

International Classification:

A61F 5/37

US Classification:

128846

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. 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 variant to anchor other airway devices a tie which might be anything from a ratcheted tie to a plain knotted tie can be molded into the incisor portion of the Maxillary arch or passed through an open provision for such a tie to firmly anchor a device such as an endotracheal tube, perhaps a more secure means than is currently utilized.

US Patent:

20120199140, Aug 9, 2012

Filed:

Apr 6, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/506247

Inventors:

Charles C. Baldwin - Columbia MO, US

International Classification:

A61C 5/14
A61M 16/00

US Classification:

128859

Abstract:

An intraoral airway having opposing trays with a soft lining or cushion to grip the maxillary and mandibular dental arches of a patient with a fixed relationship in such a manner as to gently open the mouth and thrust the mandibular component slightly forward thereby opening the oral cavity and hypopharynx for air/gas passage that is easily tolerated by fully awake patients/users as well as by sedated, anesthetized or obtunded patients.