Laryngeal mask airway tube: easily solve breathing problems

Respiratory problems have always been an important challenge. Especially in cases of surgery, emergency treatment or patients with special breathing needs, how to ensure that the patient's breathing is smooth and stable has become an important task for medical staff. Fortunately, the advancement of modern medical technology has brought us an effective solution - laryngeal mask airway tube.

The laryngeal mask airway tube, also known as the laryngeal mask airway or LMA, is an artificial airway device originally invented by Dr. Archie Brain in 1983. It forms a sealed airway by inserting a ring-shaped inflatable mask into the throat, thereby ensuring unobstructed breathing for the patient. The unique design of this device not only frees the hands of the anesthesiologist, but also ensures the reliability of airway maintenance and the stability of the anesthesia effect.

The laryngeal mask airway tube consists of a ventilation tube and a ventilation mask. The ventilation tube is made of silicone, with one end open to connect to the anesthesia machine or ventilator, and the other end is a ventilation mask. The ventilation mask is oval in shape and made of soft rubber, with a raised periphery and a cavity inside, which can fit tightly against the patient's throat to form an effective airway seal. This design allows the laryngeal mask airway tube to reduce irritation and damage to the patient's airway while maintaining airway patency.

The use of laryngeal mask airway tube is very simple. It does not require the use of a laryngoscope to expose the glottis and can be inserted under blind exploration. Common insertion methods include conventional method and reversal method. The conventional method requires the patient's head to be slightly tilted back, the operator's left hand pulls the mandible to widen the oral cavity, and the right hand holds the laryngeal mask and inserts it downward along the midline of the tongue against the posterior wall of the pharynx; while the reversal method first inserts the laryngeal mask mouth toward the hard palate into the oral cavity to the bottom of the throat, then gently rotates 180° and continues to push the laryngeal mask downward.

The laryngeal mask airway tube has a wide range of applications, including surgeries without the risk of vomiting regurgitation, difficult intubation cases, fiberoptic bronchoscopic laser ablation of the vocal cords, and surgeries where continuous positive airway pressure must be maintained. In addition, it can also be used as a guide for endotracheal intubation, which is particularly suitable for endotracheal intubation in patients with unstable cervical spine.