Improved Esophageal Obturator Airway (EOA) and New Esophageal Gastric Tube Airway (EGTA)

Abstract

Effective ventilation of the lungs is the most urgent need in resuscitation emergencies. Initially, this can best be achieved by direct mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-nose artificial ventilation. When trained personnel and equipment become available, various airway adjuncts can be used to improve the ease or effectiveness of artificial ventilation, to overcome the aesthetic aspects of direct contact, to provide for the administration of supplemental oxygen, or to allow mechanical ventilators or self- inflating bags with nonrebreathing valves to be used. The optimum technique for assuring a patent airway, for preventing gastric distension, and for protecting the lungs from aspiration of regurgitated gastric contents is intubation of the trachea under direct vision. However, the skill and training required to perform this maneuver, particularly under emergency conditions, limit its usefulness to highly trained medical, nursing, and paramedical personnel.