No abstract

Cricothyrotomy is one of the procedures used to ventilate patients with upper airway blockage. This paper examines the most regularly used and preferred cricothyrotomy devices on the market, suggests critical design specifications for improving cricothyrotomy devices, introduces a new cricothyrotomy device, and performs an engineering evaluation of the device’s critical components. Through a review of literature, manufacturer products, and patents, four principal cricothyrotomy devices currently in clinical use were identified. From the review, the Cook™ Melker device is the preferred method of clinicians but the device has acknowledged problems. A new emergency needle cricothyrotomy device (ENCD) was developed to address all design specifications identified in literature. Engineering, theoretical, and experimental assessments were performed. In situ evaluations of a prototype of the new device using porcine specimens to assess insertion, extraction, and cyclic force capabilities were performed. The device was very successful in its evaluation. Further discussion focuses on these aspects and a comparison of the new device with established devices. The proposed emergency needle cricothyrotomy device performed very well. Further work will be pursued in the future with in-vitro and in-vivo with canine models demonstrates the capabilities of the ENCD.

Cricothyrotomy is one of the procedures used to ventilate upper airway blockage patients. The objectives of this paper are to examine the most regularly used cricothyrotomy devices, to suggest critical design specifications for improving the devices, and to introduce a new cricothyrotomy device as well as perform an engineering evaluation of the devices’ critical components. A review of the literature, manufacturer products and patents was performed to determine current cricothyrotomy devices in use. Four principal cricothyrotomy devices are currently in clinical use. From our review the Cookâ„¢ Melker device is the preferred method of clinicians but has acknowledged problems. Our group has developed a novel cricothyrotomy device, which addresses all design specifications and was shown to be very promising through engineering and in situ evaluations.