A disposable laryngeal mask helps make airway management easier by keeping gastric contents away from the airway in the unlikely event of regurgitation.

The LMA Protector Airway is a single-use laryngeal mask with a dual gastric drainage channel and a pharyngeal chamber that provides easy access for evacuation of gastric content escaping through the upper esophageal sphincter. The elongated, 100% silicone cuff and airway tube design conforms to the contours of the hypopharynx, with proprietary First Seal and Second Seal technology used to secure the distal tip at the upper esophageal sphincter, thus isolating the respiratory tract from the digestive tract and reducing the risk of aspiration of gastric contents.

Another advanced airway management innovation of the device is Cuff Pilot, a pressure indicator that enables clinicians to confirm that the inserted cuff is properly inflated and to monitor pressure levels continuously, thus reducing the risk of patient trauma or leaks. The LMA Protector is designed for insertion without the need for any guidance tools, and allows for subsequent intubation with an endotracheal tube (ETT) of up to 7.5 mm in diameter that can provide a safe and effective option for airway replacement.

Potential uses include difficult cases where an ETT may otherwise be used for patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), cases in which positive pressure ventilation (PPV) may be required, to reduce the likelihood of throat irritation and stimulation, and as an option for clinicians who want continuous cuff pressure monitoring to reduce the likelihood of over inflation. The LMA Protector Airway, a product of Teleflex (Limerick, PA, USA), and has been approved by the US food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“The LMA Protector Airway ushers in a new era in the evolution of airway management with its unique combination of innovative capabilities that could help clinicians reduce airway-related complications and improve procedural efficiencies,” said Justin McMurray, president of the Teleflex anesthesia division. “This significant advance in airway management is the direct result of our relentless pursuit of innovations to improve the health and quality of people’s lives.”

A laryngeal mask is designed to keep the airway open during anesthesia or unconsciousness. It is composed of an airway tube that connects to an elliptical mask with a cuff which is inserted down the windpipe, and once deployed forms an airtight seal on top the glottis, unlike ETTs which pass through it.

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