As an anesthesiologist, I always get excited about new intubating equpment. Failure to intubate after the induction of general anesthesia can be potentialy catastrophic.
According to Israel21c, a new Israeli startup called ETView has developed an endotracheal tube with an embedded tiny video camera. The company describes its product:
ETView’s proprietary ETView endotracheal tube (ETView ETT) with a built-in video camera enables viewing the upper airways and trachea during intubation via a portable screen or monitor and permits effective ventilation during the entire procedure.
ETView’s patent-pending ETT is the only product that offers –
— Continuous visual control of the intubation procedure
— Continuous monitoring of the ETT position and central airway
— Simplicity of use for less highly trained personnel
In addition, ETView’s ETT enables simple and successful intubation on the first attempt using the novel introducer, which eliminates the need for laryngoscopy and reduces the risk of trauma to the patient’s teeth and airway.
The technology developed by ETView has applications in hospitals, emergency services and first responders, and telemedicine. It offers safe airway management for emergency medicine, anesthesia, and resuscitation.
ETView ETT is built from medical grade silicone tubing and equiped with a miniature CMOS color imager and light source connected through a cable with USB2 connector. It is designed for computers with Windows (Win98 and higher).
More at ETView…