PROBLEM

The need for easy and immediate ventilation is crucial in many settings including the induction of anesthesia, during a code, in trauma, in critical care, combat, and wilderness medicine. Airway is the “A” of the ABC’s of first response. Often, due to the size and shape of a patient’s face, an abundance of soft tissue, presence of facial hair, lack of teeth, movement during chest compressions, or small size of the provider’s hands, this can be very challenging due to the inability to achieve a good seal of the mask to the outside of the face.

SOLUTION

The Scorpion is an airway device that will enable easier bag masking by using an intra-oral seal, much like a snorkel mouthpiece. The Scorpion will provide a fool-proof method for bag mask ventilation using the intra-oral seal. With a robust seal, the need for two-handed, two person bag masking will be eliminated. Additionally, with easy insertion and intuitive operation, this device could work much faster than a traditional mask, shaving seconds to minutes off the time to achieve adequate ventilation in critical situations.

VALUE/BENEFIT

The Scorpion will provide a fool-proof method for BVM using the intra-oral seal. With a robust seal, the need for two-handed, two-person bag-masking will be eliminated. Additionally with easy insertion and intuitive operation, this device could work much faster than a traditional mask, shaving seconds to minutes off the time to achieve adequate ventilation in critical situations. The Scorpion could replace existing bag-masks in many settings including the OR, in ambu-bags, and emergency department, first response, ambulances, field hospitals, and even combat/wilderness emergency medical kits.