Abstract: A musical instrument comprising a body and a neck for supporting a set of strings, further comprising demountable means for detaching the strings as a single piece from the instrument.

Abstract: An artificial airway device is provided to facilitate lung ventilation of a patient, having an airway tube, a gastric drain tube and a mask at one end of the airway tube, the mask including a backplate and having a peripheral formation capable of forming a seal around the circumference of the laryngeal inlet, the peripheral formation surrounding a hollow interior space or lumen of the mask and the airway tube opening into the lumen of the mask, wherein the mask includes an atrium for passage to the gastric drain tube of gastric matter leaving the oesophagus.

Abstract: An endoscopy device for facilitating the use of an endoscope, comprising at least one airway tube and a mask carried at one end of the at least one airway rube, the mask having a distal end and a proximal end and a peripheral formation capable of conforming to, and of fitting within, the actual and potential space behind the larynx of the patient so as to form a seal around the circumference of the laryngeal inlet, the peripheral formation surrounding a hollow interior space or lumen of the mask and the at least one airway tube opening into the lumen of the mask, the device further comprising a conduit adapted for passage of an endoscope into the oesophagus of a patient when the mask is in place.

Abstract: An artificial airway device to facilitate a patient's lung ventilation comprising at least one airway tube and a mask at one end of the airway tube, the mask having a peripheral formation capable of conforming to, and fitting within, the actual and potential space behind the patient's larynx to form a seal around the circumference of the laryngeal inlet, the peripheral formation surrounding a hollow interior space or lumen of the mask and the airway tube opening into the lumen of the mask, wherein the mask provides a space for drainage of gastric matter leaving the oesophagus, such space being an internal volume of the mask and providing a conduit having a volume large enough to effect a significant rise in the pressure of fluid emerging from the oesophageal sphincter while still providing an inflatable mask shape maintaining the seal around the circumference of the laryngeal inlet.

Abstract: The invention relates to a detachable bridge for a stringed instrument and the stringed instrument including such a detachable bridge. More specifically, the invention may comprise a detachable portion and a non-detachable portion. The strings are secured to the detachable portion. In a preferred embodiment, the detachable portion is secured by a retaining means of the non-detachable portion.

Abstract: The invention relates to an artificial airway device (1) to facilitate lung ventilation of a patient, comprising an airway tube (2) and a mask (3) carried at one end of the airway tube, the mask (3) having a distal end (4) and a proximal end (5) and a peripheral formation (6) capable of forming a seal around the circumference of the laryngeal inlet, the peripheral formation (6) surrounding a hollow interior space or lumen (7) of the (mask (3) and the bore of the airway tube (2) opening into the lumen (7) of the mask, the airway tube including support means (44) such that the cross sectional area of the bore is substantially maintained upon application of pressure by the patient's teeth, while allowing local deformation of the tube at the point of tooth contact.

Abstract: The invention relates to an artificial airway device to facilitate lung ventilation of a patient, comprising an airway tube, a gastric drain tube and a mask at one end of the airway tube, the mask including a backplate and having a peripheral formation capable of forming a seal around the circumference of the laryngeal inlet, the peripheral formation surrounding a hollow interior space or lumen of the mask and the airway tube opening into the lumen of the mask, wherein the mask includes an atrium for passage to the gastric drain tube of gastric matter leaving the oesophagus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a detachable bridge for a stringed instrument and the stringed instrument including such a detachable bridge. More specifically, the invention may comprise a detachable portion and a non-detachable portion. The strings are secured to the detachable portion. In a preferred embodiment, the detachable portion is secured by a retaining means of the non-detachable portion.

Abstract: A laryngeal-mask airway device including provision for drainage of the esophagus including an inflatable main-cuff and a backplate having a laryngeal-side and a pharyngeal-side. The backplate also has an external tube joint adjacent to the proximal region of the main-cuff. The backplate is hermetically bonded to the periphery of the main-cuff establishing separation between a laryngeal-chamber region and a pharyngeal region. A distally open evacuation tube includes a distal portion which longitudinally traverses the interior of the distal region of the main-cuff in sealed relation therewith for operative engagement and communication with the inlet of the oesophagus. The evacuation tube traverses the laryngeal-chamber region generally adjacent to the laryngeal-side of the backplate and passages through a proximally located tube-joint to the pharyngeal region.

Abstract: An artificial airway device to facilitate lung ventilation of a patient, having an airway tube, a gastric drain tube and a mask at one end of the airway tube, the mask including a backplate and having a peripheral formation capable of forming a seal around the circumference of the laryngeal inlet, the peripheral formation surrounding a hollow interior space or lumen of the mask and the airway tube opening into the lumen of the mask, wherein the mask includes an atrium for passage to the gastric drain tube of gastric matter leaving the esophagus is disclosed.

Abstract: An endoscopy device for facilitating the use of an endoscope, comprising at least one airway tube and a mask carried at one end of the at least one airway rube, the mask having a distal end and a proximal end and a peripheral formation capable of conforming to, and of fitting within, the actual and potential space behind the larynx of the patient so as to form a seal around the circumference of the laryngeal inlet, the peripheral formation surrounding a hollow interior space or lumen of the mask and the at least one airway tube opening into the lumen of the mask, the device further comprising a conduit adapted for passage of an endoscope into the oesophagus of a patient when the mask is in place.

Abstract: The invention relates to an artificial airway device (1) to facilitate lung ventilation of a patient, comprising an airway tube (2), a gastric drain tube (3) and a mask (4) at one end of the airway tube (2), the mask (4) including a backplate (5) and having a peripheral formation (6) capable of forming a seal around the circumference of the laryngeal inlet, the peripheral formation (6) surrounding a hollow interior space (7) or lumen of the mask (4) and the airway tube (2) opening into the lumen of the mask, wherein the mask includes an atrium (8) for passage to the gastric drain tube (3) of gastric matter leaving the oesophagus.

Abstract: The invention relates to an artificial airway device (1) to facilitate lung ventilation of a patient, comprising an airway tube (2) and a mask (3) canned at one end of the airway tube, the mask (3) having a distal end (4) and a proximal end (5) and a peripheral formation (6) capable of conforming to, and of fitting within, the actual and potential space behind the larynx of the patient so as to form a seal around the circumference of the laryngeal inlet, the peripheral formation (6) surrounding a hollow interior space or lumen (7) of the mask (3) and the airway tube (2) opening into the lumen (7) of the mask, the mask having a conduit (8) for receiving, in use, oesophageal matter, an outer, in use, surface of the peripheral formation (6) defining a channel (10) for use in facilitating drainage of oesophageal matter.

Abstract: The invention relates to an artificial airway device (1) to facilitate lung ventilation of a patient, comprising an airway tube (2) and a mask (3) carried at one end of the airway tube, the mask (3) having a distal end (4) and a proximal end (5) and a peripheral formation (6) capable of forming a seal around the circumference of the laryngeal inlet, the peripheral formation (6) surrounding a hollow interior space or lumen (7) of the (mask (3) and the bore of the airway tube (2) opening into the lumen (7) of the mask, the airway tube including support means (44) such that the cross sectional area of the bore is substantially maintained upon application of pressure by the patient's teeth, whilst allowing local deformation of the tube at the point of tooth contact.

Abstract: The invention relates to a laryngeal mask airway device (10) to facilitate lung ventilation in a patient, the device comprising an airway tube (12) extending from a proximal end (12a) to a distal end (12b) and opening, at the distal end, into the interior of a mask portion (14), the mask portion including a backplate (16) and a cuff (18), the mask portion shaped to seal around the circumference of the laryngeal inlet without penetrating into the interior of the larynx, wherein the mask portion of the device includes guiding means (20), said guiding means being adapted such that, when the laryngeal mask airway device is in use with a drug delivery catheter (22), the guiding means guides the drug delivery catheter towards the larynx.

Abstract: The invention provides an artificial airway device to facilitate lung ventilation of a patient, comprising at least one airway tube (2) and a mask (3) carried at one end of the at least one airway tube, the mask having a peripheral formation (7) capable of conforming to, and of readily fitting within, the actual and potential space behind the larynx of the patient so as to form a seal around the circumference of the laryngeal inlet, the peripheral formation surrounding a hollow interior space or lumen of the mask and the at least one airway tube opening into the lumen of the mask, wherein the mask is arranged to provide a space within the pharynx of the patient for the drainage of gastric matter leaving the oesophagus, which space approximates to the pharyngeal space that occurs within the pharynx without the mask being present in the pharynx, the effect of which is to re-establish the normal flow of matter exiting the oesphagus in the event of regurgitation or vomiting when the mask is present in the pharynx

Abstract: A method of making a device by integrally molding. The device includes an inflatable mask comprising a relatively stiff component and a relatively soft compliant flexible component. The mask is insertable, at least when deflated, through a mouth of the patient to an inserted location within a patient. The inserted location is near a laryngeal inlet of the patient. The device also includes an airway tube and an evacuation tube coupled to the mask. The relatively soft compliant flexible component of the mask is integrally formed in a single moulding operation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a devices and methods for lung ventilation in a patient. In particular, there is provided a laryngeal mask airway device for facilitation of lung ventilation in a patient, comprising an airway tube opening at one end into the interior of a hollow mask portion, the mask portion including a backplate and a cuff, the mask portion shaped to conform to and to fit readily into the actual and potential space behind the larynx and to seal around the circumference of the laryngeal inlet without penetrating into the interior of the larynx, the airway tube extending from a proximal end to a distal end and having a tab disposed near said proximal end, a sealed airway passage extending from the proximal end of the tube to the glottic opening when the cuff is at the inserted location, characterized in that the tab is adapted to be biasable towards the philtrum of the patient in use.