Abstract: The present invention discloses an oral airway for insertion within a surgical patient's mouth and over the patient's tongue for preventing blockage of the pharynx during surgical and like procedures. According to the present invention, the airway is provided with an arrangement for transmitting light through the patient's tongue from a point on the oral airway bearing a transmitting device to a point on the oral airway bearing a detecting device. The transmitting devices and detecting devices are positioned in a spaced-apart relation on the oral airway so that the light transmitted from the transmitting device passes through at least a portion of the patient's tongue before being received by the detecting device. Additionally, an operative connecting device is provided for connecting the transmitting device and detecting device with an oximeter for measuring saturation of the patient's blood as a function of the transmitted light received by the detecting device.

Abstract: An endotracheal breathing tube for use in surgical operations is equipped with a light emitting device adjacent its distal end to reside within the patient's trachea during use and with a compatible photosensitive detector positionable outside the patient's body in contact with the neck to intercept light transmitted from the light emitting device for performing accurate oximetry measurements and calculations of the patients's arterial blood oxygen saturation. In one embodiment, a light emitting diode is affixed to the distal portion of the tube body. In another embodiment, an optical fiber extends from a light emitting diode outside the patient's body through the tube to a fiber terminus at the distal location on the tube body.