Historical Use of Nasal laryngeal Masks

Archie Brain is a British anaesthetist best known as the inventor of the laryngeal mask in 1981. The laryngeal mask airway has since been used over 300 million times worldwide in elective anaesthesia and emergency airway management.

1997
Marchionni,L. MD ;Agro, F. MD et al 43. described a simple retrograde technique using a Foley catheter and a flexible laryngeal mask that was used in five patients. One patient had minor epistaxis, but there were no other complications.

2007
Arisaka H, Matsumoto M, et al 48 from Japan modified Marchionni’s method by using a nasogastric tube taped into the laryngeal mask airway tubing instead of a Foley catheter. It was used in fifteen patients undergoing dental procedures . There was no significant bleeding from the intubated nostril in any of the patients. None of the patients complained of sore throat, coughing, hoarseness, or any discomfort in the nose.

2007
Researchers from the Osaka Dental University in Japan published an article 49 concluding that the flexible laryngeal mask could be safely used as a nasal airway for minor oral surgery and the insertion and removal techniques using a Foley catheter were simple, and atraumatic and safely applicable.

These improvised Nasal Laryngeal Mask Airways have been used safely in over 20 patients.