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Updated: Jun 10, 2026
08:26
The Rigid Tube as an Alternative in Controlling the Problematic Airway
Published on: June 6, 2020
John Urban Human and the divided airway
1rajesh.haridas@bigpond.com
Anaesthesia and Intensive Care
|August 19, 2010
Summary
John Urban Human patented the divided airway in 1936, a device for blind orotracheal intubation. His role as inventor remained unknown to his contemporaries, with this work providing his biography and airway description.
Area of Science:
- Medical Devices
- Anesthesiology
- Airway Management
Background:
- The divided airway, patented in 1936, is a device designed to assist in blind orotracheal intubation procedures.
- The inventor, John Urban Human, did not widely publicize or describe the device during his lifetime.
Discussion:
- This historical account explores the unrecognized invention of the divided airway by John Urban Human.
- The lack of contemporary knowledge regarding Human's invention highlights potential gaps in historical medical device documentation.
Key Insights:
- John Urban Human is identified as the inventor of the divided airway, patented in 1936.
- The divided airway's existence was not widely known during the inventor's time, obscuring its origin.
Outlook:
- Further research could uncover the reasons behind the limited dissemination of the divided airway's invention.
- Understanding the historical context of airway management devices like the divided airway can inform future innovations.
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