Guedel airway to keep an open airway for a child or infant, made by Portex, 1950-1999

A Guedel airway is a rigid plastic tube placed in a person’s mouth, up to the base of their tongue. This keeps their airway open during a surgical operation, by stopping their tongue covering the epiglottis, at the top of their windpipe.

It is named after its developer Arthur E Gueduel (1833-1956) an American anaesthetist, who first published on his device in 1933. Originally made of metal and rubber, Guedel airways are now single use and plastic. He also developed a throat tube with an inflatable rubber cuff and a guide to the stages of anaesthesia. Possible as a tribute to his anaesthetic career, Guedel had a dog called Airway who was frequently part of his lectures and demonstrations.