| Reference Number | CSFH/9/133 |
| Title | Set of Tracheostomy Obturators |
| Date | 1925-1975 |
| Description | This is a set of five obturators, each crafted from metal. They feature a curved stem that culminates in a teardrop-shaped tip. On the opposite flat end, each obturator is inscribed with its size. The smallest is '1', '1|18' , then ‘3’ ‘3|22’, ‘5’ ‘5|26’, ‘6’ ‘6|28’, and ‘8’ ‘8|32’, [and possibly indicated for infants]. The primary function of the obturator is to guide the tracheostomy tube into the stoma (a surgical opening on the neck) during the insertion of the tube. Additionally, the device can be used to prevent airway obstruction when the tracheostomy tube is not in place, thus ensuring that the patient can breathe freely. The obturator can be easily inserted into and removed from the outer tracheostomy cannula. |
| Extent | 5 items |
| Dimensions | No 1: 50mm x 5mm |
| No 3: 60mm x 6mm |
| No 5: 80mm x 8mm |
| No 6: 90mm x 9mm |
| No 8: 100 mm x 10mm |
| Digital Collections | View online in our digital collections |
| Copyright | Free to use under the terms of the Creative Commons Licence Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) |
| Credit Line | Royal College of Physicians of Ireland |
| Object Name | Obturator |
| Term | Intubation, Intratracheal |
| Tracheotomy |
| Anaesthesiology -- instrumentation |
| Anaesthesiology |
| Otolaryngology -- instrumentation |
| Otolaryngology |
| Intubation |
| Tracheotomy -- instrumentation |