Murphy Style Endotracheal Tube

Murphy Style Endotracheal Tube

Anesthesia

Intubation

Airway Management Equipment

In 1941, Dr. Francis J. Murphy (1900-1972), had some new design ideas for the simple endotracheal tube. He described both straight and curved tubes with holes on the side that act as emergency vents should the primary end opening become clogged. This improvement to patient safety was widely adopted and has ever since been known as the “Murphy eye.”

circa 1950s

Brigham and Women's Hospital Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine collection.