Another Alternative When Choking—Dechoker

(via. Ohgizmo)

A new medical device, Dechoker, won FDA approval around May 2015, which can clear an obstructed airway when choking. The Dechoker, created by Dechoker LLC, has only been on the market for five months. It can be used on yourself when you are alone. It has a mask that seals over the victim’s nose and mouth, a tube inside the mask which depresses the tongue and goes a little way down the throat and a plunger that pulls up like a syringe and removes the obstruction with air pressure. It was first designed by Alan Carver, a ship’s captain who thought there should be a better approach beside the Heimlich maneuver, while attending a medical training course to gain a 200-Ton Captain’s License in 2009. He couldn’t accept that nothing he could do but let the choking victim die when he was 100 miles out on the sea and the Heimlich maneuver failed. He devoted five years to solved this problem.

According to the website of Dechoker LLC, a choking death occurs every two hours. There are 160,000 choking deaths worldwide annually. “We want to eradicate choking deaths,” said Christopher Kellogg, the president of the company. The Dechoker is now FDA listed as a Class 1 medical device and available for anyone to purchase for $149.96, in two sizes, adults and toddlers.

(Melissa Chipman/ Kelly/ Alex)