The cuffed pharyngeal airway.

A new self-retaining nasopharyngeal airway is described. The clinical performance of this airway was assessed in 100 patients during anaesthesia with spontaneous respiration. The physical behaviour of the airway was investigated in four patients. In an additional 25 patients the tube was used via the oral route. Although designed for use by the nasal route, the airway can be used as a self-retaining oropharyngeal airway.