Frequently Asked Questions

Our disposable handles are made primarily of aluminum.  The small, watch batteries also dramatically reduce the weight of these very lightweight devices to a small fraction of the weight of reusable handles.  They are therefore ideal for use in air transport/”Lifeflight” service and military operations where minimum weight is critical. 

The batteries in the disposable handles retain their power for very long time periods, allowing a shelf/storage life of the handles of 5 or more years, without testing.     

IntuBrite’s single use, disposable handles are powered by small watch-size batteries, which can power our laryngoscope blades for an hour or more in continuous use.

The blades are specifically designed not to come into contact with the handles in order to minimize contamination. The blade will "pop off" the handle before the two come into contact.

Perhaps. Our handles typically provide too much power for traditional lighting systems. During testing, Intubrite handles will often cause traditional incandescent bulbs to malfunction.

No. The proprietary white/ultraviolet LED combination of the Intubrite product line requires a more capable power source than anything currently provided by competitor handles.

Not necessarily. Intubrite handles utilize a 3.6v lithium (or 3.7v rechargeable lithium ion) battery, most commonly used in cameras. In addition to their availability through IntuBrite, these batteries can be purchased through most battery retailers, or found online. For proper performance of the IntuBrite proprietary lighting system, a AA size 3.6v battery must be used.

Expected battery life is up to a year or longer under normal working conditions. There are 2 reasons for this drastically improved life span over current power systems in the industry:

1. IntuBrite handles now utilize a single AA size 3.6 volt lithium battery that delivers reliable and consistent power over a much longer useful life versus alkaline batteries, particularly the traditional 3.0 volt (two 1.5 volt “C” batteries, connected in series) systems found in most competitor handles.

2. The use of LED's in our lighting system. LED's draw significantly less voltage than incandescent bulbs.

3. Traditional handles will register a small amount of voltage running at the connection point when the handle is not in use. This static draw on the battery significantly reduces its life span. IntuBrite handles are engineered such that no power is lost when the handle is not in use.

No. The frequency of the UV wavelength used by Intubrite is not harmful to the human body. Intubrite is licensed and regulated by US Regulatory Authorities and the State of California.

You will not see a "glow in the dark" effect in relation to the cords. Because Intubrite offers such a bright view of the airway, there is less contrast available and therefore less of a "glow" effect. What is seen is a pronounced view of the vocal cords due to the effect of the UV light on the phosphorescent properties of the vocal cords.

It is the combination of these 2 lights that produces an enhanced view of the airway. This blended waveform eliminates the "whitewash" effect of other lighting systems on the market and provides increased definition of the airway.

The wavelength of the IntuBrite System's UV light is only partially visible to the naked eye. When incorporated with our white LED light a dramatically enhanced view is provided. 

The UV light works in a lower frequency (wavelength) than white light, outside of the visible spectrum. It overpowers the higher end of the white light spectrum where higher frequency yellow and red colors can cause glare, and produce a whitewash effect in the visual image. The UV light reduces scatter from higher frequency light, and helps provide a clear, clean, and crisp view of the airway.