Portable suction device designed to remove airway obstructions receives federal clearance as a secondary rescue option when standard choking interventions fail.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A portable anti-choking device designed to remove airway obstructions has received authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, marking the first time a device of its kind has been cleared for marketing and distribution in the United States.
The device, known as LifeVac, is intended to help remove objects blocking a person’s airway during a choking emergency when traditional rescue methods do not work. The product was authorized through the FDA’s De Novo classification pathway, a regulatory process used for new medical technologies that do not fit into an existing device category.
Choking remains a major public health concern in the United States. It is the fourth leading cause of accidental death, responsible for roughly 5,000 fatalities each year. Children are particularly vulnerable, with statistics indicating that one child dies from choking approximately every five days.
LifeVac is a lightweight, portable suction device that uses a one-way valve system to pull an obstruction out of the airway without forcing it deeper into the throat. The device is designed for use on choking victims at least one year old and can be applied to both adults and children.
The device can also be used by an individual on themselves, a feature that developers say could be critical for people who live alone and experience a choking emergency.
LifeVac devices retail for about $70 and are already used by families, schools, emergency responders, and healthcare providers in several countries. Schools and institutions in multiple jurisdictions have begun adding the device to emergency preparedness equipment.
In Texas, Gov. Gregg Abbott signed legislation last year requiring that every school maintain a LifeVac device on site for choking emergencies.
Arthur Lih, founder and chief executive officer of LifeVac, said he began developing the device more than a decade ago after learning about the death of a seven-year-old girl who choked. The incident had a personal impact because his own daughter was the same age at the time.
“I made it to save my daughter,” Lih said in an interview with Newsmax.
Lih said another experience earlier in his life also shaped his commitment to developing the product. In his twenties, he survived a car crash that killed two of his friends.
“I didn’t want others to face a lifetime of pain,” he said.
According to the company, the device has already been credited with saving more than 5,300 lives worldwide.
The FDA authorization establishes a new regulatory category for suction-based anti-choking devices and allows the product to be marketed as a second-line intervention when established rescue techniques fail.
Federal health officials emphasized that traditional choking rescue methods should still be used first. These techniques include back blows and abdominal thrusts—commonly known as the Heimlich maneuver—which are recommended by organizations such as the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association.
The device is intended to serve as an additional option during emergencies when those initial interventions do not successfully clear the airway.
Additional information about the product and its use in emergency choking situations is available through the company’s website at LifeVac.net.
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