Why does i-gel not have any epiglottic/aperture bars like some other supraglottic devices?
They are not necessary. i-gel has an artifical epiglottis called the ‘epiglottis blocker’. This helps to prevent the epiglottis from down-folding. In the very unlikely event that an epiglottis should still down-fold, the airway channel exits so deeply into the bowl of the cuff, there is no danger of the epiglottis being able to interfere with the fresh gas flow.
