A laryngoscope is a medical instrument that is used to obtain a view of the glottis by direct laryngoscopy. It consists of a handle (incorporating a battery) and a blade with a source of light.
Direct laryngoscopy is done with the patient lying on his or her back; the larygoscope is inserted into the mouth to push away the tongue and lift the epiglottis so that a view of the glottis is possible. This procedure is most often employed in tracheal intubation. It is painful and is usually not done in conscious patients.