An artificial airway device to facilitate lung ventilation of a patient, having an airway tube, a gastric drain tube and a mask at one end of the airway tube, the mask including a backplate and having a peripheral formation capable of forming a seal around the circumference of the laryngeal inlet, the peripheral formation surrounding a hollow interior space or lumen of the mask and the airway tube opening into the lumen of the mask, wherein the mask includes an atrium for passage to the gastric drain tube of gastric matter leaving the esophagus is disclosed.