Topic Resources Part of pre-intubation and emergency rescue breathing procedures, the head tilt–chin lift maneuver and the jaw-thrust maneuver are 2 noninvasive, manual means to help restore upper airway patency when the tongue occludes the glottis, which commonly occurs in an obtunded or unconscious patient. Treatment of suspected upper airway obstruction in obtunded or unresponsive patients Part of initial emergency treatment for apnea or impending respiratory arrest Improvement of airway patency during BVM ventilation and sometimes during spontaneous breathing Confirmation of apnea Absolute contraindications Relative contraindications
Tilting the head or otherwise moving the neck is contraindicated in a patient with a possible cervical spine injury, but maintaining an airway and ventilation is a greater priority. In the setting of a possible cervical spine injury, the jaw-thrust maneuver, in which the neck is held in a neutral position, is preferred over the head tilt–chin lift maneuver. Complications are uncommon and include
The sniffing position—only in the absence of cervical spine injury
Head and neck positioning to open the airway: Sniffing positionA: The head is flat on the stretcher; the airway is constricted. B: The ear and sternal notch are aligned, with the face parallel to the ceiling (in the sniffing position), opening the airway. Adapted from Levitan RM, Kinkle WC: The Airway Cam Pocket Guide to Intubation, ed. 2. Wayne (PA), Airway Cam Technologies, 2007. If cervical spine injury is a possibility
Head tilt–chin lift
Jaw thrust
Jaw thrust
The following is an English-language resource that may be useful. Please note that THE MANUAL is not responsible for the content of this resource.
Copyright © 2022 Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA and its affiliates. All rights reserved. What maneuver should be used to open the airway of an unresponsive patient with suspected trauma?To open the airway, place 1 hand on the person's forehead and gently tilt their head back, lifting the tip of the chin using 2 fingers. This moves the tongue away from the back of the throat. Don't push on the floor of the mouth, as this will push the tongue upwards and obstruct the airway.
What maneuver should be used to open the airway quizlet?The head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver should be used to open the airway of a patient with a suspected neck injury. When using the head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver to open a patient's airway, place your fingertips on the body part of the chin, not the soft tissues under the lower jaw.
What is the most appropriate method to open an unresponsive patient's airway when you are considering a chief complaint of difficulty breathing?Open the patient's airway using a head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver. 44.
Why is the headThe head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver should be used to open the airway on patients who are not at risk of spinal injury. This maneuver moves the head and neck and, therefore, violates the in-line neutral position.
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