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Clinical Procedures – Basic Airway Manoeuvres
The following manoeuvres are performed with the patient lying supine and the attender positioned above the head.
The aim is to prevent the flaccid tongue from falling back and causing the epiglottis or tongue itself to occluding the airway.
These can be performed with no equipment.
Head Tilt
• Place your hands on the forehead and tilt the head backwards, extending the neck.
Chin Lift
• Place 2 fingertips below the mental protuberance of the mandible, with thumb in front
• Draw the mandible anteriorly.
Head tilt and chin lift are usually performed together.
• Head tilt and chin lift are not suitable if there is any suspicion of cervical spinal injury. Jaw thrust alone should be used in this situation.
Jaw Thrust
• Place your fingertips behind the angle of the mandible.
• The base of the thenar eminence of each hand should be rested on the cheek bones
• Use your fingers to pull the mandible anteriorly, whilst using your thumbs to open the mouth
• If performed with a mask, the thenar eminence may be used to maintain a good seal.
Procedure Tips
• After each manoeuvre, check for success
• It is worthwhile practicing these skills on resuscitation dummies prior to having to do them in real life!
• Use the above manoeuvres in conjunction with face masks or bag-valve mask ventilation.
The following manoeuvres are performed with the patient lying supine and the attender positioned above the head.
The aim is to prevent the flaccid tongue from falling back and causing the epiglottis or tongue itself to occluding the airway.
These can be performed with no equipment.
Head Tilt
• Place your hands on the forehead and tilt the head backwards, extending the neck.
Chin Lift
• Place 2 fingertips below the mental protuberance of the mandible, with thumb in front
• Draw the mandible anteriorly.
Head tilt and chin lift are usually performed together.
• Head tilt and chin lift are not suitable if there is any suspicion of cervical spinal injury. Jaw thrust alone should be used in this situation.
Jaw Thrust
• Place your fingertips behind the angle of the mandible.
• The base of the thenar eminence of each hand should be rested on the cheek bones
• Use your fingers to pull the mandible anteriorly, whilst using your thumbs to open the mouth
• If performed with a mask, the thenar eminence may be used to maintain a good seal.
Procedure Tips
• After each manoeuvre, check for success
• It is worthwhile practicing these skills on resuscitation dummies prior to having to do them in real life!
• Use the above manoeuvres in conjunction with face masks or bag-valve mask ventilation.
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