Optimal Head and Neck Position During Videolaryngoscopy

Launched by UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS COVENTRY AND WARWICKSHIRE NHS TRUST · Sep 22, 2015

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The optimum patient head and neck position for direct laryngoscopy (when the anaesthetist views the larynx with a curved metallic blade before passing a tube for ventilation of the lungs) is traditionally considered to be the "sniffing the morning air" (neck flexion and head extension) position. This has been questioned previously as there is no randomized controlled study to date to explore this statement. The patient should be optimally positioned prior to induction of anaesthesia, especially because in the event of an unexpected difficult intubation, the Difficult Airway Society guidelin...

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • All patients aged 18 and above, presenting for elective surgical procedure and requiring tracheal intubation will be invited to take part in the study.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Patients who are refusing to take part, below 18 years of age, pregnant women, American society of anaesthesiologists' class 4 and above, those requiring rapid sequence indication, super morbidly obese (BMI \>50) and those patients requiring awake fibreoptic intubation will be excluded.