Optimising the unprotected airway with a prototype Jaw-Thrust-Device – a prospective randomised cross-over study |
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| Authors: | A. von Goedecke L. Mitterschiffthaler P. Paal T. Mitterlechner V. Wenzel H. Herff |
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| Affiliation: | Associate Professor and Head of Department, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, County Hospital Steyr, Steyr, Austria;
Resident;, Specialist;, Resident;, Associate Professor;, Resident, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria |
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| Abstract: | Despite being a standard procedure during induction of anaesthesia, facemask ventilation can be a major challenge especially for inexperienced anaesthetists. We manufactured a Jaw-Thrust-Device designed to keep the patient's jaws in an optimised position, and thus to maintain the airway in a permanently patent state. Using a cross over design, we compared the influence of using the Esmarch manoeuvre (bimanual jaw-thrust), a nasopharyngeal airway, an oropharyngeal airway, or the Jaw-Thrust-Device on airway physiology in 50 healthy adults with body mass index < 35 kg.m−2, undergoing standard facemask ventilation for routine induction of anaesthesia. The main study endpoints were expiratory tidal volumes, airway resistances, and gas flow rates. The Jaw-Thrust-Device was more effective in increasing expiratory tidal volumes and peak inspiratory flow than a standard Esmarch manoeuvre, and was more effective than both nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal airways in decreasing airway resistance. |
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