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Cervical spine movements during laryngoscopyComparison of the Macintosh and McCoy laryngoscope blades
Author(s) -
MacIntyre P. A.,
McLeod A. D. M.,
Hurley R.,
Peacock C.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2044.1999.00804.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cervical spine , cervical collar , cervical vertebrae , laryngoscopy , intubation , displacement (psychology) , surgery , general anaesthesia , anesthesia , psychology , psychotherapist
We studied cervical spine movement in 10 patients scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia. Each patient was fitted with a rigid cervical collar before undergoing direct laryngoscopy for orotracheal intubation. Laryngoscopy was performed using the McCoy laryngoscope in the activated position and the standard Macintosh blade. Displacement of the cervical spine at laryngeal exposure was measured using lateral cervical spine X‐rays. Flexion and extension movements of the cervical spine during the use of the two laryngoscope blades were compared. For each blade, the greatest degree of extension occurred at the joint between the first and second cervical vertebrae. There was no significant difference in cervical spine movement when the two blades were compared.