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Laryngoscopy force in the sniffing position compared to the extension‐extension position
Author(s) -
Lee L.,
Weightman W. M.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.2008.05492.x
Subject(s) - sniffing , medicine , position (finance) , extension (predicate logic) , laryngoscopy , tracheal intubation , anesthesia , intubation , anatomy , computer science , finance , economics , programming language
Summary Laryngoscopy is sometimes easier with the patient’s head and neck in the extension‐extension position (head extension with the neck extended by the head section of the table bent down at 30°) rather than the classical ‘sniffing the morning air’ position. We therefore tested the hypothesis that the axial force required for laryngoscopy is less in the extension‐extension than the sniffing position. We measured the force axial to the handle of a Macintosh 3 laryngoscope in 20 subjects under general anaesthesia who had been given neuromuscular blocking drugs. Measurement of force was made in the sniffing position and the extension‐extension position. The mean (SD) axial force required in the extension‐extension position was lower than in the sniffing position (19.6 (7.8) N versus 23.6 (8.6) N, p = 0.04). In the setting of routine tracheal intubation, less force is required when the patient is in the extension‐extension position than in the sniffing position.