JAW-THRUST MANEUVER

The jaw-thrust maneuver is a technique used to open the airway in patients with suspected cervical spine injury. Because tilting the head back (as in the head-tilt/chin-lift) could potentially worsen a spinal injury, the jaw-thrust is the preferred method in these cases.

INDICATIONS

• Unresponsive patient
• Suspected cervical spine injury (e.g., trauma, fall)

CONTRAINDICATIONS

• Conscious patient (the maneuver is uncomfortable and unnecessary in a conscious patient)

TECHNIQUE

1. Positioning: Place the patient supine (on their back) on a firm, flat surface.

2. Hand Placement: Place your fingers behind the angles of the mandible (jawbone), just below the earlobes.

3. Thrusting the Jaw: Using your fingers, thrust the jaw forward and upward. This lifts the mandible and opens the airway.

4. Maintaining the Position: Maintain the jaw thrust to keep the airway open.

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

• It is crucial to avoid head tilt during the jaw-thrust maneuver to minimize movement of the cervical spine.
• The jaw-thrust can be more difficult to perform than the head-tilt/chin-lift and may require two rescuers for optimal effectiveness.
• If the jaw-thrust is ineffective in opening the airway, a combination of jaw-thrust with slight head tilt may be necessary if spinal injury is not of high concern.

COMPARISON TO HEAD-TILT/CHIN-LIFT

The key difference between the jaw-thrust and the head-tilt/chin-lift is that the jaw-thrust does not involve tilting the head back. This makes it the safer option when cervical spine injury is suspected.