When providing care to an airway with suspected cervical spine injury, which maneuver is preferred?

When providing care to an airway with suspected cervical spine injury, which maneuver is preferred?

• A. Jaw-thrust maneuver is recommended over the head-tilt technique
• B. Head-tilt technique
• C. No barrier removal
• D. Mouth-to-mouth without airway management

Answer: (A)

When a cervical spine injury is suspected, the airway must be opened with as little neck movement as possible. The jaw-thrust accomplishes this by lifting the mandible forward to open the airway without tilting or extending the head and neck. Keeping the head in a neutral position and stabilizing the spine minimizes potentially harmful movement while you assess breathing and provide breaths if needed. Tilting the head back to open the airway extends the neck, which can worsen cervical spine injury by creating more movement at the injury site. That’s why head-tilt is avoided in suspected spine injuries. Other options don’t meet the goal of safe airway management in this context. Removing barriers or attempting mouth-to-mouth without proper airway management does not guarantee an open, protected airway or minimize spinal movement, and thus isn’t the preferred approach when spinal injury is possible. If ventilation is needed, follow jaw-thrust with inline stabilization and use a barrier device or bag-valve-mask to provide breaths while maintaining spine precautions.

When a cervical spine injury is suspected, the airway must be opened with as little neck movement as possible. The jaw-thrust accomplishes this by lifting the mandible forward to open the airway without tilting or extending the head and neck. Keeping the head in a neutral position and stabilizing the spine minimizes potentially harmful movement while you assess breathing and provide breaths if needed.

Tilting the head back to open the airway extends the neck, which can worsen cervical spine injury by creating more movement at the injury site. That’s why head-tilt is avoided in suspected spine injuries.

Other options don’t meet the goal of safe airway management in this context. Removing barriers or attempting mouth-to-mouth without proper airway management does not guarantee an open, protected airway or minimize spinal movement, and thus isn’t the preferred approach when spinal injury is possible. If ventilation is needed, follow jaw-thrust with inline stabilization and use a barrier device or bag-valve-mask to provide breaths while maintaining spine precautions.