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Related Experiment Videos

Cricoid pressure: which hand?

T M Cook1, I Godfrey, M Rockett

  • 1Royal United Hospital, Bath, UK.

Anaesthesia
|August 5, 2000
PubMed
Summary

Anesthetic assistants apply cricoid pressure with adequate force using either hand, though left-hand application may have a reduced margin for error. This study found consistent force application for sustained periods.

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Area of Science:

  • Anesthesiology
  • Emergency Medicine

Background:

  • Cricoid pressure is a critical maneuver during anesthesia induction to prevent aspiration.
  • Optimal force application is essential but challenging to maintain consistently.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the force applied by anesthetic assistants during simulated cricoid pressure using dominant and non-dominant hands.
  • To assess the consistency and potential differences in force application between left and right hands.

Main Methods:

  • Twenty anesthetic assistants performed simulated cricoid pressure for up to 5 minutes with each hand in a randomized order.
  • Applied force was measured, and participants were blinded to the readings.
  • Data were analyzed to compare force application between the left and right hands.

Main Results:

  • Mean force applied was generally within the recommended range (20-30 N) for both hands during simulated anesthetized conditions.
  • While left-hand application showed slightly lower mean force, the difference was clinically insignificant.
  • Inadequate or excessive force was more common with the left hand, indicating a potential for a smaller margin of error.

Conclusions:

  • Anesthetic assistants can maintain appropriate cricoid pressure with either hand for sustained periods.
  • Left-hand application is feasible when clinically indicated, but requires careful attention due to a potentially narrower margin of error.
  • Current force application may be lower than traditionally taught, suggesting a need for standardized training.

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