Time to stop sniffing the air: snapshot survey

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Medical Education

Background:

• Effective patient positioning is crucial for successful tracheal intubation.
• Current descriptive phrases may lack precision for optimal airway management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of the phrase "sniffing the morning air" in guiding patient positioning for tracheal intubation.
• To determine if this phrase leads to optimal head and neck alignment.

Main Methods:

• A snapshot survey design was employed.
• Twenty-one anesthesiologists participated in the study at a teaching hospital.
• Measurements of neck, line of sight, and hip-to-shoulder angles were taken from photographs.

Main Results:

• Angles measured showed significant variability, particularly the line of sight, ranging from 7 to 37 degrees relative to the horizontal.
• This wide range indicates inconsistency in patient positioning when using the "sniffing the morning air" phrase.

Conclusions:

• The phrase "sniffing the morning air" is considered unhelpful for supine patient positioning during tracheal intubation.
• Clear, explicit descriptions of head position are superior for achieving optimal patient alignment and facilitating intubation.