The jaw thrust is preferred over the above mentioned techniques in known or suspected cases of

cervical spine injuries because the head and neck remain in a more neutral position when it is
applied. When performing a jaw thrust maneuver, the clinician stands behind the head of the
patient, places the fingers of both hands on the left and right sides under the angles of the
mandible, and applies forward and upward pressure (Fig. 3). As with the headtilt/chin lift, the
jaw-thrust maneuver displaces the tongue from the posterior pharynx, but does so while keeping
the patients head and neck in a neutral position, and may allow the patient to resume
unobstructed breathing withoutfurther intervention. A modified jaw thrust may even be safer for
patients with suspected cervical spine injury. This maneuver involves anteriorly displacing the
jaw without movement of the head.

The head tilt/chin lift is one of the most common active maneuvers used to open a patients
airway. This maneuver should be used only if the clinician is confident that there is no risk of
cervical spine injury. Standing on the side of the patient, the clinician places one hand on the
patients forehead while simultaneously placing the fingers of the other hand under the patients
mandible. The head is then tilted backward while lifting the mandible forward, extending the
neck (Fig. 2). This action creates an open airway by lifting the tongue from the posterior
pharynx. If effectively applied, the head-tilt/chin-lift maneuver may allow the patient to resume
unobstructed breathing without further intervention. Compared with the sniffing position, the
head tilt/chin lift appears to offer similar advantages in most patients. However, the sniffing
position appears to be advantageous in patients with limited head extension.
Source: Davies J. D. et al. Approaches to Manual Ventilation RESPIRATORY CARE JUNE
2014 VOL 59 NO 6