Jaw Thrust Maneuvers: Explained!

Introduction

In emergencies like road accidents or drowning, there could be a risk of spinal injury that needs immediate and careful attention. Keeping the airway open is vital, as the patient might have trouble breathing due to the injury. This is where jaw thrust maneuvers become important.

Jaw thrust maneuvers can help prevent a spinal injury from worsening in an emergency. It ensures that the victim’s airway remains open without compromising spinal alignment. Learning how to perform jaw thrusts is key for healthcare professionals, especially those in trauma care, emergency medicine, and anesthesia.

In this blog, we’ll explore how the jaw thrust helps prevent airway blockage during spine or neck trauma. We will also explain its purpose and the steps to perform it.

Airway Obstruction: Causes and Consequences

Airway blockage is a life-threatening condition that prevents the air from coming in or out of the lungs. How do you understand that your airway is obstructed? Simple! Some of the common symptoms are wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath.

According to a recent study, 5,000 children, on average under the age of 14, are treated in the emergency rooms due to airway obstruction.

Causes

Multiple reasons may negatively affect the airway, which can, in turn, cause problems related to airway obstruction. Understanding these causes can help you perform techniques correctly.

• One of the most common causes is swallowing odd-shaped foreign objects. This issue can be seen in adults and children, who become unattentive and swallow small objects without noticing.
• Another common issue is irritation caused by distressing the vocal cords. Allergic reactions in the throat area or viral infections are some other issues.
• Physical trauma to the airway caused by a jerking movement or accident can also cause trouble. The abnormal function of the neck muscles, including the windpipe, causes irritation.

All these reasons can contribute to airway obstruction and cause further issues if not treated effectively.

Consequences

Obstruction of the airway may happen due to trauma in the throat area or allergy. If left untreated, it can cause issues, including cardiac arrest.

• If not treated properly, an upper airway obstruction can cause respiratory distress. The most common issues found are bradycardia and fatigue. These conditions can lead to complications like respiratory failure or cardiac arrest.
• If the obstruction is due to aspiration of foreign bodies, it can be fatal. Smaller objects can cause serious conditions like pneumonia and atelectasis.
• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is another condition caused by airway obstruction. It can lead to impaired daytime function, metabolic dysfunction, and heart disease. Therefore, any airway blockage should be treated immediately.

What are Jaw Thrust Maneuvers?

The jaw thrust maneuver is part of CPR training and is usually practiced in medical settings. It helps clear patients’ airways during surgery or critical health situations. Rescuers can also choose between the jaw thrust maneuver vs head tilt-chin lift technique to keep the airway open.

The jaw maneuvering process is often prioritized in various cases as head tilting could be dangerous.

The modified jaw thrust maneuver is a common technique in emergency medical practice. It clears patients’ airways without operating on the cervical spine. This technique is particularly effective where a suspected spinal injury occurs, as it lowers the risk of causing further damage.

Purpose

Medical professionals apply the jaw thrust maneuver on patients suspected of stuck airways during a critical neck or spine injury.

• The main goal of the jaw thrust is to lift the jaw and clear the airway by moving the tongue away from the back of the throat without bending the head. This is especially important in trauma cases, where keeping the cervical spine stable is crucial.
• By moving the lower jaw forward, the jaw thrust helps to push the tongue or soft tissues away, preventing airway blockage. This ensures that the patient can breathe properly, allowing air to flow into the lungs.

Steps to Perform Jaw Thrust Maneuvers

Jaw thrust maneuvers are a first aid treatment for opening the airways when the patient’s tongue is blocking the glottis. This can occur due to unconsciousness or obtundation.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to perform the jaw thrust maneuvers on patients with obstructed airways is provided here, which includes:

1. Positioning the Patient

Positioning is an important factor when performing the jaw thrust maneuvers, as the success of the process depends on it. First, ensure that the patient is lying on the back (in a Supine position) on a firm surface.

You should kneel next to the victim’s head and place both hands on the side of the face while putting your two middle fingers under the angle of the jaw. This gives the rescuers better control over the patient’s jaw and face during the maneuver.

2. Placing Your Hands on the Patient’s Jaw

You should place your palms on the sides of the patient’s cheeks, close to the mouth corner. The index finger and middle finger of each hand should be behind the mandible or the bony part of the jaw near the ears.

You should ensure a firm grip on the mandible and that your fingers are positioned to perform the lift, while your thumbs should provide stability.

3. Gently Lifting the Jaw Forward

The next step is gently lifting the jaw forward. You should apply pressure on the mandible gently yet firmly with your fingers behind the mandible zone, which will help you lift the jaw anteriorly forward. This action will impel the lower part of the jaw outwards, making the tongue come forward and away from the back of the throat.

While performing the maneuver, ensure that the patient’s head remains in a neutral pose without rotating or tilting in either direction. This will provide stability to the cervical spine.

4. Monitoring Airway Patency

Check if the patient is breathing by watching for chest movement, listening for breathing sounds, and feeling airflow from the mouth or nose. If the airway is still blocked, adjust the jaw thrust position or pressure. Be careful not to move the patient’s head.

Things to Consider When Performing Jaw Thrust Maneuvers

The jaw thrust maneuver is a basic life-support skill. It helps clear the airway in cases of strangulation, choking, suffocation, and blocked airways. It is especially useful when cervical spine injuries occur. However, its effectiveness depends on proper patient assessment. It also requires using other techniques when needed. Understanding the limits of the maneuver is crucial.

1. Patient Assessment

Before attempting the jaw thrust maneuvers, it is essential to analyze the patients’ conditions and requirements. You should assess the patient’s breathing status and responsiveness. This assessment will guide you through the process and timing of the maneuver’s application, ensuring its aptness.

2. Other Maneuvers

The jaw thrust maneuver can be combined with other airway management techniques, such as the head-tilt-chin-lift. This combination helps achieve optimal airway patency.

Head Tilt-Chin Lift Combination: The jaw thrust is often paired with the head tilt-chin lift. This is done when the jaw thrust alone cannot fully clear the airway. A gentle head tilt can also reduce the risk of cervical spine injury if the jaw thrust is not enough.

Bag-Valve-Mask Ventilation: This technique is used for patients with reduced consciousness and blocked airways. The jaw thrust is combined with Bag-Valve-Mask (BVM) ventilation. Lifting the jaw keeps the airway open, making ventilation more effective.

Limitations of jaw thrust maneuvers

The jaw thrust maneuver is important for treating critical airway conditions, but it has some limitations:

• Effectiveness in severe cases: The jaw thrust is less effective when the airway is severely blocked by factors other than the tongue, like severe swelling or trauma. In these cases, more advanced airway devices or surgery may be needed.
• Difficulty in maintaining: This technique can be physically tiring, especially if the patient isn’t intubated right away.
• Skill and experience required: Performing the jaw thrust requires skill and experience, which can be challenging to learn.

Final Words

Modified jaw thrust maneuvers are essential for airway management, especially in emergencies. Their application should be carefully considered based on thorough patient assessment. Jaw thrust management is combined with various other techniques, such as head tilt-chin lift, BVM ventilation, etc.

Therefore, learning the Jaw thrust technique is an essential life-saving skill. With our certification course, you can get a nationally and internationally acclaimed certificate. Through this certification, you will get top-tier training meeting the highest standards.

It will help you give people emergency care in their moments of critical condition, which will boost your confidence as well. Our courses are available online for everyone. So, enroll in our course today!

Also Read: Mastering High-Quality CPR: Essential Techniques and Tips

 Also Read: Everything About Online BLS Certification | Facts

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