Time to stop sniffing the air: snapshot survey

• Published in: BMJ Vol. 333; no. 7582; pp. 1295 - 1296
• Main Authors: Johnson, Chris, Goodman, Neville W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London British Medical Journal Publishing Group 23.12.2006; British Medical Association; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Publishing Group; BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
• Edition: International edition
• Subjects: Anaesthesia; Anesthesia; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Anesthesiology; Biological and medical sciences; General aspects; Head; Humans; Humor; Intubation; Intubation, Intratracheal - methods; Medical schools; Medical sciences; Photography; Posture; Professional Practice; Supine Position; Respiratory tract; Human; Medicine; Survey; Surveillance; Position; Head and neck; Anesthesia; Intubation; Respiratory system; Trachea
• ISSN: 0959-8138; 0959-8146; 1468-5833; 1756-1833
• DOI: 10.1136/bmj.39015.726690.47

Objective To determine whether the phrase “sniffing the morning air” is useful in positioning patients for tracheal intubation. Design Snapshot survey. Setting Teaching hospital. Participants 21 anaesthetists. Main outcome measures Angles of neck, line of sight, and hip to shoulder, as measured on a photograph. Results Angles ranged widely, especially line of sight: 7°-37° with horizontal. Conclusions As patients are positioned supine, rather than standing, the phrase is unhelpful; an explicit description of head position would be better.