• Abhilasha Mishra, Vighnesh Ashok, Goverdhan D Puri, Neelesh Kumar, and Preethy J Mathew.
• From the Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (AM, VA, GDP, PJM), Biomedical Instrumentation Unit, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Central Scientific Instruments Organization (CSIR-CSIO), Chandigarh, Punjab, India (NK).
• Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2025 Mar 1; 42 (3): 265274265-274.

BackgroundThe inability to measure the force applied during cricoid pressure is an important limitation in clinical practice. We developed a novel device to measure this force and provide real-time feedback to the operator.ObjectivesTo test the hypothesis of superior oesophageal occlusion during cricoid pressure when guided by the novel device as compared with conventional practice.DesignA prospective randomised controlled trial.SettingTertiary University Hospital, May to December 2021.PatientsSixty-five ASA I/II adult patients of either sex scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia requiring tracheal intubation. Patients with comorbidities involving the neck, those at risk of pulmonary aspiration, anticipated difficult airway and BMI at least 35 kg  m -2 were excluded.InterventionOperators applied cricoid pressure with their fingers in both groups. Participants were randomised into 'feedback group' where the operator adjusted this force based on the force measured by the novel device, and 'control group' where the force measured by the device was shielded from the operator.Main Outcome MeasuresThe primary outcome was the rate of occlusion of oesophageal opening assessed by whether a 12 CH orogastric tube could be inserted into the oesophageal entrance during videolaryngoscopy. Secondary outcomes included the magnitudes of force measured during cricoid pressure, oesophageal diameter measured ultrasonographically during cricoid pressure and intubation parameters.ResultsSixty-four patients completed the study. The oesophageal opening was occluded in significantly more patients in the feedback group compared with the control group (94 vs. 6%; P  = 0.001). The mean ± SD force (N) applied was significantly better and consistent at all time points in the feedback group compared to the control group (22.65 ± 7.81 vs. 14.57 ± 11.13, P  < 0.001). The median [IQR] anteroposterior diameter of the oesophagus during cricoid pressure was less in the feedback group compared to the control group (0.49 [0.36 to 0.56] vs. 0.57 [0.48 to 0.65], P  = 0.006).ConclusionsThe use of the novel sensor device achieved a significantly high rate of oesophageal occlusion during application of cricoid pressure.Trial RegistrationClinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI/2021/05/033484).Copyright © 2024 European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.

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