Patient Positions for Locating the Cricothyroid Membrane

NCT05043025 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: 08-2021
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 116
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Cricothyroidotomy is an emergency rescue technique to secure the airway in a 'Can't intubate, Can't Oxygenate' (CICO) situation. The cricothyroid membrane (CTM) is the target site of cricothyroidotomy, and accurate identification of the CTM is essential for successful cricothyroidotomy. In this study, the investigators compare patient positions (neck extension vs. modified ramped position) in terms of the success rate for identifying the CTM in obese patients.

Conditions

Cricothyroid Membrane

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Success rate for the correct identification of the cricothyroid membrane

  After identifying the cricothyroid membrane using a laryngeal handshake technique in different head positions, an assessor evaluates the correctness of its localization using ultrasound.

  Immediately after identifying the cricothyroid membrane using a laryngeal handshake technique

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Duration for identifying the cricothyroid membrane

  At 90 seconds after administering neuromuscular blockade

• Distances between the center of the actual and perceived cricothyroid membrane

  Immediately after identifying the cricothyroid membrane using a laryngeal handshake technique

• Perceived difficulty during cricothyroid membrane identification

  At 5 minutes after identifying the cricothyroid membrane using a laryngeal handshake technique

Study Arms (2)

Neck extension group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The cricothyroid membrane is identified in a neck extended position.

Other: Identification of the cricothyroid membrane

Modified ramped position group

EXPERIMENTAL

The cricothyroid membrane is identified in a modified ramped position.

Other: Identification of the cricothyroid membrane

Interventions

Identification of the cricothyroid membrane OTHER

The cricothyroid membrane is identified using a laryngeal handshake technique in different patient positions.

Modified ramped position group; Neck extension group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 19 Years+
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• body mass index \>30 kg/m2

You may not qualify if:

• anatomical abnormalities or pathologies of the neck
• a history of neck surgery
• cervical spine disorders
• skin lesions on the neck

Sponsors & Collaborators

• SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center: lead

Study Sites (1)

SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center

Seoul, Select State/Province, 07061, South Korea

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 31, 2021
• First Posted: September 13, 2021
• Study Start: July 1, 2022
• Primary Completion: December 30, 2024
• Study Completion: December 30, 2024
• Last Updated: December 11, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-12

Locations

KR (1)