Jaw-Thrust Maneuver

The jaw thrust is one of the most basic maneuvers and an initial method of establishing a patent
airway.12 The tongue is attached to the mandible and falls into the pharynx in the supine patient. The
goal of the jaw-thrust maneuver is to move the tongue away from the palate and posterior
pharyngeal wall. The jaw-thrust maneuver is a two-handed technique that can also be used with the
face mask and a second person to provide positive-pressure ventilation. The operator is positioned at
the head of the patient and places their fingers on the angles of the patient's mandible bilaterally, then
displaces the mandible anteriorly (Figure 7-3). This maneuver elevates the tongue from the pharynx and
allows air to flow unobstructed and posterior to the tongue.

Chin-Lift Maneuver

The chin lift is also one of the most basic maneuvers and an initial method of establishing a patent
airway.12 The chin lift is performed by the operator placing their fingers on the inferior surface of the
patient's mandible (Figure 7-4). Do not place any of the fingers on the soft tissues of the
submandibular space, as this will elevate the tongue and cause further obstruction. Lift the chin in an
anterior and cephalic direction. The head may also be tilted slightly posterior to aid in opening the
airway.