title: A cricoid cartilage compression device for the accurate and reproducible application of cricoid pressure.
abstract: We describe the development and laboratory assessment of a refined prototype tactile feedback device for the safe and accurate application of cricoid pressure. We recruited 20 operating department practitioners and compared their performance of cricoid pressure on a training simulator using both the device and a manual unaided technique. The device significantly reduced the spread of the applied force: average (SE) root mean squared error decreased from 8.23 (0.48) N to 5.23 (0.32) N (p < 0.001). The average (SE) upwards bias in applied force also decreased, from 2.30 (0.74) N to 0.88 (0.48) N (p < 0.01). Most importantly, the percentage of force applications that deviated from target by more than 10 N decreased from 18% to 7% (p < 0.01). The device requires no prior training, is cheap to manufacture, is single-use and requires no power to operate, whilst ensuring that the correct force is always consistently applied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust (SRFT), Salford, UK.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Smurthwaite
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mehmood
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Kitchen
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000193:education; D003413:Cricoid Cartilage; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011312:Pressure; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D063466:Respiratory Aspiration of Gastric Contents / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013664:Teaching Materials