Which airway maneuver is preferred for opening the airway of a trauma patient while maintaining cervical spine protection?

• A. Chin Lift
• B. Head Tilt-Chin Lift
• C. Jaw Thrust
• D. Nasopharyngeal Airway

Answer: (C)

Opening the airway in a patient with potential spinal injury requires keeping the neck in a neutral position while still ensuring the airway is open. The jaw thrust accomplishes this by lifting the mandible and tongue forward, which clears the airway without tilting or extending the neck. This minimizes movement of the cervical spine, protecting the injury while allowing airflow. In contrast, moving the head into a chin lift or head tilt-chin lift extends the neck, which can worsen spinal damage. A nasopharyngeal airway is a useful adjunct to maintain patency once the airway is opened, but it’s not a maneuver used to open the airway itself in the trauma setting. Therefore, the jaw thrust is the preferred maneuver for open airway with cervical spine protection.