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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05043025

Patient Positions for Locating the Cricothyroid Membrane

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.

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Key information

Conditions

Cricothyroid Membrane

Age range

19 year and older

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center

Seoul, Select State/Province, 07061, South Korea

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • body mass index >30 kg/m2

Exclusion criteria

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

Treatment and study plan

Identification of the cricothyroid membrane

Other

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

Primary outcomes

  1. Success rate for the correct identification of the cricothyroid membrane

    Time frame: Immediately after identifying the cricothyroid membrane using a laryngeal handshake technique

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

Secondary outcomes

  1. Duration for identifying the cricothyroid membrane

    Time frame: At 90 seconds after administering neuromuscular blockade

    Time taken to locate the cricothyroid membrane is checked.

  2. Distances between the center of the actual and perceived cricothyroid membrane

    Time frame: Immediately after identifying the cricothyroid membrane using a laryngeal handshake technique

    Distances between the center of the actual and perceived cricothyroid membrane is measured using ultrasound.

  3. Perceived difficulty during cricothyroid membrane identification

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

    Anatomical difficulty perceived by the anesthesiologists during cricothyroid membrane identification is assessed (1, very easy; 2, easy; 3, moderate; 4, difficult; and 5, very difficult).

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Comparison of Patient Positions for Locating the Cricothyroid Membrane

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2024
First posted
Sep 13, 2021
Registry last updated
Dec 11, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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