Novel Design for Jaw-Thrust and Head Immobilization Device and Its Successful Testing Using Human Simulator

Jaw thrust is a common maneuver performed by medical care providers to open and maintain an airway in an unconscious patient. This essential procedure cannot only occupy significant amount of time for the health care provider, and also result in physical discomfort (low back pain) or fatigue, when it is needed for the extended period. A mechanical device can free up the care provider to perform other necessary tasks to manage critically patient and also prevent fatigue of the medical care provider. The aim of this study is to develop a novel mechanical device that can perform jaw thrust on children from 2 years old to 18 years old and maintain the airway open for extended periods of time. The designed jaw thrust device includes a base with an extension arm mounted on the base on each side of patient’s head. The mandible rest is mounted on each extension arm such that it can be positioned underneath the patient’s jaw. Chinstrap with rubber tubing is placed on the base on four points across the base such that, jaw thrusting pressure on the mandible rests causes rotational force on the chin straps opening patient’s mouth without substantially tilting patient’s head. The device maintains an airway open for extended time without any continuous attention; it also immobilizes the head in the midline thus maintaining the alignment of cervical vertebrae. Detailed finite element analyses of each of the components were done and a prototype was built for functional evaluation on a patient simulator. The device when tested and applied to a patient simulator in obstructed airway state was able to open the airway, evidenced by cough reflex elicited in response and “airway opened” timestamp noted in the computer attached to the simulator.