Cervical spine movement during intubation

AbstractThere have been growing concerns following documented instances of neurological deterioration in patients with cervical spine injury as a result of intubation. A significant body of evidence has since evolved with the primary objective of ascertaining the safest way of securing the endotracheal tube in patients with suspected and proven cervical injury. The search for a mode of intubation producing the least movement at the cervical spine is an ongoing process and is limited by logistic and ethical issues. The ensuing review is an attempt to review available evidence on cervical movements during intubation and to comprehensively outline the movement at the cervical spine with a wide plethora of intubation aids. Literature search was sourced from digital libraries including PubMed, Medline and Google Scholar in addition to the standard textbooks of Anaesthesiology. The keywords used in literature search included ‘cervical spine motion,’ ‘neurological deterioration,’ ‘intubation biomechanics,’ ‘direct laryngoscopy,’ ‘flexible fibreoptic intubation,’ ‘video laryngoscopes’ and ‘craniocervical motion.’ The scientific information in this review is expected to assist neuroanaesthesiologists for planning airway management in patients with neurological injury as well as to direct further research into this topic which has significant clinical and patient safety implications.