Key Learning Points

In an injured player once it is deemed safe to approach, assessment of the airway (ideally while maintaining in-line cervical spine immobilisation) takes priority over all other matters. This may only take a few seconds and require no intervention, or active intervention may be needed.

Simple manoeuvres to open the airway are the head tilt-chin lift, or the jaw thrust. In trauma patients, the jaw thrust is preferable as it does not involve movement of the cervical spine. These techniques lift the tongue forward from the back of the mouth.

Simple adjuncts to open the airway are the nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal airways. More advanced is the I-Gel®