This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Sign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Cricoid pressure

Authoring team

This is a method of preventing regurgitation of stomach contents into the larynx during intubation and induction. It is particularly indicated:

  • for general anaesthesia when the patient has not fasted, or when, as a result of pain or drugs such as opiates or alcohol, gastric emptying is delayed
  • in patients with a hiatus hernia
  • for all emergency inductions and intubations
  • in those in the late stages of pregnancy

The cricoid cartilage is manually pushed back to occlude the oesophagus. This entails:

  • an assistant locating the position of the cricoid cartilage before induction
  • applying firm pressure backwards with thumb and forefinger as soon as anaesthesia has been achieved
  • only releasing pressure once endotracheal intubation has been confirmed

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2025 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.