The effect of force applied to the left paratracheal oesophagus on air entry into the gastric antrum during positive‐pressure ventilation using a facemask

Cricoid force is widely applied to decrease the risk of pulmonary aspiration and gastric antral insufflation of air during positive-pressure ventilation, yet its efficacy remains controversial. We compared manual oesophageal compression at the low left paratracheal and cricoid levels for the prevention of gastric antral air insufflation during positive-pressure ventilation by facemask in patients scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia. After gaining written consent, participants were randomly allocated by sealed envelope to one of three groups: oesophageal compression by 30 N paratracheal force (paratracheal group); oesophageal compression by 30 N cricoid force (cricoid group); or no oesophageal compression (control group). Gastric insufflation of air was assessed before and after positive-pressure ventilation by ultrasound measurement of the antral cross-sectional area and/or presence of air artefacts in the antrum. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of participants with ultrasound evidence of gastric insufflation. We recruited 30 patients into each group. Before facemask ventilation, no air artefacts were visible in the antrum in any of the participants. After facemask ventilation of the participant's lungs, no air artefacts were seen in the paratracheal group, compared with six subjects in the cricoid group and eight subjects in the control group (p = 0.012). Our results suggest that oesophageal compression can be achieved by the application of manual force at the low left paratracheal level and that this is more effective than cricoid force in preventing air entry into the gastric antrum during positive-pressure ventilation by facemask.