Head-Tilt Chin-Lift is an airway maneuver for which scenario?

• A. Airway obstruction
• B. Oropharyngeal airway use
• C. Airway maneuver for non-trauma
• D. Cervical spine immobilization

Answer: (C)

Opening the airway by head-tilt chin-lift is about restoring airway patency in a patient when there is no suspicion of cervical spine injury. By tilting the head back and lifting the chin, you move the tongue away from the back of the throat and align the airway so air can flow more easily, making ventilation possible in an unconscious, non-traumatic scenario. This maneuver is the standard first-step technique for non-trauma cases where spinal injury isn’t suspected, because turning or twisting the neck could worsen injury.

It’s not the method used when you’re worried about a cervical spine injury; in those situations you use the jaw-thrust to minimize neck movement while opening the airway. It also isn’t the same as placing an oropharyngeal airway, which is an adjunct that may be used after opening the airway. And cervical spine immobilization is about preventing movement of the spine itself, not about how you open the airway. So the best match is the airway maneuver appropriate for non-traumatic, no-spine-injury scenarios.