Tag: Laryngoscopy

The medical “BURP” maneuver is a specific, controlled technique used by anesthesiologists during intubation, involving backward, upward, and rightward pressure on the larynx. This is distinct from the common experience of burping, which can be a side effect of certain medications. This article clarifies the medical definition of the BURP maneuver while also addressing the pharmacological aspects of medication-induced burping and its management.

In direct laryngoscopy, an essential step involves maneuvering the tongue to achieve a clear view of the vocal cords. A critical question for practitioners is: do you sweep your tongue with a Miller blade? The definitive answer is yes, as it is a crucial maneuver for visualizing the glottis during intubation.

In the annals of anesthesiology, few inventions are as pivotal as the Macintosh laryngoscope, with its curved blade fundamentally changing airway management. The curved blade, or Mac blade, was invented by Sir Robert Reynolds Macintosh, a New Zealand-born British anaesthetist, in the early 1940s. This innovation allowed for a new technique of laryngeal exposure that was both safer and more reliable than the methods that preceded it.