A Descriptive Study Comparing a Horizontal Ultrasound Technique With a Palpation Technique for Localising the Cricothyroid Membrane in an Obstetric Population.

This study compares a traditional palpation (feeling) technique with an ultrasound technique for finding a specific part of the neck. Finding this part of the neck is important for anesthesiologists in emergencies and can sometimes be difficult. We would like to determine if using ultrasound is easier and more reliable than examining the neck by hand. Newer methods using ultrasound have not been studied in detail in the pregnant population.

This study aims to describe a simple technique for identifying the cricothyroid membrane. The secondary aim is to determine how ultrasound compares to palpation in pregnant women at term.