St Emlyn’s - By Simon Carley - October 20, 2018
"...This month we have the publication of the larget trial to date on the use of cricoid pressure in emergency patients4. You can read the paper here and it appears to be open access at the moment...
What’s the clinical bottom line?
On the basis of this and other trials there is no compelling evidence for the use of cricoid pressure in operating department patients, but there is no real evidence of serious harm either. It looks likely that laryngoscopy may be easier without it in place.
So on balance, and arguably not on the strongest of evidence cricoid pressure is probably not doing a great deal in this group of patients.
What we don’t know is whether we can directly transfer that opinion to other groups, notably those in the ED. However, other studies, albeit smaller and less rigorous ones also question the effectiveness of cricoid in emergency patients8–11. In Virchester I’ll carry on not using it, but I accept that this is an evidence light decision."