ClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT03215121Updated Jan 23, 2020

Mask Study: One-handed vs. Two Handed Technique in Children

An interventional study of One handed mask airway, switch to two hands and Two handed mask airway + jaw thrust in Obstructive Sleep Apnea, sponsored by Nemours Children's Clinic. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 1 Year to 8 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2020-01-23.

Sponsored by Nemours Children's Clinic · Not applicable, Interventional, and Diagnostic

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
60
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
1 Year to 8 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

During induction of anesthesia in children, the investigators have observed significant variability in mask holding technique at our institution among different anesthesia practitioners. Some hold the face mask using one hand and others use two hands. The aim of our study is to comparatively evaluate the extent of airway obstruction in children whilst anesthetic mask is held with one hand with jaw thrust versus mask held using two hands with chin lift by anesthesia provider during induction of anesthesia in children.

Read the detailed description

In a prospective, randomized and controlled study, 60 children with documented obstructive sleep apnea (from sleep study or history obtained from the parent of bothersome snoring, witnessed apnea which interrupts the snoring and/or gasping and choking sensations that arouse the patient from sleep) due to enlarged tonsils and adenoid scheduled for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy surgery will be enrolled in the study. Children will be randomly divided in three groups of 20 each based on the induction technique used:

Group --1: Induction of anesthesia started as follows while children are breathing spontaneously: One handed mask airway + chin lift - 20 sec and then switch to two hands + jaw thrust - 20 sec

Group 2 - Induction of anesthesia started as follows while children are breathing spontaneously: Two handed mask airway + jaw thrust - 40 sec

Group 3 - Induction of anesthesia started as follows while children are breathing spontaneously: Two handed mask airway + jaw thrust - 20 sec and then switch to one hand + chin lift- 20 sec

Premedication with midazolam as per standard protocol, will be administered prior to taking the patients to the operating room. Prior to the induction of anesthesia, a shoulder role will be used to have the child's head in sniffing position for induction. Horizontal alignment of the external auditory meatus with the sternum, will be used as a marker for, proper positioning.

Oxygen and nitrous oxide for 10-15 seconds will be administered and sevoflurane will then be commenced. Addition of sevoflurane will be recorded as the start of induction. The provider will hold the mask as randomized, one hand with switch to two hands for Group 1 patients, two hands for Group 2 patients and two hands with switch to one hand for Group 3 patients. Any changes in airway patency when mask is held by one hand versus two hands will be observed and documented by various parameters stated below. The initial mask management will be performed for 20 seconds.

After another 20 seconds (50 seconds from the start of induction), mask holding will switch to two hands for 20 seconds. In Group 2 patients mask will be held with two hands for 40 seconds. No oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal airway will be placed during the study period. In Group 3 patients, mask will initially be held with two hands for 20 seconds, with switch to one hand for 20 seconds.

In the investigators clinical experience, the rate of obstructive symptoms with one hand ventilation approaches 100% and obstructive symptoms with two hands ventilation approaches 0%. Using this ratio data for a power analysis to determine sample size yielded 4 subjects per group. As this is probably unreasonably low, the ratios were adjusted to 75% for one hand and 25% for two hand ventilation, which yielded 18 subjects per group to achieve an alpha of 95%, and beta of 80%. With the potential for case dropout, the sample sizes for this study were set at 20 per group to reasonably ensure statistical significance. Given that approximately 80 cases of tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy cases are performed due to obstruction a year, this sample size should be easily obtainable. Randomization of patient assignment to the groups will be accomplished by graph pad quickcalcs.

(http://www.graphpad.com/quickcalcs/randomize1.cfm).

Continuous variables, times and ratio data will be analyzed by t test and nominal data by chi square.

02

Conditions studied

  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea
03

In context

Sleep Apnea, Obstructive

2,263 studies on the registry are indexed under Sleep Apnea, Obstructive; 465 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 60 is above the median of 53 across 1,490 interventional studies indexed under Sleep Apnea, Obstructive.

Browse Sleep Apnea, Obstructive studies →

Lead sponsor

Nemours Children's Clinic is the lead sponsor of 130 studies on the registry; 27 are open to participants now.

Of its 9 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 6 (67%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
1 Year to 8 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Between 1 to 8 years of age Scheduled for Tonsillectomy \& adenoidectomy Documented evidence of obstructive sleep apnea ASA I and II

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Children with abnormal airway anatomy ASA III and over
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Diagnostic
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
60 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    One handed mask airway, switch to two hands

    Induction of anesthesia started as follows while children are breathing spontaneously: One handed mask airway + chin lift - 20 sec and then switch to two hands + jaw thrust - 20 sec

    Procedure: One handed mask airway, switch to two hands

  • Active comparator
    Two handed mask airway + jaw thrust

    Induction of anesthesia started as follows while children are breathing spontaneously: Two handed mask airway + jaw thrust - 40 sec

    Procedure: Two handed mask airway + jaw thrust

  • Active comparator
    Two handed mask airway, switch to one hand

    Induction of anesthesia started as follows while children are breathing spontaneously: Two handed mask airway + jaw thrust - 20 sec and then switch to one hand + chin lift - 20 sec

    Procedure: Two handed mask airway, switch to one hand

Interventions

  • ProcedureOne handed mask airway, switch to two hands

    Prior to the induction of anesthesia, a shoulder role will be used to have the child's head in sniffing position for induction. Horizontal alignment of the external auditory meatus with the sternum, will be used as a marker for, proper positioning. Oxygen and nitrous oxide for 10-15 seconds will be administered and sevoflurane will then be commenced.The provider will hold the mask as randomized, one hand mask airway with switch to two hand for Group 1 patients. Any changes in airway patency when mask is held by one hand versus two hands will be observed and documented by various parameters. The initial mask management will be performed for 20 seconds. After another 20 seconds (50 seconds from the start of induction), in Group one, the mask holding will switch to two hands for 20 seconds.

  • ProcedureTwo handed mask airway + jaw thrust

    Prior to the induction of anesthesia, a shoulder role will be used to have the child's head in sniffing position for induction. Horizontal alignment of the external auditory meatus with the sternum, will be used as a marker for, proper positioning. Oxygen and nitrous oxide for 10-15 seconds will be administered and sevoflurane will then be commenced.The provider will hold the mask as randomized, two hands for Group two patients. Any changes in airway patency when mask is held by one hand versus two hands will be observed and documented by various parameters. In Group 2 patient's mask will be held with two hands first for 40 seconds.

  • ProcedureTwo handed mask airway, switch to one hand

    Prior to the induction of anesthesia, a shoulder role will be used to have the child's head in sniffing position for induction. Horizontal alignment of the external auditory meatus with the sternum, will be used as a marker for, proper positioning. Oxygen and nitrous oxide for 10-15 seconds will be administered and sevoflurane will then be commenced.The provider will hold the mask as randomized, two hands for Group 3 patients. Any changes in airway patency when mask is held by one hand versus two hands will be observed and documented by various parameters. The initial mask management will be performed for 20 seconds. After another 20 seconds (50 seconds from the start of induction), in Group 3, the mask holding will switch to one hand for 20 seconds.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Work of breathing

    Phase angle

    Time frame: 20 - 40 seconds

Secondary outcomes

  1. Airway Obstruction Rating Scale 0 - 3

    Presence of airway obstruction: 0= No obstruction; 1=Good gas exchange with noisy breathing, no retractions; 2=Mild retractions with diminished air flow; 3=Severe retractions with minimal/no air flow

    Time frame: 20-40 seconds

  2. Laryngospasm

    Indicate presence: yes/no

    Time frame: 20-40 seconds

  3. Breath holding

    Indicate presence: yes/no

    Time frame: 20-40 seconds

  4. Labored breathing

    labored breathing index (RCI)

    Time frame: 20-40 seconds

  5. Rib cage movement

    %Rib Cage movement (%RC)

    Time frame: 20-40 seconds

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Nemours/A I duPont Hospital for Children
    Wilmington, Delaware 19803, United States
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Keidan I, Fine GF, Kagawa T, Schneck FX, Motoyama EK. Work of breathing during spontaneous ventilation in anesthetized children: a comparative study among the face mask, laryngeal mask airway and endotracheal tube. Anesth Analg. 2000 Dec;91(6):1381-8. doi: 10.1097/00000539-200012000-00014. PubMed 11093984 ↗
  • von Ungern-Sternberg BS, Erb TO, Reber A, Frei FJ. Opening the upper airway--airway maneuvers in pediatric anesthesia. Paediatr Anaesth. 2005 Mar;15(3):181-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-9592.2004.01534.x. No abstract available. PubMed 15725313 ↗
  • Litman RS, Kottra JA, Berkowitz RJ, Ward DS. Upper airway obstruction during midazolam/nitrous oxide sedation in children with enlarged tonsils. Pediatr Dent. 1998 Sep-Oct;20(5):318-20. PubMed 9803430 ↗
  • Rahman T, Page R, Page C, Bonnefoy JR, Cox T, Shaffer TH. pneuRIPTM: A Novel Respiratory Inductance Plethysmography Monitor. J Med Device. 2017 Mar;11(1):0110101-110106. doi: 10.1115/1.4035546. Epub 2017 Jan 24. PubMed 28289485 ↗
  • Kheterpal S. It's About Time. Anesthesiology. 2017 Jan;126(1):4-5. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000001408. No abstract available. PubMed 27811484 ↗
  • Sato S, Hasegawa M, Okuyama M, Okazaki J, Kitamura Y, Sato Y, Ishikawa T, Sato Y, Isono S. Mask Ventilation during Induction of General Anesthesia: Influences of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Anesthesiology. 2017 Jan;126(1):28-38. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000001407. PubMed 27811485 ↗
  • Langeron O, Masso E, Huraux C, Guggiari M, Bianchi A, Coriat P, Riou B. Prediction of difficult mask ventilation. Anesthesiology. 2000 May;92(5):1229-36. doi: 10.1097/00000542-200005000-00009. PubMed 10781266 ↗
  • Kheterpal S, Han R, Tremper KK, Shanks A, Tait AR, O'Reilly M, Ludwig TA. Incidence and predictors of difficult and impossible mask ventilation. Anesthesiology. 2006 Nov;105(5):885-91. doi: 10.1097/00000542-200611000-00007. PubMed 17065880 ↗
  • Kheterpal S, Martin L, Shanks AM, Tremper KK. Prediction and outcomes of impossible mask ventilation: a review of 50,000 anesthetics. Anesthesiology. 2009 Apr;110(4):891-7. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0b013e31819b5b87. PubMed 19293691 ↗
09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 23, 2020, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03215121
Responsible party
Dinesh Choudhry (Pediatric Anesthesiologist and Director of Pain Service, Principal Investigator, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, Nemours Children's Clinic) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jul 12, 2017
Start date
Apr 1, 2018
Primary completion
Aug 31, 2019
Completion
Jan 22, 2020
Last update
Jan 23, 2020

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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