Prevention of accidental childhood strangulation - A clinical study

Accidental strangulation is a preventable problem, and there is limited sci entific understanding of its mechanism in children. If the amount of extern al pressure that occludes the airway can be determined, design changes may be made to allow for production of household objects that would break apart at safe pressure levels. A force gauge was applied to the suprahyoid regio n in 90 children under standardized anesthesia. Three blinded observers per formed the study. The anesthesiologist maintained the airway and used a ste thoscope to auscultate for breath sounds and monitor the CO2 curves to eval uate obstruction. The recorder noted the numbers from the gauge. A single o bserver applied the force gauge. Age was the most significant variable in o ccluding the airway. Obstruction appears to occur at the level of the laryn x. Increased knowledge regarding the external pressure required for airway occlusion would allow for the design and manufacture of products with a red uced potential for accidental strangulation.