Magill forceps - Queensland Ambulance Service

Clinical Practice Procedures:
Airway management/Magill forceps
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Date
October, 2015
Purpose
To ensure a consistent procedural approach to Magill forceps.
Scope
Author
Applies to all QAS clinical staff.
Clinical Quality & Patient Safety Unit, QAS
Review date
October, 2017
URL
https://ambulance.qld.gov.au/clinical.html
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0
International License. To view a copy of this license,
visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.
Magill forceps
October, 2015
The Magill forceps are long, angled forceps designed to grasp objects lodged in the pharynx. Their angled design enables use without obscuring the clinician’s view.
Indications
UNCONTROLLED WHEN PRINTED
QAS supplies disposable Magill forceps in the following two (2) sizes:
paediatric (205 mm) and adult (250 mm).
• Removal of pharyngeal foreign bodies causing airway obstruction in an obtunded patient
• To facilitate the insertion of an orogastic tube
UNCONTROLLED WHEN PRINTED
Contraindications
• Patient’s with an effective cough
Complications
UNCONTROLLED WHEN PRINTED
• Trauma to the tissue surrounding the pharynx
uvula and tongue.
• Manipulating a partially obstructed airway may cause the object to totally occlude the airway
UNCONTROLLED WHEN PRINTED
Figure 3.9
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Procedure – Magill forceps
1. Open mouth and inspect oral cavity.
6. Insert the forceps (whilst closed) into the patient’s mouth.
2. Remove any dentures or removable plates as required.
3. Perform laryngoscopy.
7. Under direct laryngoscopy, open and close the Magill forceps to
grasp the object that needs manipulation. Ensure that no pharyngeal
or epiglottic structures are grasped as it will cause harm.
4. Suction as required.
8. Manipulate the object as required.
UNCONTROLLED WHEN PRINTED
5. Grasp the forceps in the right hand with the thumb and ring finger inserted into the holes.
UNCONTROLLED WHEN PRINTED
UNCONTROLLED WHEN PRINTED
UNCONTROLLED WHEN PRINTED
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