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Effectiveness of the Sellick maneuver can be compromised by lateral displacement of the esophagus from the trachea, which has been reported to occur in 49% of adults. In a retrospective study, two pediatric radiologists independently measured the degree of esophageal displacement from the trachea (mm off center) at the level of the cricoid cartilage in 120 children (age range, 0–17 years) who underwent cervical spine or neck computed tomography scans at a single U.S. children's hospital. Patients were excluded if they had nasal tubes or oral gastric tubes, tracheal tubes, space-occupying lesions at the level of the cricoid cartilage, history of cervical radiation or neck surgery, or if the esophagus was not identified. The researchers compa…