A maneuver used to open the airway of an unconscious patient who may need ventilatory assistance. With the patient in the supine position, the head is tilted back into a hyperextended position with one hand and the bony part of the mandible is gently lifted by the other hand. The procedure helps to prevent the tongue from occluding the airway. This technique should not be used if there is any mechanism for injury to the head or neck.