Patent ID: 8001636

Claim:
A method of positioning an obese and/or pregnant patient for endotracheal intubation, the method comprising: positioning an upper back of the patient on an independently inflatable and deflatable back support section of a pillow, the back support section including a first portion and a second portion that are inflatable together via a single common air inlet/outlet; positioning a head of the patient on an independently inflatable and deflatable head rest section of the pillow; inflating the back support section; inflating the head rest section; inflating an independently inflatable and deflatable base support section of the pillow in order to adjust an elevation of the head rest section and the second portion of the inflated back support section without adjusting an elevation of the first portion of the back support section, the base support section being located beneath both the second portion of the back support section and the head rest section; and aligning a pinna of an ear of the patient with a sternum of the patient in the same horizontal plane, when the patient's upper back is positioned on the inflated back support section and the patient's head is positioned on the inflated head rest section, by adjusting a pressure in an independently inflatable and deflatable head tilt adjustment section of the pillow, the head tilt adjustment section being located above the base support section and beneath the head rest section.