Despite being a standard procedure during induction of anaesthesia, facemask ventilation can be a major challenge especially for inexperienced anaesthetists. We manufactured a Jaw-Thrust-Device designed to keep the patient's jaws in an optimised position, and thus to maintain the airway in a permanently patent state. Using a cross over design, we compared the influence of using the Esmarch manoeuvre (bimanual jaw-thrust), a nasopharyngeal airway, an oropharyngeal airway, or the Jaw-Thrust-Device on airway physiology in 50 healthy adults with body mass index < 35 kg.m(-2), undergoing standard facemask ventilation for routine induction of anaesthesia. The main study endpoints were expiratory tidal volumes, airway resistances, and gas flow rates. The Jaw-Thrust-Device was more effective in increasing expiratory tidal volumes and peak inspiratory flow than a standard Esmarch manoeuvre, and was more effective than both nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal airways in decreasing airway resistance.