An apparatus for facilitating tracheal intubation on an obese patient has a base section (1), a head section (11) attached to the base section (1) and a pad (2) removably positioned on the head section (11). The base section (1) receives a portion of an obese patients back. Separate arm rests (3, 4) are positioned on both left and right sides of the base section (1). The base section (1) has an indentation (16) for receiving the occiput of a patients head. The pad (2) has an indentation (115) for receiving the occiput of a patients head and which is aligned with indentation (16) when pad member (2) is positioned on the head section (11). The apparatus raises the obese patients head and neck above the patients chest and positions the patents head in a stable, extended position to allow easy ventilation and intubation.
