Efficacy of Disposcope endoscope-guided nasotracheal intubation in patients with difficult airway: a comparison with fiberoptic bronchoscope / 中华麻醉学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of Disposcope endoscope(DE)-guided nasotrache-al intubation in patients with difficult airway by comparing with fiberoptic bronchoscope(FOB). Methods One hundred and twenty American Society of Anesthesiologists physical statusⅠ-Ⅲ patients of both se-xes, with body mass index<25 kg∕m2, aged 18-64 yr, with mouth opening<3 cm, of Mallampati classifi-cation Ⅲ or Ⅳ, undergoing maxillofacial surgery requiring nasotracheal intubation were divided into DE group(n=60)and FOB group(n=60)using a random number table.Nasotracheal intubation was per-formed under the guidance of DE or FOB after induction of anesthesia.Glottis exposure was evaluated using Cormack-Lehane grade.Epistaxis during intubation, successful intubation, time and degree of glottis expo-sure, intubation time and development of tachycardia and hypertension and requirement for assisted ventila-tion with face mask during intubation were recorded.The patients were followed up postoperatively, and the development of intubation-related complications was also recorded.Results Compared with group FOB, glottis exposure time and incubation time were significantly shortened(P<0.05), and no significant change was found in Cormack-Lehane grade, rate of successful incubation, rate of successful intubation at first attempt or intubation-related complications in group DE(P>0.05). Hypertension and tachycardia were not found and no patients required assisted ventilation with face mask during intubation in the two groups.Conclusion DE-guided nasotracheal intubation provides similar efficacy to that of FOB with shorter time and is an optimal selection for the patients with difficult airway.