• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.297-305
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• 2017

Background: Fiberoptic nasotracheal intubation (FNI) is performed if it is difficult to open the mouth or if intubation using laryngoscope is expected to be difficult. However, training is necessary because intubation performed by inexperienced operators leads to complications. Methods: Every resident performed intubation in 40 patients. Success of FNI was evaluated as the time of FNI. First intubation time was restricted to 2 min 30 s. If the second attempt was unsuccessful, it was considered a failed case, and a specialist performed nasotracheal intubation. If the general method of intubation was expected to be difficult, awake intubation was performed. The degree of nasal bleeding during intubation was also evaluated. Results: The mean age of the operators (11 men, 7 women) was 27.8 years. FNI was performed in a total of 716 patients. The success rate was 88.3% for the first attempt and 94.6% for the second attempt. The failure rate of intubation in anesthetized patients was 4.9%, and 13.6% in awake patients. When intubation was performed in anesthetized patients, the failure rate from the first to fifth trial was 9.6%, which decreased to 0.7% when the number of trials increased to > 30 times. In terms of awake intubation, there was no failed attempt when the resident had performed the FNI > 30 times. The number of FNIs performed and nasal bleeding were important factors influencing the failure rate. Conclusion: The success rate of FNI increased as the number of FNI performed by residents increased despite the nasal bleeding.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.313-316
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• 2017

Mask ventilation, the first step in airway management, is a rescue technique when endotracheal intubation fails. Therefore, ordinary airway management for the induction of general anesthesia cannot be conducted in the situation of difficult mask ventilation (DMV). Here, we report a case of awake intubation in a patient with a huge orocutaneous fistula. A 58-year-old woman was scheduled to undergo a wide excision, reconstruction with a reconstruction plate, and supraomohyoid neck dissection on the left side and an anterolateral thigh flap due to a huge orocutaneous fistula that occurred after a previous mandibulectomy and flap surgery. During induction, DMV was predicted, and we planned an awake intubation. The patient was sedated with dexmedetomidine and remifentanil. She was intubated with a nasotracheal tube using a video laryngoscope, and spontaneous ventilation was maintained. This case demonstrates that awake intubation using a video laryngoscope can be as good as a fiberoptic scope.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.315-317
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• 2018

• Journal of The Korean Dental Society of Anesthesiology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.118-121
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• 2008

Background: This retrospective study aims to describe the airway management and to search predictive parameter for difficult intubation in 700 patients undergoing oromaxillary surgery. Methods: The medical records of 700 patients undergone oromaxillary surgery were reviewed for airway management during perioperative period. The cases of difficult intubation were selected and those radiologic findings were reviewed. The mandibular depth (MD), mandibular length (ML), thyromental distance (TMD) were measured. Results: In 41 cases difficult intubation were recorded in anesthetic record. The grade of Cormack and Lehane was III in 36 patients and IV in 5 cases. The MD of difficult intubation cases was $4.2{\pm}3.2\;cm$. The ML of difficult intubation cases was $10.1{\pm}3.8\;cm$. The TMD of difficult intubation cases was $5.9{\pm}4.3\;cm$. Under the fiberoptic guided awake intubation was undertaken in 75 patient. In none of the cases was failed nasotracheal intubation. Conclusions: The patients undergoing oromaxillar surgery have a potentially difficult airway but, if managed properly during perioperative preiod, morbidity and mortality can be reduced or avoided. The radiologic findings were poor predict for difficult intubation. The fiberoptic guided awake intubation is a safe alternative to direct laryngoscopic intubation.

• Journal of The Korean Dental Society of Anesthesiology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.190-196
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• 2010

Difficult airway management including difficult intubation, difficult ventilation and difficult mask ventilation is a life threatening issue during anesthesia care. A 23-year-old woman with Treacher Collins syndrome was scheduled for distraction osteogenesis. She had hypoplasia of mandible and malar bone, bilateral deformities of auricles with partial deafness and antimongoloid slant of the palpebral fissures. A 56-year-old woman with mandibular hypoplasia due to childhood trauma was scheduled for distraction osteogenesis. She had a history of difficult intubation. We anticipated a difficult intubation and ventilation. Fiberoptic bronchoscopic guided awake intubation was selected for anesthesia induction. After intravenous injection of midazolam and remifentanil, 10% lidocaine pump spray on the pharyngolarynx with a direct laryngoscope and on the nasal canal. However fiberoptic bronchoscopic guided awake intubation was failed due to severe gag reflex. After intravenous injection of propofol and remifentanil using the target controlled infusion (TCI), mask ventilation was easily performed and, after intravenous injection of vecuronium, fiberoptic bronchoscopic guided intubation was easily performed using a wire reinforced endotracheal tube. The operation was completed successfully without any adverse events.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.349-356
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• 2022

Background: Awake fiberoptic intubation (AFOI) is the procedure of choice for securing the airway in patients with a difficult airway when undergoing surgeries under general anesthesia. An ideal drug would not only provide conscious sedation but also maintain spontaneous ventilation, smooth intubation conditions, and stable hemodynamics. We compared the effects of dexmedetomidine alone and dexmedetomidine in combination with fentanyl at a dose lower than the standard dose for achieving conscious sedation during AFOI in difficult airway patients undergoing oral cancer and dental surgeries. Methods: We included 68 adult patients undergoing AFOI. The patients were randomized in two groups, wherein Group D received intravenous dexmedetomidine 1 ㎍/kg and Group DF received dexmedetomidine 0.5 ㎍/kg and fentanyl 1 ㎍/kg. The outcomes measured were airway obstruction score, intubation scores, fiberoptic intubation comfort score, sedation score, and hemodynamic variables. Results: Low-dose dexmedetomidine with fentanyl showed similar results as those with the standard dose of dexmedetomidine in terms of airway obstruction, vocal cord movement, degree of cough, degree of limb movements, and intubation comfort. However, the sedation achieved and incidence of hypotension and bradycardia were higher in Group D than in Group DF. Conclusions: A low dose of dexmedetomidine-fentanyl provides satisfactory intubation conditions as those with a standard dose of dexmedetomidine in AFOI, thereby avoiding bradycardia, hypotension, and sedation.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.301-304
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• 2018

Awake fiberoptic nasotracheal intubation is a useful technique, especially in patients with airway obstruction. It must not only provide sufficient anesthesia, but also maintain spontaneous breathing. We introduce a method to achieve this using a small dose of fentanyl and midazolam in combination with topical anesthesia. The cases of 2 patients (1 male, 1 female) who underwent oral maxillofacial surgery are reported. They received $50{\mu}g$ of fentanyl 2-3 times (total $2.2-2.3{\mu}g/kg$) at intervals of approximately 2 min. Oxygen was administered via a mask at 6 L/min, and 0.5 mg of midazolam was administered 1-4 times (total 0.02-0.05 mg/kg) at intervals of approximately 2 min. A tracheal tube was inserted through the nasal cavity after topical anesthesia was applied to the epiglottis, vocal cords, and into the trachea through the fiberscope channel. All patients were successfully intubated. This is a useful and safe method for awake fiberoptic nasotracheal intubation.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.153-156
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• 2015

A 47-year-old man was referred to the operating room to treat a dentigenous cyst of the mandibular bone. Initial assessment of the airway was considered normal. However, after the induction of anesthesia, we could not intubate the patient due to severe distortion of the glottis. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy and video laryngoscopy were not effective. Intubation using a retrograde wire technique was successful. After the conclusion of surgery, the patient recovered without any complications. Subsequent magnetic resonance imaging of the patient's neck showed a $6{\times}4{\times}8.6cm$ heterogeneous T2 hyperintense, T1 isointense well-enhancing mass in the prestyloid parapharyngeal space. The patient was scheduled for excision of the mass. We planned awake intubation with fiberoptic bronchoscopy. The procedure was successful and the patient recovered without complications. Anesthetic induction can decrease the muscle tone of the airway and increase airway distortion. Therefore, careful airway assessment is necessary.

• Journal of The Korean Dental Society of Anesthesiology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.51-54
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• 2013

A 30-year-old man with morbid obesity (height: 176 cm, body weight: 100 kg, body mass index: 32.28) was scheduled for reconstruction of the mandibular fracture. During induction of general anesthesia and nasotracheal intubation, we experienced massive epistaxis, hypoxemia and difficult airway management. Fortunately, we performed oro-tracheal intubation with direct laryngoscopy and it barely succeeded. He recovered without any residual complications and rescheduled seven days later and we successfully performed awake fiberoptic nasotracheal intubation. The patient discharged on the fourth postoperative day.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.167-171
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• 2015

When anesthesiologists encounter conditions in which intubation is not possible using a conventional direct laryngoscope, they can consider using other available techniques and devices such as fiber optic bronchoscope (FOB)-guided intubation, a laryngeal mask airway (LMA), intubating LMA (ILMA), a light wand, and the Combitube. FOB-guided intubation is frequently utilized in predicted difficult airway cases and is generally performed when the patient is awake to enable easier access to the trachea. An LMA can be introduced to ventilate the patient with relative ease, while an ILMA can be used for definite endotracheal intubation. However, occasionally, an endotracheal tube (ETT) cannot pass through the larynx, despite successful introduction of a FOB into the trachea and placement of an ILMA by the anesthesiologist. Therefore, we initially introduced an ILMA for emergent ventilation, followed by successful insertion of an ETT under FOB guidance. In this report, we describe three cases of difficult intubation using a FOB and ILMA combination approach.