• Journal of The Korean Dental Society of Anesthesiology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.121-123
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• 2012

Nasotracheal intubation is an essential procedure during general anesthesia for dental treatment. Fiberoptic intubation is best accomplished by those who perform it as part of their daily practice. But nasal approach of fiberoptic intubation has some complications such as epistaxis and laryngeal injury. Especially, epistaxis is common and it make fiberoptic intubation because of limited view. When the epistaxis obstruct the field of vision we have to withdraw the fiberoptic bronchoscope and consider the other method for securing the airway. We succeeded in securing the airway of patient who had epistaxis during the fiberoptic nasotracheal intubation without withdrawing the fiberoptic bronchoscope. We used blind intubation guided by light source placed the tip of fiberoptic bronchscope applied to lightwand intubation.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.125-128
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• 2018

In cases of a difficult intubation where numerous intubation methods, including laryngoscopy, have failed, yet oral intubation is still necessary, the method of tube exchange after fiberoptic nasal intubation may be attempted. Fiberoptic nasal intubation allows intubation to be performed relatively easily when the laryngeal view grade is poor. We report a case in which our attempt at oral intubation for total maxillectomy with laryngoscopy and fiberoptic oral intubation had failed due to an unexpected difficult airway; subsequently, we successfully completed the surgery by performing fiberoptic nasal intubation to secure the airway, followed by using a tube exchanger to exchange to an oral endotracheal tube.

• 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 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.13 no.4
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• pp.189-193
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• 2013

We experienced dfficult airway management in a patient who had Ludwig angina with morbid obesity, dfficulty with mouth opening and neck extension. We planned to perform awake-nasotracheal intubation with fiberoptic bronchoscopy but the patient's condition was not suitable to do this procedure. Thus, we tried fiberoptic nasotracheal intubation under general anesthesia but we experienced difficult airway management due to epistaxis. We tried to use video laryngoscope instead of fiberpotic bronchoscopy but also failed to guide the tube into trachea due to limited mouth opening. We used video laryngoscope to make a view of vocal cord and used fiberoptic bronchoscope as an intubation guide of endotrachedal tube and successfully intubated the patient.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.181-184
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• 2015

Airway difficulties are a major concern for anesthesiologists. Even though fiberoptic intubation is the generally accepted method for management of difficult airways, it is not without disadvantages-requires patient cooperation, and cannot be performed on soiled airway or upper airways with pre-existing narrowing pathology. Additionally, fiberoptic bronchoscopy is not available at every medical institution. In this case, we encountered difficult airway management in a 71-year-old man with a high Mallampati grade and a thick neck who had undergone urologic surgery. Several attempts, including a bronchoscope-guided intubation, were unsuccessful. Finally, blind nasal intubation was successful while the patient's neck was flexed and the tracheal cartilage was gently pressed down. We suggest that blind nasal intubation is a helpful alternative in difficult airway management and it can be a lifesaving technique in emergencies. Additionally, its simplicity makes it a less expensive option when advanced airway technology (fiberoptic bronchoscopy) is unavailable.

• 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.4
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• pp.221-227
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• 2015

Background: Endotracheal intubation induces clinically adverse cardiovascular changes. Various pharmacological strategies for controlling these responses have been suggested with opioids being widely administered. In this study, the optimal effect-site concentration (Ce) of remifentanil for minimizing hemodynamic responses to fiberoptic nasotracheal intubation was evaluated. Methods: Thirty patients, aged 18-63 years, scheduled for elective surgery were included. Anesthesia was induced with a propofol and remifentanil infusion via target-controlled infusion (TCI). Remifentanil infusion was initiated at 3.0 ng/mL, and the response of each patient determined the Ce of remifentanil for the next patient by the Dixon up-and-down method at an interval of 0.5 ng/mL. Rocuronium was administered after propofol and remifentanil reached their preset Ce; 90 seconds later fiberoptic nasotracheal intubation was initiated. Non-invasive blood pressure and heart rate (HR) were measured at pre-induction, the time Ce was reached, immediately before and after intubation, and at 1 and 3 minutes after intubation. The up-and-down criteria comprised a 20% change in mean blood pressure and HR between just prior to intubation and 1 minute after intubation. Results: The median effective effect-site concentration ($EC_{50}$) of remifentanil was $3.11{\pm}0.38ng/mL$ by the Dixon's up-and-down method. From the probit analysis, the $EC_{50}$ of remifentanil was 3.43 ng/mL (95% confidence interval, 2.90-4.06 ng/mL). In PAVA, the EC50 and EC95 of remifentanil were 3.57 ng/mL (95% CI, 2.95-3.89) and 4.35 ng/mL (95% CI, 3.93-4.45). No remifentanil-related complications were observed. Conclusions: The $EC_{50}$ of remifentanil for minimizing the cardiovascular changes and side effects associated with fiberoptic nasotracheal intubation was 3.11-3.43 ng/mL during propofol TCI anesthesia with a Ce of 4 ug/mL.

• 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.