A comparison between the Disposcope endoscope and fiberoptic bronchoscope for nasotracheal intubation-A randomized controlled trial
Abstract Background Nasotracheal intubation (NTI) is frequently performed in oral and maxillofacial surgeries. This study evaluated whether NTI is easier when guided by Disposcope endoscopy or fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Methods Sixty patients (30 per group) requiring NTI were randomly assigned to undergo fiberoptic bronchoscopy-guided (fibreoptic group) or Disposcope endoscope-guided (Disposcope group) NTI. Then, the NTI time were recorded. Epistaxis was recorded using direct laryngoscopy five minutes after completing NTI. Results The time to complete NTI was significantly longer in the fiberoptic group than the Disposcope group (38.4 sec vs 24.1 sec; mean difference, 14.2 sec; 95% CI, 10.4 to 18.1). In addition, Mild epistaxis (nasal bleeding) was observed in 8 patients in the fiberoptic group and 7 patients in the Disposcope group (26.7% vs 23.3%, respectively; relative risk, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.4 to 3.9). No moderate or severe epistaxis occurred in either group. Furthermore, there was no obvious nasal pain at any time point after extubation in the Disposcope group, and there was no significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion NTI can be completed successfully using either fiberoptic bronchoscopy or a Disposcope endoscope as a guide without any severe adverse reactions. However, compared to fiberoptic bronchoscopy, the Disposcope endoscope requires less transaction time.