Open AccessThermosoftening Treatment of the Nasotracheal Tube Before Intubation Can Reduce Epistaxis and Nasal Damage
Author(s) -
Yong Chul Kim,
Seung Hwan Lee,
Gyu Jeong Noh,
Sang Yoon Cho,
Jong Hoon Yeom,
Woo Jong Shin,
Dong Hoon Lee,
Je Seon Ryu,
Young Sun Park,
Kyung Joon,
Sang Chul Lee
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
anesthesia and analgesia/anesthesia and analgesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.404
H-Index - 201
eISSN - 1526-7598
pISSN - 0003-2999
DOI - 10.1097/00000539-200009000-00038
Subject(s) - medicine , nasotracheal intubation , saline , tube (container) , intubation , confidence interval , anesthesia , incidence (geometry) , surgery , odds ratio , mechanical engineering , physics , optics , engineering
We evaluated whether a thermosoftening treatment with warm saline of a nasotracheal preformed tube can improve navigability through the nasal passageways and reduce epistaxis and nasal damage. A total of 150 patients were randomly allocated to three groups: Group I (untreated tube group, n = 50), Group II (35 degrees C treated tube group, n = 50), and Group III (45 degrees C treated tube group, n = 50). In Groups II and III, the tubes were softened at 35 +/- 2 degrees C and 45 +/- 2 degrees C with warm saline, respectively. In Group I the tube was prepared at room temperature (25 +/- 2 degrees C). The incidence of epistaxis and nasal damage in Groups II and III was significantly less than that of Group I (P: < 0.05). Despite the more frequent incidence of smooth passage in Group III, no statistical difference was found among the groups. Logistic regression analysis also confirmed that epistaxis was more likely to be reduced when the tube had been thermosoftened (odds ratio = 1.46, 95% confidence interval = 1.02, 2.11). We conclude that simple thermosoftening treatment of the nasotracheal tube with warm saline helps to reduce epistaxis and nasal damage.