Less postoperative sore throat after nasotracheal intubation using a fiberoptic bronchoscope than using a Macintosh laryngoscope: A double-blind, randomized, controlled study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether nasotracheal intubation using a fiberoptic bronchoscope reduces postoperative sore throat.

DESIGN

Prospective, double-blinded, randomized, and controlled study.

SETTING

Postoperative areas and surgical ward of a university hospital.

PATIENTS

Seventy-four patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I-II who were scheduled for elective general anesthesia requiring nasotracheal intubation.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients were randomized to one of two intubation groups, F (fiberoptic bronchoscope-guided) and M (Macintosh laryngoscope-guided), and after induction of general anesthesia, the patients' tracheas were intubated via the nose.

MEASUREMENTS

The intensity of postoperative sore throat was evaluated using a numerical rating score (0=none, 10=severe) at 24 hours postoperatively, and the incidence of nasal mucosal trauma, time to completion of intubation, and hemodynamic responses were recorded and compared between groups.

MAIN RESULTS

The numerical rating score value was significantly lower in group F than in group M (P=.0047), but the incidence of nasal mucosal trauma was comparable between the two groups. The median time to completion of intubation was shorter for group F than group M (P<.0001). Hemodynamic responses were not significantly different.

CONCLUSIONS

Fiberoptic bronchoscope-guided intubation is associated with less sore throat after nasotracheal intubation than M intubation. The time to completion of intubation was significantly shorter using the fiberoptic bronchoscope than that using the Macintosh laryngoscope.