Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 26, 2025
03:58
Author Spotlight: Advancing Awake Nasotracheal Intubation with Flexible Video Rhino-Laryngoscopes
Published on: August 2, 2024
1.0K
Nasotracheal Intubation After Transsphenoidal Surgery: A Case Report.
Kanta Kido1, Takumi Sato2, Hitoshi Miyashita3
1Department of Dental Anesthesiology, Kanagawa Dental University, Yokosuka, JPN.
Cureus
|April 25, 2022
Summary
Nasotracheal intubation can lead to serious complications, especially in patients with skull base defects. A novel balloon catheter technique offers a safer alternative for nasal intubation in these high-risk cases.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Surgical Airway Management
- Neurosurgery
Background:
- Nasotracheal intubation is standard for oral and maxillofacial surgeries under general anesthesia.
- Complications include epistaxis, retropharyngeal dissection, and intracranial penetration, particularly with basal skull defects.
- Contraindicated in patients with basal skull defects or fractures due to risks.
Observation:
- A case involving a patient with a history of transsphenoidal surgery presented a challenge for standard nasotracheal intubation.
- An alternative technique utilizing a balloon catheter was employed to facilitate nasotracheal intubation.
- This method aimed to circumvent the need for surgical airway management.
Findings:
- The balloon catheter technique proved to be a simple and safe method for nasotracheal intubation.
- Successfully managed airway in a patient with a history of transsphenoidal surgery and potential basal skull defect.
- Avoided complications associated with standard nasotracheal intubation in a high-risk patient.
Implications:
- Suggests the balloon catheter technique is a viable alternative for nasotracheal intubation in patients with basal skull defects.
- May reduce the need for surgical airways in specific neurosurgical or craniofacial patient populations.
- Highlights a potentially safer approach to airway management in complex surgical cases.
