Evaluation of Ventilation with Nasal Versus Face Mask After General Anesthesia Induction in Pediatric Patients

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Pediatric Anesthesia
• Airway Management

Background:

• Face mask ventilation can be challenging in unconscious patients, particularly those with upper airway obstruction.
• Difficulties with standard face mask ventilation necessitate exploring alternative methods for airway management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy and safety of nasal mask ventilation versus face mask ventilation during general anesthesia induction in pediatric patients.
• To evaluate key ventilation parameters and hemodynamic stability between the two ventilation methods.

Main Methods:

• A randomized clinical trial involving 70 pediatric patients (3-12 years) undergoing elective lower abdominal surgery.
• Patients were randomly assigned to receive ventilation via either a nasal mask or a face mask with 100% oxygen during anesthesia induction.
• Ventilation parameters including expiratory volume, airway pressure, end-tidal CO2 (EtCO2), SpO2, and hemodynamics were recorded and compared.

Main Results:

• Mean end-tidal CO2 (EtCO2) was significantly higher in the nasal mask group at two minutes post-ventilation (P = 0.04).
• No significant differences were observed between groups in EtCO2 at five minutes post-intubation (P = 0.31).
• Other ventilation-related factors and hemodynamic parameters showed no significant differences between the nasal mask and face mask groups.

Conclusions:

• Nasal mask ventilation is demonstrated to be as effective as face mask ventilation in this pediatric population.
• Nasal masks present a suitable alternative to face masks, especially in cases of difficult face mask ventilation or suspected airway obstruction.
• The findings support the use of nasal masks for improved airway management strategies in pediatric anesthesia.