Directional-tip endotracheal tubes for blind nasotracheal intubation

To compare initial success rates of blind nasotracheal intubation using directional-tip endotracheal tubes vs standard endotracheal tubes.

A prospective trial comparing directional-tip and standard endotracheal tubes during initial attempts at blind nasotracheal intubation (BNTI) at a university hospital ED. Using an alternating schedule, the directional-tip or standard tube was used for the first attempt at BNT1. An attempt was defined as beginning when the tube was placed through the nose into the posterior pharynx and ending when the patient was intubated or the tube was removed from the nares. After the intubation, the physician graded the difficulty of the technique (i.e., easy/routine, intermediate, difficult, or unable to intubate nasally).

There were 49 patients entered over 5 months. Patient presentations for the intubations were trauma (45.8%), overdose (33.3%), respiratory/cardiac event (12.5%), seizure (2.1%), and other (6.3%). Intubation was successful on the first attempt in 18 of 21 patients (86%; 95% CI, 64% to 97%) for the directional-tip tube vs 16 of 28 patients (57%; 95% CI, 37% to 76%) for the standard tube (p = 0.03). The groups did not differ in age, sex, clinical presentation, or perceived difficulty of intubation. Only 1 patient could not be intubated nasally and was subsequently intubated orally.

The use of directional-tip tubes may improve the success rate of the first attempt at BNTI.