Secondary lung diseases in patients with nasotracheal intubation. Role of nosocomial sinusitis

Nosocomial pneumonia is a frequent infectious complication in ICU patients. All the patients with prolonged nasotracheal intubation presenting with nosocomial pneumonia according to Salata's criteria were examined for sinusitis in the prospective study. Diagnosis was confirmed via CT-scan views and transnasal sinus puncture. In eleven nasally intubated patients, CT-scan views showed air fluid levels and multiple sinus involvement. Bacteriological studies isolated the same gram negative bacilli in both sinus and bronchial aspirates. In four cases, a polymicrobial sinusitis was found with a single organism predominant. This predominant germ was always found in bronchial aspirate. Recovery from pneumonia was obtained only after sinus drainage. Treatment included removing the nasal tubes, or performing tracheostomy and systemic antibiotics. One patient required surgical maxillary sinus drainage after failure of medical management. The occurrence of nosocomial pneumonia in nasotracheally intubated patients should lead physicians to explore the paranasal sinuses. Sinus CT-scan views should be routinely obtained in the assessment of pulmonary sepsis in patients with prolonged nasotracheal intubation. Persistent or ignored nosocomial sinusitis in such circumstances could be a major source of treatment failure.     

Paranasal sinusitis in burn patients following nasotracheal intubation.

Paranasal sinusitis is a complication of nasotracheal intubation. Of 99 nasally intubated adult patients who survived 48 hours after being burned, 22 who were intubated for more than 7 days underwent a computed tomographic scan of all paranasal sinuses, with timing dictated by the patient's clinical condition. Eight patients had computed tomographic and clinical findings consistent with sinusitis. Treatment consisted of removal of all nasal tubes, oral and topical nasal decongestants, and, when appropriate, culture-specific antibiotics. A subgroup of patients with preexisting sinus disease made up 50% of the patients with sinusitis; early conversion to an oral airway or a tracheostomy should be considered in such patients. Only one patient required surgical drainage of the sinuses. The frequency and morbidity of sinusitis in nasotracheally intubated burn patients does not justify the risk of routine conversion to an oral airway.     

Prolonged nasotracheal intubation and its association with inflammation of paranasal sinuses

Sixteen critically ill patients whose tracheas were intubated through the nasal route were examined for paranasal sinusitis between the 2nd and 3rd day and again on the 8th day after intubation. Between the 2nd and 3rd days, 6 of the 16 patients developed either maxillary sinusitis alone (3 of them) or sphenoid sinusitis (in the other 3). By the 8th day, all patients had developed sinusitis involving at least one sinus. The most commonly affected sinuses were the maxillary (87%) and the sphenoid (87%) followed by the ethmoid (50%) and frontal (12.5%). On the day 8 after intubation, the nasotracheal tubes were removed and replaced by orotracheal tubes, or tracheostomies were performed. On day 8 after extubation, 10 of the 16 patients were reexamined. Computer tomographic (CT) scan at this time revealed persistent sinusitis in two. Long-term nasotracheal intubation is associated with sinusitis.     

Paranasal sinusitis: a common complication of nasotracheal intubation in neurosurgical patients

Sinusitis secondary to nasotracheal intubation has not been reported to occur in neurosurgical patients. Over a 1-year period, 11 patients admitted to the Intensive Care/Trauma Unit at St. Paul Ramsey Medical Center developed this entity. The mean age of these patients was 36 +/- 4 years; 7 were trauma victims, 3 had each had a subarachnoid hemorrhage, and 1 had suffered hypertensive hemorrhage. The patients presented with fever of unknown origin (FUO) and evidence of persistent hypermetabolism without an obvious cause. In 8 cases, the diagnosis was not suspected until mucopurulent nasal discharge was noted. Three additional cases were evaluated for suspected sinusitis before the occurrence of discharge. The mean duration of intubation before the diagnosis of sinusitis was 7.8 +/- 1.5 days. The diagnosis was confirmed by sinus films with a Waters view in 7 cases or by computed tomographic scanning in 4 cases and by bacteriological cultures. Two cases involved only the maxillary sinus on the side of intubation; the rest were polysinusites. The organisms involved included gram-positive and gram-negative species; all were polymicrobial with a single organism predominant. Secondary pulmonary involvement was common, and 4 patients revealed a bacteremia consistent with the major sinus organism. One patient developed septic shock. Treatment involved either orotracheal intubation or tracheostomy. This was curative in all cases. It is concluded that neurosurgical patients nasally intubated are at risk for sinusitis, which can have untoward effects such as septicemia or pulmonary infection. A high degree of suspicion will permit early diagnosis and treatment.     

Complications and late sequelae following nasotracheal intubation

A total of 379 patients admitted to the ICU for mechanical ventilation were prospectively investigated for lesions on the nose, nasal cavity, ears and larynx during and after nasotracheal intubation. One to two years later, the surviving patients were questioned to investigate late persisting sequelae. During intubation and up to 5 days following extubation, inflammatory changes and ulceration of the nostrils or nasal septum were found in 76 (20%) and 110 patients (29%), respectively. There were bleedings from the nasal cavity in 67 (19%) and fractures of the conchae in 40 patients (11%). Hoarseness was noted in 135 patients (42%). Inflammatory changes and ulcerations of the nostril and nasal septum were correlated to the duration of intubation. Among the 281 patients included in the follow-up study, 100 (35%) had symptoms from the nose and nasal cavity. Sixty-five (24%) had symptoms related to the ears, 56 (20%) to the maxillary sinus, 81 (29%) to the voice and 90 (32%) to the throat. Increasing duration of intubation was found to be correlated to persisting symptoms from the larynx. Former ulcerations of the nose were associated with a tendency to nasal bleeding. To avoid as many complications as possible from the nose and nasal cavity, we recommend orotracheal intubation. As late sequelae from the larynx increase with the duration of intubation, perhaps tracheostomy should be performed earlier than is general practice today, but that has to be proven in forthcoming studies.     

The circulatory responses to fibreoptic intubation: a comparison of oral and nasal routes

The circulatory responses to fibreoptic intubation under general anaesthesia were studied in 60 adult female patients who were randomly assigned to receive either the oral or nasal route for insertion. Non-invasive blood pressure and heart rate were recorded before anaesthesia induction (baseline values), immediately after anaesthesia induction (post-induction values), at intubation and every minute for a further 5 min. The product of heart rate and systolic blood pressure (rate pressure product) at every time point was also calculated. The results showed that both fibreoptic orotracheal intubation and fibreoptic nasotracheal intubation resulted in significant increases in blood pressure, heart rate and rate pressure product compared to baseline and post-induction values. The times required to reach the maximum values of systolic blood pressure and heart rate were significantly longer in the fibreoptic nasotracheal intubation group than in the fibreoptic orotracheal intubation group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in blood pressure, heart rate and rate pressure product at any measuring point, or in the maximum values during observation. The time required for recovery of systolic blood pressure to the post-induction value was not significantly different between the two groups, but the time required for recovery of heart rate to post-induction value was significantly longer in the fibreoptic orotracheal intubation group than in the fibreoptic nasotracheal intubation group. It was concluded that both fibreoptic orotracheal and fibreoptic nasotracheal intubations could cause a similar magnitude of circulatory responses in general anaesthetised, female adults, but the tachycardic response to fibreoptic orotracheal intubation lasted longer than that to fibreoptic nasotracheal intubation.     

Cardiovascular effects of nasotracheal intubation

Intubation time, arterial pressure, heart rate and arterial oxygen saturation during nasotracheal intubation effected with the Macintosh laryngoscope blade were compared with those during orotracheal intubation. The 60 patients studied received a standardised general anaesthetic and were randomly allocated to one of two groups immediately before tracheal intubation. The mean nasal intubation time (33.2 seconds) was significantly greater than mean oral intubation time (14.8 seconds). The mean arterial pressure changes in the nasal group were significantly greater and more prolonged than in the oral group. The mean heart rate in the nasal group was significantly lower than in the oral group during the first minute after intubation, after which heart rates were similar. There were no significant differences between the two groups with regard to arterial oxygen saturation levels at any stage.     

Possible errors in diagnosis of bacterial sinusitis in tracheal intubated patients

Bacterial sinusitis is recognized as a complication of prolonged nasotracheal intubation. Verification of the diagnosis, however, requires culture findings from a "true" sample from the maxillary antrum. A "true" antral sample can only be obtained after passing either the nasal or oral mucosae with their rich aerobic and anaerobic bacterial flora.
No properly controlled study has been made into the problem of contaminated samples in bacterial sinusitis complicating prolonged nasotracheal intubation. The design of the study was a case series in an intensive care unit. The patients had either had endotracheal tube or tracheal cannula for seven days or were septic, having an endothracheal tube or a tracheal cannula and therefore due to an investigation of infection foci. Antral cultures obtained via the canine fossa were compared with oral cultures to exclude the contribution of oral bacterial contamination and thereby to improve the reliability of diagnosis based on culture results. The contamination rate was lowered significantly from 67% to 5% when an area of free bone was prepared in the canine fossa thus avoiding instrument contact with the oral mucosa.
A high contamination risk can be dealt with by adjusting the technique of sampling thereby increasing the culture reliability.     

Effects of intubation anesthesia on the temporomandibular joint

Hardly any attention has so far been paid to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction after endotracheal intubation. We examined perioperative lesions of the TMJ in 100 patients who underwent operations in areas other than the head and neck. Fifty of these patients were anesthetized with orotracheal intubation; the other 50 were operated under spinal or peridural anesthesia. The orotracheal intubations were carried out with Macintosh laryngoscopes (blatesize 3). Size 32 Kuhn tubes or Magill tubes were used in 25 patients each. Preoperatively and daily for the first 4 postoperative days, we repeated the history and examined the minimal distance between the occlusal edges of upper and lower incisors (SKD), deviations of the mandible during opening and closing movements, and snapping or grinding of the TMJ. We further measured the duration of intubation, technical difficulties, and the number of years of training of the anesthetist. Age, body length, and preoperative findings were compatible in both patient groups. Operating time was 25% longer in the spinal or peridural anesthesia group. Of the 50 patients with orotracheal intubation, 33 demonstrated a reduced ability of maximal oral opening of up to 35% on the 1st postoperative day. Snapping of the TMJ was observed in 80% of the orotracheally intubated patients on the 1st postoperative day, which was 20% above the preoperative value. TMJ grinding showed no significant changes. Two of the 50 intubated patients complained of TMJ pain, another two had occlusal disturbances, and two had a reduced SKD. There were no detectable differences within the group of intubated patients regarding type of tube or experience of the anesthetist.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Early diagnosis and treatment of sinusitis in the critically ill trauma patient.

Sinusitis is an important cause of sepsis in the critically ill patient and may be difficult to diagnose. Four patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit with closed head trauma were found to have sinusitis as the cause of persistent bacteremia. All patients received pharmacologic doses of corticosteroids for treatment of head injury and had prolonged nasotracheal and/or nasogastric intubation. A bedside procedure was used for diagnosis and management. Under local anesthesia, a 16-gauge angiocatheter was inserted under the inferior turbinate and into the maxillary sinus. After purulent fluid was aspirated, the sinuses were irrigated with normal saline. All four patients defervesced within 24 to 48 hours of this procedure, and facial x rays demonstrated clearing of the maxillary sinus. It was concluded that: 1) Sinusitis is a complication of closed head trauma in critically ill patients and should be included in the differential diagnosis when persistent bacteremia occurs; 2) The use of corticosteroids in the treatment of head injury may increase the risk of sinus infection; 3) Facial x rays showing air-fluid levels and/or opacification are a valuable screening test for paranasal sinusitis; and 4) bedside aspiration of the maxillary sinus is an effective diagnostic and therapeutic technique for management of sinusitis in the critically ill.     

Rapid orotracheal intubation in the clenched-jaw patient: a modification of the lightwand technique.

Emergency airway management of the patient with a clenched jaw can present a special challenge to the anesthesiologist. We describe four cases in which the patients had a clenched jaw and nasotracheal intubation was either contraindicated or several attempts had failed. All patients were successfully orotracheally intubated by a modification of the lightwand technique.     

Nosocomial sinusitis in ventilated patients

A total of 68 postoperative patients whose lungs were ventilated for more than 4 days were studied prospectively during a one-year study period to investigate the effect of the mode of intubation on the paranasal sinuses. After an initial X ray of the skull showing no pathological findings, patients were assigned randomly to one of the study groups; the lungs of patients in group A were ventilated via an orotracheal tube (n = 32), and patients in group B via a nasotracheal tube (n = 36). X ray examinations of the sinuses were performed at regular intervals. Diagnosis of sinusitis was confirmed by transantral needle puncture and culture of fluids obtained. Antibiotic regimens were altered according to laboratory testing. Two patients in group A developed signs of sinusitis in comparison to 15 patients in group B (p less than 0.01). However, there were significantly more airway complications in the orotracheal group, particularly during the period of weaning from ventilation. We conclude that orotracheal intubation should be preferred as the routine route of intubation.     

Airway length in adults: estimation of the optimal endotracheal tube length for orotracheal intubation

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To estimate the optimal endotracheal tube (ETT) length in orotracheally intubated patients. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Operating room of a medical center hospital. PATIENTS: 293 ASA physical status I and II patients (150 male and 143 female), requiring general anesthesia and orotracheal intubation. INTERVENTIONS: We used fiberoptic bronchoscope within the ETT to identify the carina and vocal cords. MEASUREMENTS: The length from carina to vocal cords, vocal cords to right mouth angle (corner), and carina to right mouth angle were measured. The optimal ETT tip was defined as 5 cm above the carina. Patient's height and sternum length were recorded. MAIN RESULTS: The correlation between airway length and body height was significant. By linear regression, a formula was obtained to estimate the optimal ETT length in orotracheally intubated patients: the length from 5 cm above carina to right mouth angle (cm) =< body height (cm)/5> - 13. CONCLUSION: The optimal insertion length of the ETT for orotracheally intubated adult patients with the head placed in a neutral position is correlated with body height. The proposed formula can provide a useful guide to determine the optimal ETT tip position in most of the patients who required orotracheal intubation.     

OSAS患者纤维支气管镜辅助下快诱导经口与慢诱导经鼻气管插管效果的比较

目的 比较阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停综合征(OSAS)患者纤维支气管镜(FOB)辅助下快诱导经口与慢诱导经鼻气管插管的效果.方法 择期行悬雍垂腭咽成形术的OSAS合并高血压患者40例,ASAⅡ级,年龄38～64岁,体重82～123 kg,张口度大于2.5 cm,Mallampatis分级Ⅲ或Ⅳ级,随机分为Ⅰ组和Ⅱ组(n=20),分别采用FOB辅助下慢诱导经鼻气管插管和快诱导经口气管插管.于麻醉诱导后即刻和气管插管后即刻记录MAP和HR;记录两组气管插管时间、气管插管成功情况和气管插管期间心动过速、高血压及心肌缺血的发生情况,以及耳鼻喉科医师对气道管理的满意情况.结果 40例患者使用FOB气管插管均成功,Ⅰ组5例气管插管失败,改为Ⅱ组方法 后均首次气管插管成功,Ⅱ组气管插管均成功;与Ⅰ组比较,Ⅱ组气管插管成功率升高,麻醉诱导后HR和MAP降低,气管插管期间心动过速、高血压及心肌缺血发生率降低,耳鼻喉科医师满意率升高(P(0.05);Ⅰ组有4例气管拔管后出现鼻出血.结论 在FOB辅助下,与慢诱导经鼻气管插管比较,OSAS患者采用快诱导经口气管插管时应激反应小,气管插管成功机率高,可避免气道损伤.     

The effect of nasotracheal intubation on the paranasal sinuses: A prospective study of 434 intensive care patients

A total of 434 patients admitted to the intensive care unit for mechanical ventilation were followed prospectively to investigate the influence of a nasotracheal tube on the paranasal sinuses. Twenty-five patients died before the examination was completed. The rest were examined for clinical symptoms of sinusitis. If sinusitis was suspected or the patients were intubated for 5 days or more, an x-ray of the sinuses was performed. In patients intubated for less than 5 days (N = 357), sinusitis was clinically suspected in three, but radiographically verified in only one. In patients intubated for 5 days or more (N = 47), 23 (49%) had affection of the paranasal sinuses. Patients needing a nasotracheal tube should be examined for sinusitis if they are intubated for more than 5 days or if unexplained fever, sepsis or purulent nasal secretion develops. If the suspicion is confirmed, the nasotracheal tube should be removed.     

Cardiovascular responses to fiberoptic intubation: A comparison of orotracheal and nasotracheal intubation

We compared the cardiovascular responses between nasal and oral intubation with a fiberoptic bronchoscope under the combination of neuroleptic analgesia (NLA) and topical anesthesia. The 16 patients studied were divided into 2 groups: the nasal intubation group (N group: 8 patients) and the oral intubation group (O group: 8 patients). There were significant changes in systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressures in the N group and in the pressure rate quotient in the O group. Diastolic arterial pressure and heart rate were significantly higher in the N group than in the O group before induction of general anesthesia. The rate pressure product (RPP) was significantly higher in the N group than in the O group at some points during the procedure. The individual RPP in both groups was relatively stable except for one patient in the N group, who had a marked increase in RPP during the procedure. We conclude that, under the combination of NLA and topical anesthesia, the cardiovascular responses to oral fiberoptic intubation are less severe than those to the nasal approach. The oral approach is recommended, especially in patients with coronary artery disease, taking into consideration of the cardiovascular responses to fiberoptic intubation.(Shibata Y, Okamoto K, Matsumoto M, et al.: Cardiovascular responses to fiberoptic intubation: a comparison of orotracheal and nasotracheal intubation. J Anesth 6: 262–268, 1992)     

Blind nasotracheal intubation in the muscle-relaxed patient

A modified method of blind nasal intubation, using a muscle relaxant, is described, which has been used in 100 patients with an efficacy of 96%. The risk of suboxygenation was overcome by withdrawing the tube to the epipharynx and ventilating the patient's lungs after each failure to insert the tube in the trachea. The blind nasotracheal intubation of a relaxed patient is to be considered, when orotracheal intubation will be difficult or impossible to achieve, because of anatomic abnormalities or pathologic conditions of the upper respiratory tract. The dangers and complications of the method are discussed.     

Exchanging and maintaining the airway in hyoid surgery: using a flexible exchanger during new surgical treatments for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To assess the level of intubation difficulty and anatomical changes after hyoid surgery. To evaluate the difficulty of switching from nasotracheal to orotracheal intubation after hyoid and palatopharyngeal surgery using an exchanger. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective study enrolling 30 patients undergoing surgery for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in 2 consecutive phases. Anatomical features suggesting risk of difficult intubation, anatomical changes caused by surgery, the incidence of failure to intubate upon first attempt during the first surgical session, and upon switching from nasal to oral intubation, and the time required to intubate were recorded. The rate of complications during and after surgery was also noted. RESULTS: The incidence of difficult intubation was 15% and no complications developed in the switch from nasotracheal to orotracheal intubation (100% success rate). CONCLUSION: New surgical treatments for the OSAS patient require new anesthetic maneuvers such as nasotracheal-orotracheal intubation exchange after hyoid surgery. The exchanger used in the present study offers a valid way to achieve airway management in this situation.     

The incidence of bacteraemia associated with tracheal intubation

Expert committees on bacterial endocarditis prophylaxis have provided differing opinions on whether tracheal intubation is an 'at-risk' manipulation. We studied the incidence of bacteraemia after orotracheal and nasotracheal intubation. The study group comprised 110 patients who underwent surgery under general anaesthesia. Venous blood samples were collected from each patient at baseline and 30 s after intubation. Samples were processed with conventional microbiological techniques. Bacteraemia after tracheal intubation was detected in 13 patients (11.8%); six after orotracheal intubation and seven after nasotracheal intubation. Staphylococci and streptococci were the most commonly isolated bacterial species. Seven isolates (54%) were resistant to oxacillin. The incidence of bacteraemia was similar after orotracheal (12.0%) and nasotracheal intubation (11.7%). The recommendation for bacterial endocarditis prophylaxis with flucloxacillin when performing nasotracheal intubation, as put forward by the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, needs further consideration.