Effect of mechanical dilation on nasotracheal intubation

Various techniques, both chemical and mechanical, have been proposed to decrease trauma and hemorrhage associated with nasotracheal intubation. Nasotracheal intubation was performed on 44 healthy patients scheduled for oral surgical procedures to determine whether incremental dilation with nasopharyngeal airways helps to decrease nasal passage hemorrhage during nasotracheal intubation. Twenty men and 24 women were randomly assigned to dilated or nondilated groups. Repeated passage of the nasopharyngeal airway and nasotracheal tube over relatively friable nasal mucosa accounted for increased hemorrhage in the dilated group. For routine nasotracheal intubation of healthy patients, dilation with nasopharyngeal airways needlessly adds time, trauma, and hemorrhage to the induction of anesthesia.