Abstract
To evaluate the effect of apneic oxygenation with a nasal prong during
fiberoptic orotracheal intubation (FOI) in fully relaxed patients, 46 patients,
who underwent tympanomastoidectomy under general anesthesia whose intubation
lasted more than 3 but less than 4 minutes, were studied. Changes of arterial
oxygen tension (PaO2), arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) and vital signs
were measured every minute. Twenty-three patients who underwent FOI in apneic
state without oxygen administration (Group I), showed similar increases in heart
rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) to the other 23 patients who received
5 L/min of apneic oxygenation (Group II) with nasal prong. PaCO2 increased less
and PaO2 decreased less in Group II at 3 minutes. In summary, apneic oxygenation
during fiberoptic orotracheal intubation in fully relaxed patients is useful
because it could delay the onset of hypoxia and hypercarbia, thereby providing
extra time for intubation. And attempts to intubate a fully relaxed patient
could probably be kept at least under 3 minutes.