The Routine Use of Nasopharyngeal Airway in the Setting of Monitored Anesthesia Care During Gastrointestinal Endoscopy: A Multi-center Randomized Controlled Trial

Monitored anesthesia care (MAC) is currently the dominant method of endoscopic sedation for approximately one third of all US gastroenterologists. The popularity and success of MAC can be ascribed to many factors including increased patient turnover and improved patient satisfaction. Patients undergoing MAC maintain spontaneous breathing and routinely receive supplemental oxygen. In case of airway obstruction, additional airway adjuncts may be used such as supraglottic airway devices including oropharyngeal airway, nasopharyngeal airway, laryngeal mask, etc. A nasopharyngeal airway (NPA) is a simple device that can be conveniently inserted into the supraglottic airway to secure an open passage. This is a prospective, multi-center, single-blinded randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of the routine use of NPA in preventing airway obstruction during deep sedation. Patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy under monitored anesthesia care using target-controlled infusion of propofol at AUBMC will be randomly and equally apportioned to the NPA (group A) or nasal cannula group (group B). Episodes of desaturation, airway maneuvers, hemodynamic instability, adverse events related to NPA insertion, duration of the procedure, and the anesthetic dose will be recorded. The satisfaction of the anesthesiologist, gastroenterologist, and patient will be scored. The aim of this study is first to assess the efficacy of NPA in reducing respiratory events, and second, to identify the safety of this device as well as patient, gastroenterologist and anesthesiologist satisfaction.