Effect of Nasal Ointment on Epistaxis of Nasotracheal Intubation in Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Nasotracheal intubation is one of the anesthetic procedures required for oral surgery. It allows the surgeon easier access to the surgical site than the orthotracheal intubation. Therefore, nosotracheal intubation is commonly used for general anesthesia for oral and maxillofacial surgery and dental treatment. However, nasotracheal intubation can damage the nasal mucosa in the course of the tube passing through the nostrils, causing epistaxis which is reported as the most common side effect.

In order to reduce these side effects, heating of the tube and use of a tube lubricant immediately before intubation have been recommended in children. However, research on whether the dry state of the mucosa itself contributes to the development of epistaxis is limited. A study in adults reported that pretreatment of the ointment on the mucosa reduced the damage to the mucosa. However, its effect on the incidence of epistaxis in children has not been studied.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of pretreatment of nasal ointment on epistaxis of nasotracheal intubation in children.