Cone Beam Computed Tomography For Appropriate Nostril Selection for Nasotracheal Intubation

Design: Nasotracheal intubation is a standard blind procedure associated with various complications. Selection of the appropriate nostril is crucial in preventing most of these complications. The investigators aimed to evaluate the contribution of CBCT findings in selecting the proper nostril for nasotracheal intubation.

Methods: This prospective observational study outlines the protocol for research conducted at the Selçuk University Faculty of Dentistry.

Scope of the Research: The study encompasses patients undergoing dental surgery under general anesthesia at the Selçuk University Faculty of Dentistry.

1. Participant Selection: ASA I-II patients will be included in the study. Patients with structural abnormalities in the maxillo-mandibular anatomy, limited mouth opening, comorbidities such as rheumatoid arthritis, and a history of epistaxis will be excluded from the study. 2. Anesthesia Method: General anesthesia induction will be performed with intravenous (IV) propofol, IV rocuronium bromide, and IV fentanyl. Transition to nasotracheal intubation will follow adequate mask ventilation, and the preferred nostril will be determined through a simple occlusion test. 3. Data Collection: Demographic data, accompanying illnesses, medications used, and various parameters related to nasotracheal intubation will be recorded. The anesthetist performing nasotracheal intubation will be blinded to CBCT data, and the evaluation of data will be conducted jointly by the anesthetist and Radiology specialist after data collection from all patients is complete. 4. Exclusion Criteria: Unsuccessful nasotracheal intubation, difficult mask, and/or difficult intubation. 5. Implementation and Evaluation: Anesthesia procedures and CBCT evaluations will be carried out by experienced specialists. 6. The objective of this study is to evaluate the use of preoperative measurements of the nasal cavity from CBCT images in selecting the appropriate nostril for nasotracheal intubation under general anesthesia. The statistical tests to be employed are the chi-squared test and independent samples t-test.