Comparing Sevoflurane Sedation and Nerve Blocks for Awake Fiberoptic Intubation in Difficult Airway Patients

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to compare patient satisfaction and intubating conditions during fiberoptic intubation performed under two different methods for patients with difficult airways. The study focuses on adults ages 18 to 50 who have anticipated difficult intubation due to airway anatomy or pathology. Awake fiberoptic intubation AFOI usually requires a calm and cooperative patient with reduced airway reflexes, and sedative or anxiolytic agents are used to help achieve comfort without affecting breathing. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will have fiberoptic intubation under sevoflurane sedation, while the other will receive bilateral Superior Laryngeal Nerve blocks and Recurrent Laryngeal nerve blocks with 2% Xylocaine before intubation. Both approaches are intended to facilitate the procedure in difficult airway cases, and the trial compares these methods for patient comfort and procedural conditions. During the study, several measures will be taken including patient satisfaction immediately after intubation, intubation time, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and patient tolerance to endoscopy and intubation. These assessments will happen during and shortly after the procedure to evaluate the experience and physiological responses. The entire process involves careful monitoring to assess the safety and comfort of both approaches in this patient group.

Sevoflurane Sedation as an Alternative for Awake Fiberoptic Intubation in Difficult Airway Patients