Objective: To access the feasibility and safety of application of flexible laryngeal mask airway (FLMA) in oral & maxillofacial day surgery.
Methods: Retrospective study was conducted of 40 oral & maxillofacial day surgery patients (3 to 61 years of age) using FLMA under general anaesthesia in Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology. All the patients were with American Society of Anesthesiologists(ASA) physical status I-II,including 19 males and 21 females. The patients'vital signs were recorded at five different time points: baseline before anesthesia (T0), time right after the FLMA insertion (T1), time at incision (T2), 15 min after incision (T3) and time at the end of the operation (T4). The first attempted FLMA insertion successful rate and the number of timed of changing to endotracheal intubation were recorded. During operation, frequencies of movement, hypoxia and obstruction of airway were noted and the operation time, anesthesia time, time from the end of the operation to extubation, movement and coughing following extubation and sore throat within 24 h were taken down. Operation-related complications of bleeding, hematoma and injury of local nerves were recorded within 24 h as well.
Results: The operations of all the 40 patients were successfully done under general anaesthesia. The 36(90%, 36/40)patients using FLMA successfully were under steady process, including 16 males and 20 females. The first attempted successful rate of FLMA insertion was 80% (32/40), and the second 50% (4/8). Three out of the 4 failed FLMA patients were changed to endotracheal intubation after the second attempt failed. The other patient was changed to endotracheal intubation before operation because of leak. The average operation time was (46.58 ± 22.57) min, the anesthesia time was (77.97 ± 26.82) min and the time from the end of operation to extubation was (8.31 ± 3.33) min. All the patients were recorded without obvious body movement during the operation procedure. There were 4 patients (11.11%, 4/36) with slight body movement during extubation. The incidence of sore throat was 13.89% (5/36) within 24 h postoperatively. There were no complications of bleeding, hematoma and injury of local nerves. The vital signs of baseline T0 were significantly different from those at other time points T1, T2, T3, and T4 (P<0.01). As to the hearts rate after anesthesia, the values at T1, T2, T3 and T4 for two-two comparison, there was no statistical difference (P>0.05). As to the values of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure after anesthesia at T1 and T4, T2 and T3, for two-two comparison, there was no statistical difference (P>0.05). As to the respiratory rate from the start of the surgery, the values at T2, T3 and T4 showed no statistical difference (P>0.05).
Conclusion: Flexible laryngeal mask airway is a supraglottic airway management method. It is suitable and safe for securing the airway in oral & maxillofacial day surgery. The advantages of fewer haemodynamic changes and postoperative complications are confirmed.