• S A Pierpoint and J L Burke.
• (MBChB, FCA(SA), MMed (Stell)), Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Stellenbosch, Tygerberg Hospital, Francie Van Zyl Drive, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: scott.pierpoint@gmail.com.
• J Clin Anesth. 2023 Sep 1; 88: 111126111126.

Study ObjectiveInvestigate a low-cost, nasopharyngeal apnoeic oxygenation technique, establish its efficacy, and compare it to preoxygenation only in an obese population. The study's hypothesis was that nasopharyngeal apnoeic oxygenation at 18 l.min-1 would significantly prolong safe apnoea time compared to preoxygenation alone.DesignRandomised controlled study.SettingTheatre complex of a resource constrained hospital.Patients30 adult, obese (BMI ≥ 35 kg.m-2) patients presenting for elective surgery. Patients with limiting cardio-respiratory disease, suspected difficult airway, risk of aspiration, and that were pregnant, were excluded. Patients were allocated by block randomisation in a 1:2 ratio to a preoxygenation-only (No-AO) and an intervention group (NPA-O2).InterventionsAll patients were preoxygenated to an Et-O2 > 80%, followed by a standardised induction. The intervention group received oxygen at 18 l.min-1 via the nasopharyngeal catheter intervention. The desaturation process was documented until an SpO2 of 92% or 600 s was reached.MeasurementsBaseline demographic and clinical characteristics were collected. The primary outcome was safe apnoea time, defined as the time taken to desaturate to an SpO2 of 92%. Secondary outcomes were rate of carbon dioxide accumulation and factors affecting the risk of desaturation.Main ResultsThe study was conducted in a morbidly obese population (NoAO = 41,1 kg.m-2; NPA-O2 = 42,5 kg.m-2). The risk of desaturation was signifantly lower in the intervention group (Hazzard Ratio = 0,072, 95% CI[0,019-0,283]) (Log-Rank test, p < 0.001). The median safe apnoea time was significantly longer in the intervention group (NoAO = 262 s [IQR 190-316]; NPA-O2 = 600 s [IQR 600-600]) (Mann-Whitney-U test, p < 0.001). The mean rate of CO2 accumalation was significantly slower in the intervention group (NoAO = 0,47 ± 0,14 kPa.min-1; NPA-O2 = 0,3 ± 0,09 kPa.min-1) (t-test, p = 0.003). There were no statistically significant risk factors associated with an increased risk of desaturation found.ConclusionsNasopharyngeal apnoeic oxygenation at 18 l/min prolongs safe apnoea time, compared to preoxygenation alone, and reduces the risk of desaturation in morbidly obese patients.Clinical Trial RegistrationPACTR202202665252087; WC/202004/007.Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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