Anesthesia and analgesia
-
Although the nasopharynx is a commonly used temperature-monitoring site during general anesthesia, it is unknown whether the position of nasopharyngeal temperature probes placed blindly by anesthesia practitioners is optimal. The purposes of this study were (1) to determine where the nasopharyngeal mucosa is in closest proximity to the internal carotid artery (ICA) and (2) to evaluate the tip position of nasopharyngeal temperature probes that were placed by anesthesiology residents and nurse anesthetists. ⋯ The closest portion of the nasopharyngeal mucosa to the ICA is within the upper or mid-nasopharynx. The depth from the nares to the upper one-third of the nasopharynx is approximately 10 cm. Less than half of nasopharyngeal temperature probes placed blindly by practitioners were optimally positioned.