The Routine Use of Nasopharyngeal Airway in The Setting of Monitored Anesthesia Care During Gastrointestinal Endoscopy: A Multi-Center Single Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial

Monitored anesthesia care (MAC) is commonly used for gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy, allowing patients to breathe spontaneously while sedated. Despite its benefits, MAC is associated with respiratory adverse events, such as desaturation or the need for interventions. Limited studies have examined the effectiveness of nasopharyngeal airways (NPA) in reducing airway maneuvers and improving respiratory stability during MAC. The study evaluates the efficacy and safety of NPA in reducing airway interventions/desaturation in patients undergoing GI endoscopy under MAC.
This multi-center, single-blinded randomized controlled trial involved patients undergoing GI endoscopy under MAC. A total of 329 patients were randomly assigned to either the NPA or control group. Primary outcomes included the incidence of airway interventions or desaturation. Secondary outcomes included adverse events, satisfaction scores of patients and healthcare providers, and the joint effects of NPA use and OSA risk on the occurrence of at least one airway intervention/desaturation.