Catheter-free method is sufficient for preparation for transnasal endoscopy: randomized controlled trial

Endoscopic meatus scoring scale versus sniff test to predict insertability before transnasal endoscopy: A prospective, randomized study

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Sniff test is a common method before unsedated transnasal esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy (UT-EGD) to select a nostril insertion site. Yet there is no objective method to select a more specific meatus insertion tract for anesthesia and insertion. We devised an endoscopic meatus scoring scale by anterior meatuscopy to select the most optimal meatus insertion tract. We hypothesized that meatuscopy instead of sniff test might improve tolerance and reduce adverse events during nasal anesthesia and UT-EGD.

METHODS

A prospective randomized controlled trial to compare patient tolerance and adverse events.

RESULTS

A total of 359 patients were assessed and finally 310 patients were analyzed. There were no statistical differences in patient characteristics and insertion failure rates. Pain scores during nasal anesthesia, nasal insertion/exsertion, UT-EGD, and overall tolerance were significantly lower in the meatuscopy group than sniff test group. Compared with the sniff tested patients, the meatuscopied patients had significantly lower epistaxis rates during insertion/exsertion, better visual capacity after decongestive anesthesia, and shorter total procedure time. A significantly higher proportion of the meatuscopied than sniff tested patients would like to receive the same procedure next time. Nasal discharge, nasal pain, epistaxis, and blowing out blood clots occurred significantly less frequent in the meatuscopy group than sniff test group. More sniff tested than meatuscopied patients had headache, delayed epistaxis, and sinusitis although they were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

Selection of an optimal meatus insertion tract by an anterior meatuscopy causes lesser nasal pain, epistaxis, and post-procedural side effects in nasal anesthesia and UT-EGD than the conventional sniff test.

Anterior meatuscopy is more reliable than a sniff test for predicting nasal patency before transnasal endoscopy

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS

Unsedated transnasal esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy (UT-EGD) has been performed for at least two decades but many techniques related to the procedure have yet to be standardized. We aimed to develope a simple endoscopic method, anterior meatuscopy, to replace the sniff test for selecting the most patent nasal meatus before UT-EGD. We hypothesized that access to the common nasal meatus (CNM), if confirmed by anterior meatuscopy, was a safer route than the inferior (INM) and middle nasal meatuses (MNM) because it would result in reduced epistaxis, nasal pain, and nasal discharge.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We used anterior meatuscopy and an endoscopic meatus scoring scale (EMSS) to identify the optimal meatus for insertion. We evaluated the EMSS frequency distributions for the INM, CNM, and MNM and the reliability of a sniff test in 1,000 consecutive patients. The adverse effects of passing through the CNM versus the INM and MNM, respectively, were compared.

RESULTS

In the INM and MNM, the EMSS frequencies were grade I > II > III > 0 whereas those in the CNM were grade II > I > 0 > III. A sniff test was not reliable, given its low sensitivity (63.3 %), specificity (67.3 %), positive predictive value (69.1 %), negative predictive value (61.4 %), and accuracy (65.2 %). Although only 9.2 % of our patients had grade III anterior-to-posterior CNMs, passage through this spacious CNM rather than through the MNM or the INM could significantly reduce epistaxis, nasal pain, and nasal discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

Anterior meatuscopy is more reliable than a sniff test before UT-EGD. Transnasal endoscopic passage through the endoscopically patent CNM, if detected by anterior meatuscopy, may prevent epistaxis and nasal pain and minimize nasal discharge.