Submental intubation in oral maxillofacial surgery: review of the literature and analysis of 13 cases.

Objectives: Various different methods of intubation are suitable for facial trauma cases. A choice often has to be made between orotracheal and nasotracheal when surgical access to the nasal or oral cavity is necessary. This work presents our current experience using submental intubation in the airway management of facial trauma patients.

Study Design: From July 2003 to February 2005, 13 sufferers from facial trauma benefited from submental intubation. All the patients were males and the ages ranged from 19 to 35 years (mean, 27 years).

Results: In all the patients, the submental intubation permitted simultaneous reduction and fixation of all fractures and intraoperative control of the dental occlusion without interference from the tube during the operation. There was only one intra-operative complication, when the tracheal pressure increased as a result of deviation and compression of the tube. No post-operative complications were reported.

Conclusion: Submental intubation is a simple, secure and effective procedure for operative airway control in major maxillofacial traumas.