-Original-

Development of an Outer Tube That Reduces Nasal Pain and Epistaxis during Transnasal Endoscopy

Hiroshi Makino¹, Satoshi Nomura¹, Tadashi Teramoto², Takashi Tajiri³ and Hiroshi Yoshida³

¹Department of Surgery, Nippon Medical School Tama Nagayama Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
²Machida Icho Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
³Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepato-biliary-pancreatic Surgery, Nippon Medical School Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

Background: Transnasal endoscopy has recently become common in Japan. Although transnasal endoscopy has many advantages, nasal pain and epistaxis are common complaints. To reduce nasal pain and epistaxis, we developed a new tube sheath system for transnasal endoscopy. This new tube sheath system (outer sheath and inner tube), called the Nasal Slider, is produced by TOP Corporation, Japan.
Methods: A tube sheath longer than the nasal concha is inserted to reduce pain along the nasal turbinate. Because the sheath is left in place, tubes can be passed through the nose multiple times without causing additional pain. A total of 34 consecutive patients (mean age 68.1 years; 22 men and 12 females) who had undergone transnasal endoscopy in the past were selected for transnasal endoscopy with the Nasal Slider. After the transnasal endoscopy was completed, patients who gave consent for use of the Nasal Slider were interviewed by using 3 questionnaires on nasal discomfort, nasal pain, and epistaxis.
Results: Because the transnasal endoscope passes inside the sheath, epistaxis can be prevented. Thirty of 34 selected patients underwent transnasal endoscopy using the Nasal Slider. Twenty-seven and 28 patients reported feeling less nasal discomfort and pain, respectively, with the Nasal Slider than during examinations without the Nasal Slider. No epistaxis developed in any patient examined with the Nasal Slider.
Conclusions: The Nasal Slider appears to reduce nasal pain and epistaxis during transnasal endoscopy and is currently used in many hospitals in Japan.

J Nippon Med Sch 2021; 88: 516-523

Keywords
transnasal endoscopy, nasal pain, epistaxis, outer tube

Correspondence to
Hiroshi Makino, Department of Surgery, Nippon Medical School Tama Nagayama Hospital, 1-7-1 Nagayama, Tama, Tokyo 206-8512, Japan
himiyumo@nms.ac.jp

Received, October 7, 2020
Accepted, January 6, 2021