Effect of general anaesthesia on trismus secondary to dental infection
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Effect of general anaesthesia on trismus secondary to dental infection
IRAS ID
246648
Contact name
William Lindsay
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Dental infections can result in potentially life-threatening complications. Treatment may require surgical intervention. This can often be performed under local anaesthetic but may require a general anaesthetic.
General anaesthesia involves the administration of medications to send a patient to sleep so they are unaware of surgery. When anaesthetised, a patient’s breathing requires special care because of the anaesthetic. Oxygen needs to be provided and other gases eliminated from the lungs. This is achieved by the insertion of a special breathing tube into the windpipe.
Sometimes it can be difficult to insert the breathing tube which can result in an inability to provide oxygen to the patient and potentially cause brain damage or even death. Some reasons for being unable to insert the breathing tube include difficulty opening the patients mouth or swelling of the airway which can be seen in dental infections.
Anaesthetists are trained to assess patients before an anaesthetic to decide if there is likely to be difficulty placing the breathing tube. If difficulty is anticipated there are a number of strategies that can be implemented to ensure a breathing tube can be placed safely.
Dental infection will often result in a reduction in mouth opening as a result of swelling and inflammation. While reduced mouth opening due to other causes, such as a fractured jaw, will often improve following the induction of general anaesthesia it is thought that reduced mouth opening secondary to dental infection does not.
This study aims to measure the mouth opening of patients with dental infection before and after induction of general anaesthesia. This would improve understanding of the effect of dental infection on mouth opening and allow anaesthetists to better highlight patients in whom they might have difficulty placing a breathing tube and implement alternative strategies in order to ensure safe placement.
REC name
London - Chelsea Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/1134
Date of REC Opinion
23 Jun 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion