title: Submental orotracheal intubation: Our experience and review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In maxillofacial injuries, a choice has often to be made between different ways of intubation when surgical access to fractured nasal bone and simultaneous establishment of occlusion are required. We report our experience with submental intubation in the airway management of complex maxillofacial trauma patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the outcome of airway management in patients with complex maxillofacial fracture by submental intubation, time required for intubation, accidental extubation, postoperative complications, and to discuss indications, contraindications, advantages and disadvantages of submental intubation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study is designed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of seven patients who underwent submental intubation from December 2008 to June 2010 were reviewed and no statistical analysis was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of the procedure all seven patients were extubated without any complications. Postoperatively only one patient presented with superficial infection of the submental wound.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Submental endotracheal intubation is a simple technique with very low morbidity and can be used as an alternative to tracheostomy in selected cases of maxillofacial trauma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, V.S.P.M's Dental College and Research, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Ramakrishna S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Shenoi
authors.forename: Samprati J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Badjate
authors.forename: Nilima J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Budhraja
keywords: Panfacial trauma; submental orotracheal intubation; tracheostomy; transmylohyoid intubation