Oxymetazoline Can Shorten the Time Required for a Bronchoscope to Reach the Vocal Cords in Patients With Turbinate Hypertrophy.
Clin OtolaryngolJun 26, 2026 (epub)
Jie Zhang, Fanliang Meng
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In 30 seconds
This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effects of oxymetazoline on bronchoscopy in 240 patients with turbinate hypertrophy. The study found that oxymetazoline significantly reduced the bronchoscope-to-vocal-cords time to 44.00 seconds compared to 52.00 seconds with saline (p < 0.001), while also improving nasal passage ease and reducing mucosal trauma and pain.
Key findings
- Oxymetazoline reduced bronchoscope-to-vocal-cords time to 44.00 seconds compared to 52.00 seconds with saline (p < 0.001).
- Nasal passage ease improved with oxymetazoline (VAS: 3.00) versus saline (VAS: 5.00, p < 0.001).
- Mucosal trauma was lower in the oxymetazoline group (Trauma VAS: 7.00) compared to saline (Trauma VAS: 9.00, p < 0.001).
- Patients reported lower nasal pain with oxymetazoline (4.00) versus saline (5.50, p < 0.001).
Why it matters
The findings suggest that oxymetazoline can enhance the efficiency and comfort of bronchoscopy in patients with turbinate hypertrophy, potentially leading to better procedural outcomes and patient experiences.