Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy: Shaping the Future of Airway Diagnostics and Management in Clinical Anesthesia

Abstract

Drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) has emerged as a transformative tool in airway diagnostics and management, offering significant advantages over traditional methods. By inducing sleep through pharmacologic agents, DISE enables real-time visualization of dynamic airway obstructions, providing valuable insights into the site, type, and pattern of airway collapse. This review explores DISE’s role in clinical anesthesia, emphasizing its importance in perioperative airway assessment, especially in patients at risk for difficult intubation or those with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). DISE’s clinical applications include guiding surgical planning, tailoring airway management strategies, and informing non-surgical interventions, such as continuous positive airway pressure or mandibular advancement devices. The review highlights the evidence supporting DISE’s efficacy, reviewing case studies, clinical trials, and outcomes. As DISE continues to evolve, its integration into routine clinical practice holds the potential to revolutionize personalized anesthesia care, ensuring optimal airway management and enhancing patient safety during surgical procedures.