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Background and Aims: Ambu® AuraGain™ (AG) (Ambu, Ballerup, Denmark) is a supraglottic device which has a design facilitating its use as a conduit for intubation. We designed this prospective observational study to assess the ease of AG placement in paralysed patients, determine its position and alignment to the glottis and assess its utility as a conduit for intubation. Methods: One hundred patients, aged 18–60 years, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I–II, undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia were included in the study. The ease and number of attempts for successful insertion, ease of gastric tube insertion, leak pressures, fibre-optic grade of view, number of attempts and time for tracheal intubation, time for AG removal and complications were recorded. The mean, standard deviation (SD), interquartile range (IQR) and range were calculated. The upper limit of confidence interval for overall failure rate was calculated using Wilson's score method. Results: AG was successfully inserted in all patients. The mean (SD) time taken for insertion was 17.32 (8.48) s. The median [IQR] leak pressures were 24 [20–28] cm of H2O. Optimal laryngeal view for intubation was obtained in 68 patients. Eighty-eight patients could be intubated in the first attempt. Five patients could not be intubated. The overall failure rate of device was 9%. Conclusion: AMBU® AuraGain™ serves as an effective ventilating aid, but caution is suggested before using it as a conduit for endotracheal intubation.

Introduction: Cisatracurium and atracurium are nondepolarising muscle relaxants belonging to benzylisoquinolinium group. Intubating dose of cisatracurium is found to be safer than atracurium owing to the histamine release and resultant respiratory and cardiac side-effects associated with the latter. However, intubating conditions of twice the ED95 dose (2xED95) of cisatracurium are not as satisfactory as equipotent dose of atracurium because of its higher potency. Aim: To compare the time of onset, intubating conditions and mean duration of action of three and four times ED95 doses (3 and 4xED95) of cisatracurium with 2xED95 dose of atracurium so as to find out an ideal intubating dose of cisatracurium that is comparable with 2xED95 of atracurium. Materials and Methods: The present study was a prospective cohort study that included 102 patients who underwent elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. They were divided into three groups of 34 each to receive atracurium 0.5 mg/kg (group A), cisatracurium 0.15 mg/kg (group B) or cisatracurium 0.2 mg/kg (group C) for intubation. Onset and duration of neuromuscular block were assessed using Train Of Four (TOF) stimuli. Total time for intubation and mean intubation scores were also noted. Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 18.0. Qualitative data were compared using Chi-square test and quantitative data compared using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Results: Onset of neuromuscular blockade in groups A, B and C were 292.06±61.486, 204.71±39.407 and 120.88±37.284 seconds (p-value <0.001), respectively. Mean intubation score was highest in group C along with least intubating time (p-value <0.001). The mean duration of action in groups A, B and C were 40.44±5.275, 48.24±5.888 and 63.38±7.659 minutes, respectively (p-value <0.001). Conclusion: The 3 and 4xED95 doses of cisatracurium are superior to 2xED95 dose of atracurium in providing faster onset of action, better intubating conditions, shorter intubation time and longer duration of action. The 4xED95 dose of cisatracurium may be considered for rapid intubation in two minutes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greater understanding of the pathophysiology of carbon dioxide kinetics during steady and nonsteady state should improve, we believe, clinical care during intensive care treatment. Capnography and the measurement of end-tidal partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PETCO2) will gradually be augmented by relatively new measurement methodology, including the volume of carbon dioxide exhaled per breath (VCO2,br) and average alveolar expired PCO2. Future directions include the study of oxygen kinetics.

Purpose: It is unknown if direct epiglottis lifting or conversion to hyperangulated videolaryngoscopes, or even direct epiglottis lifting with hyperangulated videolaryngoscopes, may optimize glottis visualization in situations where Macintosh videolaryngoscopy turns out to be more difficult than expected. This study aims to determine if the percentage of glottic opening (POGO) improvement achieved by direct epiglottis lifting is non-inferior to the one accomplished by a conversion to hyperangulated videolaryngoscopy in these situations., Methods: One or more optimization techniques were applied in 129 difficult Macintosh videolaryngoscopy cases in this secondary analysis of a prospective observational study. Stored videos were reviewed by at least three independent observers who assessed the POGO and six glottis view grades. A linear mixed regression and a linear regression model were fitted. Estimated marginal means were used to analyze differences between optimization maneuvers., Results: In this study, 163 optimization maneuvers (77 direct epiglottis lifting, 57 hyperangulated videolaryngoscopy and 29 direct epiglottis lifting with a hyperangulated videolaryngoscope) were applied exclusively or sequentially. Vocal cords were not visible in 91.5% of the cases with Macintosh videolaryngoscopy, 24.7% with direct epiglottis lifting, 36.8% with hyperangulated videolaryngoscopy and 0% with direct lifting with a hyperangulated videolaryngoscope. Conversion to direct epiglottis lifting improved POGO (mean + 49.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 41.4 to 58.0; p  < 0.001) and glottis view (mean + 2.2 grades; 95% CI 1.9 to 2.5; p  < 0.001). Conversion to hyperangulated videolaryngoscopy improved POGO (mean + 43.7%; 95% CI 34.1 to 53.3; p  < 0.001) and glottis view (mean + 1.9 grades; 95% CI 1.6 to 2.2; p  < 0.001). The difference in POGO improvement between conversion to direct epiglottis lifting and conversion to hyperangulated videolaryngoscopy is: mean 6.0%; 95% CI -6.5-18.5%; hence non-inferiority was confirmed., Conclusion: When Macintosh videolaryngoscopy turned out to be difficult, glottis exposure with direct epiglottis lifting was non-inferior to the one gathered by conversion to hyperangulated videolaryngoscopy. A combination of both maneuvers yields the best result., Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03950934., Competing Interests: MP received a research grant by Verathon Inc., Bothell, WA, USA that is not related to this study. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wünsch, Köhl, Breitfeld, Bauer, Sasu, Siebert, Dankert, Stark, Zöllner and Petzoldt.)

Background: Misplacements of endotracheal and nasogastric tubes are frequent encounters in critically ill patients., Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a single standardised training session on the ability of intensive care registered nurses (RNs) to recognise the misplacement of endotracheal and nasogastric tubes on bedside chest radiographs of patients in intensive care units (ICUs)., Methods: In eight French ICUs, RNs received a 110-min standardised teaching on the position of endotracheal and nasogastric tubes on chest radiographs. Their knowledge was evaluated within the subsequent weeks. For 20 chest radiographs, each with an endotracheal and nasogastric tube, RNs had to indicate whether each tube was in the proper or incorrect position. Training success was defined as >90% for the lower bound of the 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of the mean correct response rate (CRR). Residents of the participating ICUs underwent the same evaluation (without prior specific training)., Results: In total, 181 RNs were trained and evaluated and 110 residents were evaluated. The global mean CRR for RNs was 84.6% (95% CI: 83.3-85.9), significantly higher than for residents (81.4% [95% CI: 79.7-83.2]) (P < 0.0001). The mean CRR for RNs and residents was 95.9% (93.9-98.0) and 97.0% (94.7-99.3) for misplaced nasogastric tubes (P = 0.54), 86.8% (85.2-88.5) and 82.6% (79.4-85.7) (P = 0.07) for nasogastric tubes in the correct position, 86.6% (83.8-89.3) and 62.7% (57.9-67.5) for misplaced endotracheal tubes (P < 0.0001), and 79.1% (76.6-81.6) and 84.7% (82.1-87.2) for endotracheal tubes in the correct position (P = 0.01), respectively., Conclusions: The ability of trained RNs to detect tube misplacement did not reach the predetermined arbitrary level, indicating training success. Their mean CRR was higher than that for residents and was considered satisfactory for detecting misplaced nasogastric tubes. This finding is encouraging but insufficient to ensure patient safety. Transferring responsibility for reading radiographs to detect the misplacement of endotracheal tubes to intensive care RNs will need a more advanced or more in-depth teaching method., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest All authors declare that they have no financial or nonfinancial competing interests directly or indirectly related to the work submitted for publication. Karim Lakhal declares having received, during the past 3 years, congress registration fees from Sanofi Aventis (once in 2018), travel fees from MSD France (once, in 2017), Gilead Sciences (once, in 2017), Pfizer (twice, in 2019 and 2020), and Advanz Pharma/Correvio (twice, in 2020 and once in 2021). Christophe Girault reports grants and nonfinancial support from Fischer & Paykel Healthcare and ResMed Ltd outside the present study., (Copyright © 2023 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Various types and levels of personal protective equipment (PPE) are currently available to protect health-care workers against infectious diseases. However, wearing cumbersome PPE may negatively affect their performance in life-saving procedures. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of wearing extensive PPE, including a powered air-purifying respirator with a loose-fitting hood or an N95 filtering facepiece respirator, on the first-pass success (FPS) rate of endotracheal intubation (ETI) in the emergency department (ED). This study was a single-center, observational before-and-after study of 934 adult (≥18 years old) patients who underwent ETI in the academic ED. The study period was divided into a control period (from 20 January 2019, to 30 September 2019, and from 20 January 2018, to 30 September 2018) and an intervention period (from 20 January 2020, to 30 September 2020). Extensive PPE was not donned during the control period (control group, n = 687) but was donned during the intervention period (PPE group, n = 247). The primary outcome was the FPS rate. We used propensity score matching between the PPE and control groups to reduce potential confounding. Propensity score matching identified 247 cases in the PPE group and 492 cases in the control group. In the matched cohort, no significant difference was found in the FPS rate between the PPE and control groups (83.8% (n = 207) vs. 81.9% (n = 403); p = 0.522). In multivariable analysis, wearing PPE was not associated with the FPS rate (adjusted odds ratio, 0.90; 95% confidence interval, 0.57–1.40; p = 0.629) after adjusting for the level of the intubator (junior resident, senior resident, or emergency medicine (EM) specialist). In conclusion, the FPS rate is not significantly affected by wearing extensive PPE in the ED.

We have shown previously that the 5-lipoxygenase product 5-oxo-6,8, 11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid (5-oxo-ETE) is a highly potent eosinophil chemoattractant in vitro. To determine whether this substance can induce pulmonary eosinophil infiltration in vivo, it was administered to Brown Norway rats by tracheal insufflation. Eosinophils were then counted in lung sections that had been immunostained with an antibody to eosinophil major basic protein. 5-Oxo-ETE induced a dramatic increase in the numbers of eosinophils (ED50, 2.5 microg) around the walls of the airways, which reached maximal levels (five times control levels) between 15 and 24 h after administration, and then declined. LTB4 also induced pulmonary eosinophil infiltration with a similar ED50 but appeared to be somewhat less effective. In contrast, LTD4 and LTE4 were inactive. 5-Oxo-ETE-induced eosinophilia was unaffected by the LTB4 and PAF antagonists LY255283 and WEB 2170, respectively. However, it was inhibited by approximately 75% by monoclonal antibodies to CD49d (VLA-4) or CD11a (LFA-1) but was not significantly affected by an antibody to CD11b (Mac-1). In conclusion, 5-oxo-ETE induces pulmonary eosinophilia in Brown Norway rats, raising the possibility that it may be a physiological mediator of inflammation in asthma.

Introduction. Saber-sheath trachea is a rare malformation of the trachea marked with coronal narrowing with concomitant widening of sagittal diameter, with a sagittal-to-coronal diameter ratio exceeding 2:1. As tracheal rings are stiff and do not collapse around the tube, the intubation is difficult. Case Report. A 53-year-old female was referred to our hospital due to failed intubation at the local hospital during a planned surgery of skin melanoma. The patient was scheduled for surgery in our hospital, her case was presented to a panel of anesthesiologists and she was prepared for surgery. The intubation failed again, even though a video-assisted laryngoscope and endotracheal tube with 5 mm internal diameter was used. The anesthesiologist noticed that the endotracheal tube entered the trachea only 2 cm due to strong resistance, so further intubation was not an option in order to avoid damaging the trachea. The surgery was performed in local anesthesia with analgosedation. Later on, computed tomography was done, because of suspected pathological process compressing trachea, but the radiologist described the anomaly as saber-sheath trachea. One year later, the patient presented with axillary lymph node metastases and needed another surgery. This time the anesthesiologist knew about the trachea malformation, anticipated difficult intubation and used i-gelTM for airway management. Conclusion. Despite the fact that numerous methods have been developed for the purpose of identifying patients at risk of difficult intubation, there are many unexpected airway pathologies that can lead to failed intubation. Adequate preoperative assessment, knowledge of Guidelines for Difficult Intubation Management, availability of supraglottic airway devices, and cooperation between the surgeon and anesthesiologist, are crucial to successful patient management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Front of neck airway (FONA) is the final step to deliver oxygen in the difficult airway management algorithms. The Difficult Airway Society 2015 guidelines have recommended a standardized scalpel cricothyroidotomy technique for an emergency FONA. There is a wide variability in the FONA techniques with disparate approaches and training. We conducted a national postal survey to evaluate current teaching, availability of equipment, experienced surgical help and prevalent attitudes in the face of a can't intubate, can't oxygenate situation. Material and Methods: The postal survey was addressed to airway leads across National Health Service hospitals in the United Kingdom (UK). In the anesthetic departments with no designated airway leads, the survey was addressed to the respective college tutors. A total of 259 survey questionnaires were posted. Results: We received 209 survey replies with an overall response rate of 81%. Although 75% of respondents preferred scalpel cricothyroidotomy, only 28% of the anesthetic departments considered in-house FONA training as mandatory for all grades of anesthetists. Scalpel-bougie-tube kits were available in 95% of the anesthetic departments, either solely or in combination with other FONA devices. Conclusion: The survey has demonstrated that a majority of the airway trainers in the UK would prefer scalpel cricothyroidotomy as emergency FONA. There is a significant variation and deficiency in the current levels of FONA training. Hence, it is important that emergency FONA training is standardized and imparted at a multidisciplinary level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background and Aims: The accuracy of age-, length- and weight-based formulae to predict optimal size of uncuffed tracheal tubes (TTs) in children varies widely. We determined the accuracy of age, length and weight in predicting the size of TT in Indian children, and derived and validated a formula using the best predictor. Methods: In the derivation phase, 100 children aged 1-8 years undergoing general anaesthesia and tracheal intubation with an uncuffed tube were prospectively studied. The correct size of the TT used was confirmed using the leak test. A bootstrap resampling procedure was used to estimate the accuracy of the predictors (age, weight, or length alone; length and age; length and weight; and length, weight and age). The best predictor was used to derive a formula (Paediatric Tube Size Predictor, PTSP) to calculate the size of TT. The accuracy of PTSP was tested in 150 children of the same age group in the validation phase. Results: Length (L (in meters), R2 = 0.61) was the best single predictor of the size of TT and was used to derive the PTSP as internal diameter = 3L + 2.5. In the validation phase, the PTSP predicted the size of TT correctly in 75% of children. Re-intubation was associated with a higher incidence of respiratory morbidity than one-time tracheal intubation. Conclusion: Length of the child predicts the size of an uncuffed TT better than age and weight. The PTSP formula based on length correctly predicts the size of uncuffed TT in 75% of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Apneic nasal oxygenation (ApOx) prolongs the time to desaturation during intubation of adult patients, but there is limited prospective evidence for apneic oxygenation in pediatric patients. Aims: We hypothesized that ApOx during operating room intubation of pediatric patients by inexperienced learners would prolong the interval before desaturation. Methods: This prospective observational study compared intubation data for 196 pediatric surgical patients intubated by learners under baseline practice (no nasal cannula), to 160 patients enrolled after adoption of routine apneic nasal cannula oxygenation at 5 L/min. The primary outcome was elapsed time between anesthetic induction and pulse oximetry (SpO2) falling to 95, if ever. Results: Nasal cannula oxygenation during intubation by learners delayed desaturation to SpO2 95 (risk ratio for this event before intubation 0.05, 95% CI 0.03‐0.09; P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Apneic oxygenation via nasal cannula during intubation of pediatric surgical patients prolongs time before desaturation, thus extending the safe interval for airway management by learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To explore whether the use of endotracheal tube cleaning method can reduce the occurrence of tracheal tube obstruction in children. Methods The prospective,randomized and single blind design was adopted, 324 children patients with mechanical ventilation for more than 48 h in the department of critical care medicine of this hospital from January 2016 to January 2017 were randomly divided into the control group, experimental group 1 (endotracheal catheter internal wall cleaning once daily) and experimental group 2 (endotracheal catheter internal wall cleaning twice daily) by adopting the random number table method, 108 cases in each group. The occurrence rates of tracheal catheter block in various groups were statistically analyzed. Results In control group, the tracheal catheter block occurred in 9 cases(8.33%), but no case of tracheal catheter block occurred in the experimental groups. The occurrence rate of tracheal catheter block had statistically significant difference among 3 groups (P<0.05). Conclusion Endotracheal catheter internal wall cleaning can effectively reduce the incidence rate of tracheal catheter blockage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative sore throat is a common complication of endotracheal intubation; the thicker the endotracheal tube, the higher the frequency of postoperative sore throat. So, we evaluated the effect of benzydamine hydrochloride spray on postoperative sore throat, associated with double-lumen endobronchial intubation. Methods: Sixty patients undergoing thoracic surgery were scheduled and enrolled for intubation, with a double-lumen endobronchial tube. Of these patients, 30 were sprayed with benzydamine hydrochloride (group B), and 30 with normal saline (group N), 10 minutes before intubation was performed. Patients were randomly assigned to the two groups. Blood pressure and heart rate were recorded before, and after endotracheal intubation. Symptoms of sore throat, hoarseness, and dysphagia were examined one hour, as well as 24 hours, after surgery. Results: Incidence of sore throat was 73.3% and 23.3% (P < 0.001) in groups N and B, respectively, at one hour after surgery. In addition, incidence of sore throat at 24 hours after the operation, was also statistically significant (66.6% and 20.0%, P = 0.001). Frequency of dysphagia at one hour, and 24 hours after surgery, was lower in group B. There were no significant differences in heart rate, blood pressure, and hoarseness at 24 hours after surgery between the two groups. Conclusions: In cases wherein a double-lumen endobronchial tube was used, an oropharyngeal spray of benzydamine hydrochloride before tracheal intubation, reduced incidence of postoperative sore throat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current evidence on the safe use of supraglottic airway for pediatric laparoscopic surgeries is limited. Although i-gel has been successfully used in adult laparoscopic surgeries, to our knowledge, no studies have compared it to the endotracheal tube (ETT) in pediatric laparoscopic surgeries. This study evaluated the effectiveness of i-gel over ETT with regards to the respiratory and hemodynamic parameters during pediatric laparoscopic surgeries. Methods: A total of 60 pediatric patients undergoing elective laparoscopic surgeries were randomly allocated to either the i-gel or ETT groups. Anesthetics used included ketamine, sevoflurane, and rocuronium. The primary outcome measured was the peak airway pressure (PAP) and the secondary outcomes measured were leak fraction, endtidal CO2, respiratory rate, insertion time, heart rate, blood pressure and perioperative complications. Results: The PAP during surgeries was higher in the ETT group than in the i-gel group. There were no statistically significant differences in the leak fraction, end-tidal CO2, and respiratory rate. The i-gel group had a shorter insertion time compared with the ETT group. The changes in heart rate were comparable in both groups. However, systolic and diastolic pressures were higher in the ETT group following intubation, before and after the creation of pneumoperitoneum. The incidence of perioperative complications was similar in both groups. Conclusions: The i-gel provided adequate ventilation with lower PAP compared with ETT. In addition, it provided minimal hemodynamic changes compared with ETT. Therefore, the i-gel may provide a suitable alternative to ETT in pediatric laparoscopic surgeries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract Ending the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic by 2030 was recently listed in the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals alongside HIV/AIDS and malaria as it continues to be a major cause of death worldwide. With a significant proportion of TB cases caused by resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), there is an urgent need to develop new and innovative approaches to treatment. Since 1989, researchers have been assessing the anti-bacterial effects of the active metabolite of vitamin A, all trans -Retinoic acid (ATRA) solution, in Mtb models. More recently the antibacterial effect of ATRA has been shown to regulate the immune response to infection via critical gene expression, monocyte activation and the induction of autophagy leading to its application as a host-directed therapy (HDT). Inhalation is an attractive route for targeted treatment of TB, and therefore we have developed ATRA-loaded microparticles (ATRA-MP) within the inhalable size range (2.07 ± 0.5 µm) offering targeted delivery of the encapsulated cargo (70.5 ± 2.3%) to the site of action within the alveolar macrophage, which was confirmed by confocal microscopy. Efficient cellular delivery of ATRA was followed by a reduction in Mtb growth (H37Ra) in THP-1 derived macrophages evaluated by both the BACT/ALERT® system and enumeration of colony forming units (CFU). The antibacterial effect of ATRA-MP treatment was further assessed in BALB/c mice infected with the virulent strain of Mtb (H37Rv). ATRA-MP treatments significantly decreased the bacterial burden in the lungs alongside a reduction in pulmonary pathology following just three doses administered intratracheally. The immunomodulatory effects of targeted ATRA treatment in the lungs indicate a distinct yet effective mechanism of action amongst the formulations. This is the first study to-date of a controlled release ATRA treatment for TB suitable for inhalation that offers improved targeting of a HDT, retains antibacterial efficacy and improves pulmonary pathology compared to ATRA solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: During routine preoperative assessment of patients one of the commonest practices is predicting difficulty of intubation. The present study was undertaken to evaluate parameters associated with difficult intubation and to test on new set of patients. At the end, to form simple predictive rule to decreased the number of false alarms. Material and Methods: In initial series of 483 Indian population patients we measured age, sex, weight, height, interincisor gap, mandibular length, neck movement, neck circumference, subluxation of mandible, sternocricoid distance, and identified factors associated with difficult intubation. These were applied on next 480 patients of prospective series and simple predictive rule in form of risk sum score was developed. Results: After analyzing initial series data we found that weight (P = 0.033), height (P = 0.034), interincisor gap (P = 0.005), subluxation (P < 0.001), neck movement (P < 0.001), and sternocricoid distance (P = 0.020) were significantly associated with difficult intubation. These six factors were applied on next set of 480 patients to found accuracy of predicting difficult intubation of weight (51.7%), height (83.8%), interincisor gap (80.2%), subluxation (77.7%), neck movement (82.7%), and sternocricoid distance (79.2). Total score greater than 2 predicted 92.8% of difficult laryngoscopies correctly as against 33.9% would be falsely labeled as difficult. Conclusion: Interincisor gap and sternocricoid distance are the two most sensitive factors predicting difficult intubation in Indian patients. However, risk sum score of more than 6 may lead to better anticipation of truly difficult intubations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of some microorganisms in the respiratory tract is a known risk factor for the infection of air passages; however, it is not clear whether this holds true for Candida spp. Thus, our objective was to determine the frequency of yeast colonization in the tracheobronchial secretions of critically ill intubated patients and to assess the presence of these yeasts in the infra-cuff region of the endotracheal tube (ET). Patients aged 18 years or older who had been using an endotracheal tube for 48 hours were recruited. Tracheal secretions were collected; after extubation, the ETs were cut into two fragments in the infra-cuff region. One of these fragments was placed in a solution containing antibiotics and sent to the lab for culture and identification of yeasts. The remaining fragment was fixed and subjected to scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In total, 20 patients with an average age of 73.3 years (± 13.1) participated in this study. These patients remained under endotracheal intubation and invasive mechanical ventilation for an average of 6.4 (± 1.8) and 13.5 days (± 15), respectively. Of these patients, 45 % showed respiratory tract colonization by yeasts of the Candida genus, with C. albicans being the most frequently isolated species (66.7 %). Moreover, in almost 90 % of these patients, blastoconidia of the same yeast were found in the infra-cuff portion of the ET, as evidenced by SEM, strongly fixed on the ET surface. Yeasts isolated from both the infra-cuff region and the tracheobronchial secretions were susceptible to amphotericin B and fluconazole. In conclusion, our results show that the frequency of colonization by yeasts of the Candida genus in the tracheobronchial secretions of intubated patients within 48 hours is high, and that these species can also be found as a biofilm on the ET surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant progress has been made over the last half-century in delivering therapeutics by the pulmonary route. Inhaled therapeutics are administered to humans using metered-dose inhalers, nebulizers, or dry powder inhalers, and each device requires a different formulation strategy for the therapeutic to be successfully delivered into the lung. In recent years, there has been a shift to the use of dry powder inhalers due to advantages in the consistency of the dose delivered, ease of administration, and formulation stability. Numerous preclinical studies, involving small and large animals, have evaluated dry powder drugs, vaccines, and immunotherapeutics delivered by the pulmonary route. These studies used different dry powder delivery devices including nose-only, whole-body, and intratracheal administration systems, each of which works with different aerosolization mechanisms. Unfortunately, these delivery platforms usually lead to variable powder deposition in the respiratory tract of animals. In this review, we will discuss obstacles and variables that affect successful pulmonary delivery and uniform powder deposition in the respiratory tract, such as the type of delivery device, dry powder formulation, and the animal model used. We will conclude by outlining factors that enhance the reproducible deposition of dry powders in the respiratory tract of preclinical animal models and identifying knowledge and technology gaps within the field. We will also outline the important factors necessary for successful translation of studies performed in preclinical models to humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Hypoxemia is a common complication during tracheal intubation of critically ill adults and is a frequently used endpoint in airway management research. Identifying patients likely to experience low oxygen saturations during tracheal intubation may be useful for clinical practice and clinical trials.Objectives: To identify risk factors for lower oxygen saturations and severe hypoxemia during tracheal intubation of critically ill adults and develop prediction models for lowest oxygen saturation and hypoxemia.Methods: Using data on 433 intubations from two randomized trials, we developed linear and logistic regression models to identify preprocedural risk factors for lower arterial oxygen saturations and severe hypoxemia between induction and 2 minutes after intubation. Penalized regression was used to develop prediction models for lowest oxygen saturation after induction and severe hypoxemia. A simplified six-point score was derived to predict severe hypoxemia.Results: Among the 433 intubations, 426 had complete data and were included in the model. The mean (standard deviation) lowest oxygen saturation was 88% (14%); median (interquartile range) was 93% (83-98%). Independent predictors of severe hypoxemia included hypoxemic respiratory failure as the indication for intubation (odds ratio [OR], 2.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.58-4.60), lower oxygen saturation at induction (OR, 0.92 per 1% increase; 95% CI, 0.89-0.96 per 1% increase), younger age (OR, 0.97 per 1-year increase; 95% CI, 0.95-0.99 per 1-year increase), higher body mass index (OR, 1.03 per 1 kg/m2; 95% CI, 1.00-1.06 per 1 kg/m2), race (OR, 4.58 for white vs. black; 95% CI, 1.97-10.67; OR, 4.47 for other vs. black; 95% CI, 1.19-16.84), and operator with fewer than 100 prior intubations (OR, 2.83; 95% CI, 1.37-5.85). A six-point score using the identified risk factors predicted severe hypoxemia with an area under the receiver operating curve of 0.714 (95% CI, 0.653 to 0.778).Conclusions: Lowest oxygen saturation and severe hypoxemia during tracheal intubation in the intensive care unit can be accurately predicted using routinely available preprocedure clinical data, with saturation at induction and hypoxemic respiratory failure being the strongest predictors. A simple bedside score may identify patients at risk for hypoxemia during intubation to help target preventative interventions and facilitate enrichment in clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Airway-related problems are the most common perioperative complications in pediatric anesthesia and, among them, the most significant is laryngospasm. The type of device used to secure the airway has been found to be among the factors responsible for this outcome. Objective: To determine whether the use of the classic laryngeal mask (LM) creates a non-inferior risk of laryngospasm compared with the use of the endotracheal tube (ET) in children. Method: Non-inferiority, controlled, double-blind clinical trial with random assignment that included 260 children ages 2 to 14 years, American Society of Anaesthesiology I to III, taken to surgical procedures under general anesthesia. The primary outcome was the development of laryngospasm, and the need to exchange devices, airway trauma, and other respiratory complications were assessed as secondary outcomes. A 10% non-inferiority margin was selected for the difference between the 2 devices. Results: A total of 270 patients were recruited, and 135 were assigned to each group. Laryngospasm occurred in 3.3% of the patients, with an incidence of 5.2% in the LM group versus 1.5% for the ET group, for a difference of 3.7% and a 95% confidence interval (-0.7%, 7.9%). No differences were found among bradycardia, cardiac arrest, and death outcomes. Conclusion: The use of LM in children 2 to 14 years of age taken to various surgical procedures is not inferior or superior to ET in terms of the development of laryngospasm. Trial Resgistration: Clincaltrials.gov, NCT01288248. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postintubation sequels (PIS) are a cause of serious concern in the postoperative period. Aim: The aim of this study is to find the influence of preoperative inhaled steroid and technique of muscle relaxation on PIS. Settings and Design: This prospective, exploratory pilot study was conducted on 120 adult American Society of Anesthesiologist physical status Class I and II patients undergoing general anesthesia (GA) with muscle relaxation and cuffed endotracheal tube (ETT) insertion. Patients and Methods: Patients were randomized into four groups as follows: intermittent muscle relaxation with preanesthetic inhalation of either distilled water puffs (Group ID) or fluticasone puffs (Group IF); continuous infusion of muscle relaxant with preanesthetic inhalation of either distilled water puffs (Group CD) or fluticasone puffs (Group CF). After induction of GA, ETT was inserted. The intra-cuff pressure was maintained constant. The trachea was extubated in the light plane in intermittent groups and in the deep plane in continuous groups. Statistical Analysis: Qualitative parameters were compared using the Chi-square test and quantitative parameters using repeated measure ANOVA followed by Tukey's test. Results: Group CF had significantly less incidence of sore throat and hoarseness compared to groups ID and IF. The severity of sore throat was more in groups ID and IF than in groups CF and CD (P < 0.002). The severity of hoarseness was least in group CF (23.3%) and highest in group IF (90%). None of the patients had a cough in group CF. The incidence and severity of dysphagia were significantly less in group CF as compared to other groups (P < 0.005 and P < 0.008, respectively). Conclusion: Continuous infusion of muscle relaxant with extubation in deep plane of anesthesia with preanesthetic inhalation of fluticasone puffs results in lesser incidence and severity of PIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of high-flow nasal cannula in the prevention of intubation and re-intubation in critically ill patients compared to conventional oxygen therapy or noninvasive ventilation. Methods: This systematic review was performed through an electronic database search of articles published from 1966 to April 2018. The primary outcome was the need for intubation or re-intubation. The secondary outcomes were therapy escalation, mortality at the longest follow-up, hospital mortality and the need for noninvasive ventilation. Results: Seventeen studies involving 3,978 patients were included. There was no reduction in the need for intubation or re-intubation with high-flow nasal cannula (OR 0.72; 95%CI 0.52 - 1.01; p = 0.056). There was no difference in the need for therapy escalation (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.59 - 1.08, p = 0.144), mortality at the longest follow-up (OR 0.94; 95%CI 0.70 - 1.25; p = 0.667), hospital mortality (OR 0.84; 95%CI 0.56 - 1.26; p = 0.391) or noninvasive ventilation (OR 0.64, 95%CI 0.39 - 1.05, p = 0.075). In the trial sequential analysis, the number of events included was lower than the optimal information size with a global type I error > 0.05. Conclusion: In the present study and setting, high-flow nasal cannula was not associated with a reduction of the need for intubation or re-intubation in critically ill patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerium is a rare earth lanthanide and a strong oxidizing agent. It has got a wide range of application from engendering to medicinal field. Potential amount of harm also reported about this particle. Recent days it is used as diesel fuel additive and doped with yttrium and zirconium nanoparticles to increase its oxygen caring capacity. Hence a study designed to study about the impact on the environment taking rat as model. A total no of 36 rats were taken and divided into six groups contains six animals each. Control animals served with normal saline and treatment animals administered intratracheally with 4 and 8 mg/kg body weight of this particles. The higher dose group showed increased levels of hemoglobin but other parameters had no significant difference among any group. The increased level of hemoglobin was suggestive of blood vascular changes.

Background and Aims: GlideScope video laryngoscope (GVL) and intubating laryngeal mask airway (I-LMA) may be used to facilitate intubation and secure the airway in patients with normal and abnormal airways. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether (GVL) and (I-LMA) facilitate and improve the tracheal intubation success rate and could be learned and performed easily by paramedic students when compared with Macintosh direct laryngoscopy (DL). Methods: This study was a prospective, randomised crossover trial that included 100 paramedic students. Macintosh DL, I-LMA and GVL were tested in both normal and difficult airway scenarios. Each participant was allowed up to three intubation attempts with each device, in each scenario. The time required to perform tracheal intubation, the success rate, number of intubation attempts and of optimisation manoeuvres and the severity of dental trauma were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using Chi-square, one-way ANOVA, or Kruskal-Wallis test as appropriate, followed by post hoc test. Results: GVL and I-LMA required less time to successfully perform tracheal intubation, showed a greater success rate of intubation, reduced the number of intubation attempts and optimization manoeuvres required and reduced the severity of dental trauma compared to Macintosh DL in both normal and difficult airway scenarios. Conclusion: GVL and I-LMA provide better airway management than Macintosh DL in both normal and difficult airway scenarios.

Ricin, a plant-derived toxin originating from the seeds of Ricinus communis (castor bean plant), is one of the most lethal toxins known. To date, there is no approved post-exposure therapy for ricin exposures. This work demonstrates for the first time the therapeutic efficacy of equine-derived anti-ricin F(ab’)2 antibodies against lethal pulmonary and systemic ricin exposures in swine. While administration of the antitoxin at 18 h post-exposure protected more than 80% of both intratracheally and intramuscularly ricin-intoxicated swine, treatment at 24 h post-exposure protected 58% of the intramuscular-exposed swine, as opposed to 26% of the intratracheally exposed animals. Quantitation of the anti-ricin neutralizing units in the anti-toxin preparations confirmed that the disparate protection conferred to swine subjected to the two routes of exposure stems from variance between the two models. Furthermore, dose response experiments showed that approximately 3 times lesser amounts of antibody are needed for high-level protection of the intramuscularly compared to the intratracheally intoxicated swine. This study, which demonstrates the high-level post-exposure efficacy of anti-ricin antitoxin at clinically relevant time-points in a large animal model, can serve as the basis for the formulation of post-exposure countermeasures against ricin poisoning in humans.

RESUMO Objetivo: identificar os fatores associados à disfagia em pacientes submetidos à intubação orotraqueal prolongada (IOTp) e as consequências pós-extubação. Métodos: participaram do estudo 150 pacientes submetidos à IOTp, avaliados segundo o nível funcional da deglutição (American Speech Language - Hearing Association National Outcome Measurement System - ASHA NOMS), a determinação da gravidade (The Simplified Acute Physiology Score - SOFA) e a coleta das seguintes variáveis: idade, mortalidade, dias de intubação orotraqueal, número de atendimentos para introdução da alimentação oral e dias para alta hospitalar. Os pacientes foram agrupados de acordo com a classificação do ASHA: 1 (níveis 1 e 2), 2 (níveis 3, 4 e 5) e 3 (níveis 6 e 7). Resultados: as análises indicaram as seguintes variáveis associadas a pior funcionalidade da deglutição: idade (p

Floppy epiglottis in an adult is rare and often pathological. Airway obstruction caused by floppy epiglottis in an adult is rarely reported. Neck mass, however, can affect the airway in many ways; however, inducible upper airway obstruction by extra‑laryngeal neck mass is hardly been reported. In most of the instances of inducible laryngeal obstruction, the tumor is found in and around the laryngeal inlet. Herein, we report such an unusual incident happened to a 40‑year‑old gentleman, a case of oral carcinoma for 3 months and a rapidly increasing swelling (6 × 5 cm) over the right side of the neck for 8 days. He presented to us for emergency tracheostomy with the feature of acute upper airway obstruction, unable to lie down; and having difficulty in breathing, desaturation, and chocking even in propped up position. The case highlights the importance of clinical findings and difficulties faced for airway management in such patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endotracheal suctioning (ETS) is an essential procedure performed for mechanically ventilated patients. ETS can be either performed by open or closed suctioning system (CSS). There may be some concern on how closed-system ETS is practiced by intensive care nurses. This study was designed to investigate closed-system ETS practices of critical care nurses and to compare their practice with standard recommendations. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted during August and December 2012 to establish how critical care nurses (N = 40) perform different steps in a typical ETS practice and to compare it with the current best practice recommendations through a 23-item structured checklist. The results were categorized into three sections: Pre-suctioning, suctioning, and post-suctioning practices. Results: Pre-suctioning, suctioning, and post-suctioning practices mean scores were 7.5, 11.75, and 8.5, respectively, out of 16, 16, and 12, respectively. The total suctioning practice score was 27.75 out of 44. Most discrepancies were observed in the patients' assessment and preparation, infection control practices, and use of an appropriate catheter. Spearman correlation coefficient indicated a significant statistical positive correlation between suctioning education period and suctioning practice score (P < 0.0001) and between working experience and suctioning practice score (P = 0.02). Conclusions: The findings revealed that critical care nurses do not fully adhere to the best practice recommendation in CSS. We recommend that standard guidelines on ETS practice be included in the current education of critical care nurses.

Aim: To explore what factors determine communication with awake intubated critically ill patients from the point of view of critical care nursing professionals., Background: Impaired communication frequently affects mechanically ventilated patients with artificial airways in the intensive care unit. Consequences of communication breaches comprise emotional and ethical aspects as well as clinical safety, affecting both patients and their conversation partners. Identification of determining factors in communication with awake intubated patients is needed to design effective action strategies., Design: A qualitative phenomenological approach was used., Methods: Semi-structured interviews were used as the data collection method. A total of 11 participants from three intensive care units of three Majorcan public hospitals, selected by purposive sampling, were interviewed., Findings: Three major themes regarding the communication determinants of the awake intubated critically ill patients were identified from the interviewees' statements: factors related to the patient (physical and cognitive functionality to communicate, their relational and communicative style and their personal circumstances), to the context (family presence, ICU characteristics, workload, availability/adequacy of communication aids, features of the messages and communication situations) and, finally, those related to the professionals themselves (professional experience and person-centredness)., Conclusions: The present study reveals determinants that influence communication with the awake intubated patient, as there are attitudes and professional beliefs., Relevance to Clinical Practice: The discovery of relations between different kinds of determinants (of patient, context or professionals) provides a multi-factor perspective on the communicative problem which should be considered in the design of new approaches to improve communicative effectiveness. This study is reported according to the COREQ checklist.