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Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC) has emerged as a promising alternative to surgical lung biopsy for the diagnosis of interstitial lung disease. However, uncertainty remains regarding its overall complications due to a lack of procedural standardization including the size of cryoprobe utilized.This is a prospective cohort study of a protocolized transbronchial cryobiopsy program utilizing a 2.4 mm cryoprobe. 201 consecutive subjects were enrolled at a single academic center.The average biopsy size was 106.2 ± 39.3 mmA protocolized transbronchial cryobiopsy program utilizing a 2.4 mm cryoprobe in can achieve a high diagnostic yield with a favorable safety profile.

Background:A significant number of patients with severe respiratory failure related to COVID-19 require prolonged mechanical ventilation. Minimal data exists regarding the timing, safety, and efficacy of combined bedside percutaneous tracheostomy and endoscopy gastrostomy tube placement in these patients. The safety for healthcare providers is also in question. This study’s objective was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of combined bedside tracheostomy and gastrostomy tube placement in COVID-19 patients.Methods:This is a single arm, prospective cohort study in patients with COVID-19 and acute respiratory failure requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation who underwent bedside tracheostomy and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube placement. Detailed clinical and procedural data were collected. Descriptive statistics were employed and time to event curves were estimated and plotted using the Kaplan Meier method for clinically relevant pre-specified endpoints.Results:Fifty-eight patients were included. Nearly 90% of the patients received pronation therapy and 52% of patients underwent extracorporeal membrane oxygenation evaluation. The median total intensive care unit length of stay was 29 days (24.7-33.3) with a median of 10 days (6.3-13.7) post-procedure. Nearly 88% of patients were weaned from mechanical ventilation post-procedure at a median of 9 days (6-12); 94% of these were decannulated. Sixty-day mortality was 10.3%. Almost 90% of patients were discharged alive from the hospital. No transfer out of the intensive care unit was required and a median of 3 healthcare personnel per procedure were present.Conclusions:This study shows that survival of critically ill COVID-19 patients after tracheostomy and gastrostomy was nearly 90%. The time-to-event curves are encouraging regarding time to weaning, downsizing, decannulation and discharge. A combined procedure minimizes the risk of virus transmission to healthcare providers in addition to decreasing the number of anesthetic episodes, transfusions, and transfers patients must undergo.

Benign central airway obstruction (CAO) is responsible for significant morbidity due to dyspnea and impaired quality of life. While iatrogenic causes, including stenosis after endotracheal intubation, tracheostomy tube placement, and surgery, account for the majority of cases of benign CAO, there are a multitude of other causes including infections, inflammatory disorders, extrinsic compression, benign endobronchial tumors, and tracheobronchomalacia. The approach to management depends on the underlying process responsible for the disorder and may include systemic therapy, endoscopic therapy, and surgery. In this review, we aim to provide a general overview of the presentation, evaluation, and management of nonmalignant CAO followed by a more in-depth review of several of the more common causes of this disorder.

Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Exhaled Nitric Oxide Concentrations in Medical Residents Taking Night Call Background: Exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) is considered a biomarker for airway inflammation, and has been studied most extensively in asthma. It has also been implicated as a biomarker in other forms of stress, including psychological, although results have been variable. Sleep deprivation in medical residents on duty can be stressful. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether sleep deprivation was linked to altered levels of eNO and, if so, whether eNO concentrations (FeNO) could be reliably used as a simple, non-invasive measure of inflammation in varying degrees of sleep deprivation. Our hypothesis was that FeNO levels are higher during sleep deprivation. Given that taking night call can be a stressful situation (leading to sleep disruption), we asked (1) what is the relationship between FeNO in physician trainees and sleep deprivation, and (2) can FeNO be viewed as a marker for inflammation in sleep deprivation during on-call duty?