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Background: Supraglottic airway devices (SADs) are routinely used for securing the airway. In this study, the clinical performance of three SADs in adult patients under general anesthesia was compared.Methods: American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I-III subjects were randomly assigned to the i-gelTM (I), LMA SupremeTM (L), or Ambu AuraGainTM (A) group (30 per group). The primary objective of this study was to compare insertion times. Additionally, the ease of insertion, number of attempts, oropharyngeal leak pressure (OLP), airway maneuver requirement, difficulty with gastric tube placement, and complications were assessed.Results: Demographic data did not differ between the groups. Group I (16.9 ± 4.9 s) had a significantly shorter time of insertion than Group L (19.6 ± 5.2 s) and Group A (22.1 ± 5.7 s) (P = 0.001). The OLP for Group A (29.8 ± 3.0 cmH2O) was higher than those for Group L (24.1 ± 6.3 cmH2O) and Group I (9.4 ± 6.1 cmH2O) (P < 0.001). The number of insertion attempts (P = 0.232), ease of insertion (P = 0.630), airway maneuver requirement (P = 0.585), difficulty with gastric tube placement (P = 0.364), and complications (P = 0.873) were not significantly different between the groups.Conclusions: All three devices are convenient and effective for airway management in adults under general anesthesia. However, the shorter insertion time required for the i-gel may make it more suitable for resuscitation and emergencies, while aspiration risk may be reduced with the Ambu AuraGain, given its high OLP.

Purpose: Gastropexy during laparoscopic gastrostomy tube (GT) insertion can be technically challenging. T-fasteners are an effective method of gastropexy. However, the use of external bolsters requ...

OBJECTIVE: Long-term bene-fits of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy and satisfaction of patients' caregivers have not been investigated in the literature in detail. Hence, this study was carried out to investigate the long-term nutritional benefits of percutane-ous endoscopic gastrostomy in critically ill pa-tients and their caregivers' acceptance and sat-isfaction rates.PATIENTS AND METHODS: The population of this retrospective study consisted of critical-ly ill patients who underwent percutaneous en-doscopic gastrostomy between 2004 and 2020. Data about the clinical outcomes were obtained via telephone interviews using a structured questionnaire. The long-term benefits of the procedure in terms of weight change and the current thoughts of the caregivers about per -cutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy were ad-dressed. RESULTS: The study sample consisted of 797 patients with a mean age of 66.4 +/- 17.1 years. Pa-tients' Glasgow Coma Scale scores ranged from 4.0 to 15.0, with a median score of 8. Hypoxic en-cephalopathy (36.9%) and aspiration pneumoni-tis (24.6%) were the most common indications. There was neither change in body weight nor weight gain in 43.7% and 23.3% of the patients, respectively. Oral nutrition could be recovered in 16.8% of the patients. Of the caregivers, 37.8% stated that percutaneous endoscopic gastrosto-my was beneficial. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy may be a feasible and effective method for long-term enteral nutrition in criti-cally ill patients treated in intensive care units.

Objective: To explore the effect of modified nasogastric tube placement and Rehabilitation New Liquid Spray in patients with indwelling gastric tube. Methods: Eighty-six cases with indwelling gastric tube in our hospital from January 2020 to May 2021 were randomly selected and divided into the reference group and the research group. The reference group was treated by modified gastric tube placement, and the research group was given the Rehabilitation New Liquid Spray intervention. The effect of the interventions on two groups was observed. Results: The incidence of nasal mucosal injury in the research group was lower than that in the reference group, and the incidence of pharyngeal mucosal injury in the research group was lower than that in the reference group (P < 0.05). The pain score of the study group was lower than that of the reference group at 8 h, 12 h and 24 h after replacement, and the incidence of hoarseness, swallowing discomfort and dry oropharynx was lower than that of the reference group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The application of modified gastric tube placement and Rehabilitation New Liquid Spray intervention in patients with indwelling gastric tube can effectively reduce the nasopharyngeal injury and improve the pain of catheterization.

BACKGROUND Orogastric (OG) tube insertion is a frequent practice performed by nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Combining the nose-ear-mid-umbilicus (NEMU) method with a birth weight (BW)-based method to determine optimal insertion length of OG tubes could reduce misplacement in extremely low birth-weight (ELBW) infants. PURPOSE The objective of this study was to determine whether combining the NEMU method with a BW-based method to determine insertion length of OG tubes reduces misplacement of OG tubes in ELBW infants younger than 6 hours. METHODS The study included 129 ELBW infants in the NICU younger than 6 hours. We compared the frequency of OG tube misplacements in ELBW infants during 2 different time periods. In period I, the insertion length of OG tubes was estimated with the NEMU method alone. In period II, the insertion length of OG tubes was estimated by combining the NEMU method with a BW-based method. OG tubes were considered misplaced if the tip was above the diaphragm (high) or near the pylorus (low) in radiographs obtained after placement. RESULTS Infants who had OG tubes placed by combining both methods were less likely to have low OG tubes (53% in period I vs 34% in period II; P < .05). The BW-based method alone predicted optimal OG tube insertion length in 57 of 89 infants (64%). IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND RESEARCH Combining the NEMU method with the BW-based method increases the probability of optimal OG tube placement in ELBW infants. Additional studies across multiple centers would validate the diagnostic accuracy of this method.Video abstract available athttps://journals.lww.com/advancesinneonatalcare/Pages/videogallery.aspx.

Objective Proper position of an electromyographic (EMG) endotracheal tube within the larynx plays a key role in functional electrophysiologic intraoperative neural monitoring (IONM) in thyroid surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of a portable video‐assisted intubation device (UEScope) to verify the optimal placement of an EMG tube. Methods A retrospective study enrolled 40 consecutive patients who underwent monitored thyroidectomies. After positioning the patient for surgery, an anesthesiologist performed tracheal intubation with UEScope and checked the position of the tube at the proper depth without rotation to the vocal cords. The main outcome measured was the proper EMG tube position, free from further adjustment. The secondary outcomes assessed were the percentage of available initial vagal stimulation (V1) signals. Results All tracheal intubations were successful at first attempt. Proper EMG tube placement without position adjustment was found in 97.5% of the patients. Tube withdrawal was required in a male patient. All patients obtained detectable V1 signals; the lowest and median V1 amplitude was 485 and 767 μV as a reference value, respectively. Conclusion The UEScope is a valuable and reliable tool for placing an EMG tube and confirming its position during monitored thyroidectomy. In addition, further tube adjustment might be waived in most cases when the anesthesiologist placed the EMG tube after patient positioning for surgery. Routine use of video‐assisted intubation devices is highly recommended. Level of Evidence 4.

Awake tracheal intubation remains the gold standard for managing a predicted difficult airway. There is emerging evidence that supports the use of videolaryngoscope guided awake intubation. Videolaryngoscopes have become widely available and consequently easy to use and familiar to anaesthetists, allowing for observed tube placement and fixed wide view of the glottis throughout the intubation procedure. This article summarizes the key points and provides answers to the main audience questions from the EAMS March 2021 Webinar. Topics discussed include optimal patient and operator positioning, techniques of applying topical anaesthesia to the airway, testing for adequacy of airway anaesthesia, videolaryngoscope blade insertion and tracheal tube placement and sedation for awake intubation.

The treatment of choice for Ménière disease (MD) aims at preventing severity and frequency of vertigo attacks. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ventilation tube (VT) placement on vertigo control in patients affected by MD with no response to standard medical therapy.76 consecutive outpatients diagnosed with definite MD who failed medical therapy received VT insertion at the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, "Ospedale del Mare", Naples, Italy, with a 3-year follow up.Over the long term, VT placement was effective in controlling vertigo in 61.8% of patients. In the control group treated with standard preventive care (SPC) alone, all patients continued to experience recurrent vertigo during the entire study. Comparison of survival curves by using the log-rank test shows that significant differences in survival exist between subjects treated with VT placement and the control sample (p = 0.001).Our long-term follow-up confirms that VT placement is an effective and safe management option in intractable definite MD, especially in the elderly or in those refusing more invasive treatments.Miglioramento dei sintomi con tubicino trans-timpanico nella malattia di Ménière: osservazioni preliminari.Il trattamento della malattia di Ménière (MD) mira a prevenire gravità e frequenza delle crisi di vertigine. Lo studio ha valutato l’efficacia del posizionamento del tubicino di ventilazione (VT) trans-timpanico nel controllo delle vertigini nei pazienti affetti da MD non responsivi alla terapia medica standard.76 pazienti con diagnosi di MD definita non responsivi alla terapia medica sono stati trattati con posizionamento del VT presso l’UOC ORL dell’Ospedale del Mare, Napoli, Italia, con un follow-up di 3 anni.Il posizionamento del VT si è dimostrato efficace nel controllare le crisi di vertigine nel 61,8% dei pazienti. Nel gruppo controllo, sottoposto alla sola terapia preventiva standard (SPC), tutti i pazienti hanno riportato persistenza di crisi di vertigine ricorrente durante l’intero periodo di studio. Il confronto delle curve di sopravvivenza mediante log-rank test ha evidenziato differenze statisticamente significative nella sopravvivenza tra i soggetti trattati con VT e il campione di controllo (p = 0,001).I nostri risultati confermano che tale procedura può rappresentare il trattamento di scelta nella gestione efficace e sicura di tali soggetti, specialmente se anziani o che rifiutino trattamenti più invasivi.

Critically ill patients are at increased risk for malnutrition as they often have underlying acute and chronic illness, stress related catabolism, decreased appetite, trauma and ongoing inflammation. Malnutrition is recognized as a leading cause of adverse outcomes, higher mortality, and increased hospital costs. Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tubes provide a safe and effective route to provide supplemental enteral nutrition to these patients. PEG placement has essentially replaced surgical gastrostomy as the modality of choice for longer term feeding in patients. This is a highly prevalent procedure with 160,000 to 200,000 PEG procedures performed each year in the United States. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of current knowledge and practice standards with regards to placement of PEG tube in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). When a patient is considered for a PEG tube, it is important to evaluate the treatment alternatives and identify the best option for each patient. In this review, we provide the advantages and disadvantages of various feeding modalities and devices. We review the indications and contraindications for PEG tube placement as well as the risks of this procedure. We then describe in detail the per-oral pull, per-oral push, and direct percutaneous techniques for PEG tube placement. Additionally, we review the feasibility of having interventional pulmonologists place PEG tubes in the ICU.

Background Since the length of the affected colon widely varies, the preoperative management of Hirschsprung’s disease varies from one hospital to another. For our cases in which the length of the aganglionic colon cannot be managed by enema, anal bougienage, or rectal irrigation, colorectal irrigation is used along with the placement of a transanal catheter for these patients as home or hospital management, until one-stage definitive surgery can be performed. No comparative studies have been conducted on the continuous tube placement method, and no study has utilized this method as home management. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the efficacy and feasibility of our proposed continuous tube placement management for patients with Hirschsprung’s disease in the hospital or even at home. Results We included 22 infants with Hirschsprung’s disease between 2008 and 2018. The patients were divided into two groups: those who were managed with enema, bougienage, and rectal irrigation (n = 6), and those who were managed with the placement of a continuous transanal tube and colorectal irrigation (n = 16). The group with continuous transanal tube placement was further divided into two groups: those who were preoperatively managed with a continuous anorectal tube at home (n = 7), and those at a hospital (n = 9). Preoperative demographic information and clinical details were retrospectively examined and compared between the two groups. Univariate analysis showed no significant differences in the backgrounds and clinical status between the enema, bougienage, and rectal irrigation group and the colorectal irrigation group. The patients in the home group were older and weighed more at the time of radical surgery than those in the hospital group (p = 0.0267, p = 0.0377, respectively). The total duration of hospitalization until radical surgery was significantly decreased in the home group (p = 0.0315). Conclusions The total duration of hospitalization was significantly reduced in patients undergoing home colorectal irrigation which was as effective as the conventional method, with no impact on the preoperative condition or postoperative outcomes. Hence, our home-based preoperative management for patients with Hirschsprung’s disease may be effective and potentially feasible for the management of patients with Hirschsprung’s disease.

Buried bumper syndrome (BBS) is a rare and serious complication of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement. In the literature, BBS is considered to be a late complication of PEG procedure, but it may occur in the early period after PEG tube placement. Early diagnosis and proper treatment are important. Different treatment modalities may be used to treat BBS. The aim of this study was to evaluate patients with BBS. During a time frame between January 2015 and February 2020, a hospital medical database was screened for PEG placement and BBS. Buried bumper syndrome was found in 36 patients. Demographic and clinical characteristics of these patients were retrospectively investigated. Those who developed BBS in the first month were evaluated as early BBS. Those who developed BBS after more than a month were evaluated as late BBS. The median BBS development time was 135.9 ± 208.1 days (9-834 days). In 18 (50%) patients, BBS developed within the first month. Serious complications such as abscess and peritonitis were observed in 8 (22.2%) patients on admission. Thirty-two (88.9%) of 36 patients were treated with external traction and four patients were treated with surgery. No complications were observed in patients who were treated with traction. Five patients died, of whom three of them died because of BBS complications, whereas two of them died from other causes unrelated to BBS. Buried bumper syndrome is a complication that can be seen in the early period after gastrostomy. External traction is a reliable method for treating these patients. Proper education of patients' relatives and caregivers is very important to prevent BBS and related complications.

Gastrostomy tube placement is an appropriate option for long-term nutritional support for patients who cannot tolerate oral intake. Common indications for a gastrostomy tube include head and neck tumors and neurological disorders. Several methods for gastrostomy tube insertion exist (eg, surgical, endoscopic, and radiologic) that require sedation or general anesthesia, which can pose risks of cardiopulmonary compromise and postsurgical pulmonary complications. Unlike other methods, our practice uses a percutaneous balloon-assisted gastrostomy tube insertion method for which we can perform without sedation. We report a case of a percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy procedure for a patient with end stage lung disease as a bridge to lung transplantation, who is not a candidate for sedation and is high-risk for general anesthesia. Through enteral feeds administered through the successfully placed gastrostomy tube, the patient showed steady improvement in weight gain over the course of several months before approval for listing by the lung transplant selection committee. Our case highlights how gastrostomy tube placement can be safely performed in patients who are not sedation candidates using the minimally invasive balloon-assisted gastrostomy tube insertion method and local anesthetic.

Objective:Chest tube drainage placement, a standard procedure in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, was reported to cause perioperative complications like pain and increased risk of infection. The present study was designed to evaluate the necessity of chest tube drainage inpaediatric thoracoscopic surgery.Methods:Thirty children admitted to our hospital from April 2018 to April 2020 were included in the current study and were grouped as the tube group (children receiving video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery with chest tube drainage) and the non-tube group (children receiving video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery without chest tube drainage). Laboratory hemogram index, length of hospitalisation, post-operative performance of involved children, and psychological acceptance of indicated therapy by guardians of the involved children were investigated.Results:Laboratory examination revealed that the mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration in the non-tube group was significantly higher than that in the tube group on post-operative day 1 (p < 0.05). Children in the non-tube group had a shorter length of hospitalisation (7–9 days) than that of patients from the tube group. Additionally, the frequency of crying of children was decreased and psychological acceptance by patients’ guardians was improved in the non-tube group when compared with the tube group.Conclusion:This study showed that chest tube drainage placement may not be necessary in several cases of paediatric video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Rapid recovery with decreased perioperative complications in children operated by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery without tube placement could also reduce the burden of the family and society both economically and psychologically.

INTRODUCTION Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement remains a core competency of gastroenterology fellowship, although this procedure is performed infrequently. Some training programs lack sufficient procedural volume for trainees to develop confidence and competence in this procedure. We aimed to determine the impact of a simulation-based educational intervention on trainee technical skill and procedural attitudes in simulated PEG tube placement. METHODS Gastroenterology fellows were invited to participate in the study. Baseline procedural attitudes toward PEG tube placement (self-confidence, perceived skill level, perceived level of required supervision) were assessed before simulation training using a Likert scale. Baseline technical skills were assessed by video recording-simulated PEG tube placement on a PEG tube simulator with scoring using a procedural checklist. Fellows next underwent individualized simulation training and repeated simulated PEG tube placement until greater than 90% of checklist items were achieved. Procedural attitudes were reassessed directly after the simulation. Technical skill and procedural attitudes were then reassessed 6 to 12 weeks later (delayed posttraining). RESULTS Twelve fellows completed the study. Simulation training led to significant improvement in technical skill at delayed reassessment (52.9 ± 14.3% vs. 78.0 ± 8.9% correct, P = 0.0002). Simulation training also led to significant immediate improvements in self-confidence (2.1 ± 0.7 vs. 3.1 ± 0.3, P = 0.001), perceived skill level (2.2 ± 1.0 vs. 4 ± 1.1, P < 0.001), and perceived level of required supervision (2.2 ± 0.9 vs. 3.2 ± 0.6, P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS Simulation training led to sustained improvements in gastroenterology fellows' technical skill and procedural attitudes in PEG tube placement. Incorporation of simulation curricula in gastroenterology fellowships for this infrequently performed procedure should be considered.

Background: To compare the safety and efficacy of percutaneous ultrasound guided gastrostomy (PUG) tube placement with traditional fluoroscopic guided percutaneous gastrostomy tube placement (PRG). Methods: A prospective, observational, non-randomized cohort trial was performed comparing 25 consecutive patients who underwent PUG placement between April 2020 and August 2020 with 25 consecutive patients who underwent PRG placement between February 2020 and March 2020. Procedure time, sedation, analgesia requirements, and complications were compared between the two groups in non-inferiority analysis. Results: Technical success rates were 96% in both groups (24/25) of procedures. Ninety-two percent of patients in the PUG cohort were admitted to the ICU at the time of G-tube request. Aside from significantly more COVID-19 patients in the PUG group ( P < .001), there was no other statistically significant difference in patient demographics. Intra-procedure pain medication requirements were the same for both groups, 50 micrograms of IV fentanyl ( P = 1.0). Intra-procedure sedation with IV midazolam was insignificantly higher in the PUG group 1.12 mg vs 0.8 mg ( P = .355). Procedure time trended toward statistical significance ( P = .076), with PRG being shorter than PUG (30.5 ± 14.1 minutes vs 39.7 ± 17.9 minutes). There were 2 non-device related major complications in the PUG group and 1 major and 1 minor complication in the PRG group. Conclusion: PUG is similar in terms of complications to PRG gastrostomy tube placement and a safe method for gastrostomy tube placement in the critically ill with the added benefits of bedside placement, elimination of radiation exposure, and expanded and improved access to care.

INTRODUCTION The traditional treatment of traumatic hemothorax (HTX) has been an insertion of a large-bore 36- to 40-Fr chest tube. Our previous single-center randomized controlled trial (RCT) had shown that 14-Fr percutaneous catheters (PCs) (pigtail) were equally as effective as chest tube. We performed a multicenter RCT, hypothesizing that PCs are as equally effective as chest tubes in the management of patients with traumatic HTX (NCT03546764). METHODS We performed a multi-institution prospective RCT comparing 14-Fr PCs with 28- to 32-Fr chest tubes in the management of patients with traumatic HTX from July 2015 to September 2020. We excluded patients who were in extremis and required emergent tube placement and those who refused to participate. The primary outcome was failure rate, defined as a retained HTX requiring a second intervention. Secondary outcomes included daily drainage output, tube days, intensive care unit and hospital length of stay, and insertion perception experience (IPE) score on a scale of 1 to 5 (1, tolerable experience; 5, worst experience). Unpaired Student's t test, χ2, and Wilcoxon rank sum test were used with significance set at p < 0.05. RESULTS After exclusion, 119 patients participated in the trial, 56 randomized to PCs and 63 to chest tubes. Baseline characteristics between the two groups were similar. The primary outcome, failure rate, was similar between the two groups (11% PCs vs. 13% chest tubes, p = 0.74). All other secondary outcomes were also similar, except PC patients reported lower IPE scores (median, 1: "I can tolerate it"; interquartile range, 1-2) than chest tube patients (median, 3: "It was a bad experience"; interquartile range, 2-5; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Small caliber 14-Fr PCs are equally as effective as 28- to 32-Fr chest tubes in their ability to drain traumatic HTX with no difference in complications. Patients reported better IPE scores with PCs over chest tubes, suggesting that PCs are better tolerated. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic, level II.

Introduction Many children with gastric feeding intolerance require postpyloric tube feeding via a gastrojejunal (GJ) tube. Placement or positioning of these tubes is typically a procedure with a low dose of radiation. Although the risk of developing cancer from radiation exposure owing to computed tomography scans is well-documented in children, the risk of cumulative radiation exposure owing to frequent GJ tube replacement often goes unnoticed in the clinical decision-making process. We sought to define the frequency and cost of GJ tube replacement, quantify the radiation doses associated with the initial placement and replacements, and assess the number of conversions to surgical jejunostomies. Methods All pediatric patients who underwent GJ tube placement or replacement by Interventional Radiology (IR), surgery, and gastroenterology between 2010 and 2018 at a single center were reviewed. We evaluated the total cost of the initial placement and replacement of each GJ tube, the total number of replacements, and the cumulative radiation dose (mGy). Results We identified 203 patients who underwent GJ tube placement and/or replacement, of which 150 had radiation data available. Patients underwent a median of five GJ tube replacement procedures, and there was a wide range in the number of replacements per patient, from zero to 88. Patients were exposed to a median cumulative dose of 6.0 mGy (IQR: 2.2, 22.6). Nine percent of patients with available radiation data were exposed to more than 50 mGy, solely from GJ tube replacements. The median cost per replacement was $1170. The sum of the cost of the replacements for dislodged GJs translated to more than $1.4 million during the study period. Conclusions Overall, the average dose per GJ replacement was 3.50 mGy among all patients with available data. Nine percent of patients (14/150) were exposed to greater than 50 mGy cumulative radiation solely from GJ replacements. Patients who receive more than 50 mGy of cumulative radiation dose, who undergo seven GJ tube replacements in one year, or two consecutive GJ tube replacement procedures with radiation doses exceeding 10 mGy (per replacement) should be considered for a surgical jejunostomy. Level of evidence IV Type of study Treatment study.

Home enteral nutrition (HEN) is the provision of nutrition through a tube outside the hospital. The Canadian prevalence of HEN is not previously well understood. This study aimed to (1) describe the demographics and healthcare usage of HEN in adults in a Canadian health authority, (2) compare the proportion of HEN-related hospital visits between patients who did and did not receive a community registered dietitian (RD) follow-up, and (3) determine associations between demographic and healthcare usage of HEN adults .A retrospective chart review was conducted on the records of HEN patients with a tube placed between April 1, 2012, and March 31, 2015. Descriptive and comparative statistics were applied.A total of 390 adults were discharged receiving HEN. The majority (74.9%, n = 271) of the sample did not have any record of visiting a community RD up to 6 years after tube placement. Fifty-three percent of the sample visited the hospital for HEN-related complications, costing CAD $14,324,465.00 (USD $10,677,946.00) to the healthcare system. Multiple regression analysis revealed that females ( P.05), jejunostomy tubes ( P.05), and older age ( P.05) were associated with more hospital or emergency room visits.This study found a higher prevalence of HEN patients and more varied demographic and clinical characteristics than previously reported. The healthcare costs per patient per year exceed previous reports. Further research is needed to explore the population's experiences and develop interventions that improve gaps in the healthcare system.

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is one of the most commonly performed endoscopic procedures and a first-line treatment for the establishment of enteral access in those with intolerance or contraindication to oral feedings. A small amount of pneumoperitoneum in the immediate postprocedure period is well reported after PEG tube placement. However, pneumoperitoneum resulting from displaced gastric bumper within 24 hours postprocedure is uncommon and rarely reported in the literature. Timely diagnosis and early endoscopic management can help tackle such an unusual complication.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to report the safety and efficacy of pars plana glaucoma drainage devices with pars plana vitrectomy using one of the vitrectomy sclerotomy sites for tube placement in patients with refractory glaucoma. Methods Retrospective case series of 28 eyes of 28 patients who underwent combined pars plana glaucoma drainage device and pars plana vitrectomy between November 2016 and September 2019 at Massachusetts Eye and Ear. Main outcome measures were intraocular pressure (IOP), glaucoma medication burden, best corrected visual acuity, and complications. Statistical tests were performed with R and included Kaplan-Meier analyses, Wilcoxon paired signed-rank tests, and Fisher tests. Results Mean IOP decreased from 22.8 mmHg to 11.8 mmHg at 1.5 years (p = 0.002), and mean medication burden decreased from 4.3 to 2.1 at 1.5 years (p = 0.004). Both IOP and medication burden were significantly lower at all follow-up time points. The probability of achieving 5 2 lines. Two eyes required subsequent pars plana vitrectomies for tube obstruction, and one eye had transient hypotony. Conclusions The results of pars plana glaucoma drainage device and pars plana vitrectomy using one of the vitrectomy sclerotomy sites for tube placement are promising, resulting in significant IOP and medication-burden reductions through postoperative year 1.5 without additional risk of postoperative complications. Inserting glaucoma drainage devices into an existing vitrectomy sclerotomy site may potentially save surgical time by obviating the need to create another sclerotomy for tube placement and suture one of the vitrectomy ports.

Background Preterm infants routinely require enteral feeding via nasogastric or orogastric tubes as an alternative to oral feeding to meet their nutritional needs. Anecdotal evidence suggests variations in practice related to correct tube placement and assessment of feed intolerance. Purpose To determine the current practices of enteral feeding tube placement confirmation and gastric residual (GR) aspiration of neonatal clinicians in Australia. Methods A cross-sectional online survey comprising 24 questions was distributed to nursing and medical health professionals working in Australian neonatal care units through 2 e-mail listservs made available by professional organizations. Findings The survey was completed by 129 clinicians. A single method was practiced by 50% of the clinicians in confirming tube placement, and most common practice was assessing the pH of GR aspirate. The majority of respondents (96%) reported that they relied on GR aspiration and clinical signs to determine feeding tolerance and subsequent decisions such as ceasing or decreasing feeds. However, the frequency of aspiration, the amount and color of aspirate considered to be normal/abnormal, and decisions on whether to replace gastric aspirate or whether aspiration should be performed during continuous tube feeding varied. Implication for practice This study demonstrated considerable variability in clinical practice for enteral feeding tube placement confirmation and GR aspiration despite most respondents reporting using a unit-based clinical practice guideline. Our study findings highlight the need for not only developing evidence-based practice guidelines for safe and consistent clinical practice but also ensuring that these guidelines are followed by all clinicians. Implication for research Further research is needed to establish evidence-based methods both for enteral feeding tube placement confirmation and for the assessment of feeding intolerance during tube feeding. In addition, the reasons why evidence-based methods are not followed must be investigated.

Summary We present a case of awake tracheal intubation with flexible bronchoscopy which resulted in incorrect tracheal tube placement. The presence of a stenotic subglottic lesion with an appearance similar to the carina led to the tube being positioned with only the tip within the trachea whilst the cuff was located between the vocal cords. A capnography trace was identified before induction of anaesthesia; however, visual confirmation of the carina was undertaken in a rushed manner due to the patient becoming agitated. Once the incorrect tracheal tube placement was identified, the decision was made to wake the patient. Thereafter, a more experienced operator successfully performed awake tracheal intubation with flexible bronchoscopy using a smaller tracheal tube, which easily passed through the subglottic stenosis. This report emphasises the importance of performing the ‘two‐point check’ every time awake tracheal intubation is undertaken: to confirm correct tube placement, both a capnography trace and view of the tracheal lumen including the carina and main bronchi is required. This must be properly performed before induction of anaesthesia; safety should not be compromised by a stressful environment or time pressure.

Self-expandable metallic stents (SEMSs) are widely used for malignant biliary stricture (MBS). Acute pancreatitis is an early complication following SEMS placement. In the present case, the patient developed severe acute pancreatitis after SEMS placement for MBS because of metastatic lymph nodes. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, endoscopic sphincterotomy and an endoscopic nasobiliary drainage tube placement were performed. After seven days, an uncovered SEMS was placed; however, severe acute pancreatitis occurred, and the SEMS was drawn out emergently. In SEMS placement for patients with MBS caused by non-pancreatic cancer, SEMS should be selected carefully while considering each patient's case.

Electromagnetic (EM) guided enteral tube placement may reduce lung misplacement to almost zero in expert centres, but more than 60 undetected misplacements had occurred by 2016 resulting in major morbidity or death. Aim: Determine the accuracy of manufacturer guidance in trace interpretation against what is referred to as the ‘GI flexure system’. Methods: The authors prospectively observed the accuracy of the ‘GI flexure system’ of trace interpretation against manufacturer guidance in primary nasointestinal (NI) tube placements. Findings: Contrary to manufacturer guidance, 33% of traces deviated >5 cm from the sagittal midline and 26.5% were oesophageal when entering the lower left quadrant, incorrectly indicating lung and gastric placement, respectively. Conversely, the GI flexure system identified ≥99.4% of GI traces when they reached the gastric body flexure; 100% at the superior duodenal flexure. All lung misplacements were identified by the absence of GI flexures. Conclusion: Current manufacturer guidance should be updated to the GI flexure system of interpretation.

Background Evidence-based management of gastrointestinal (GI) and nutrition manifestations of cystic fibrosis (CF) is limited, and practice variations have not been studied. Methods Thus, a survey was developed with the purpose of evaluating current nutrition practices of CF-focused gastroenterologists, specifically utilizing awardees and mentors of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) Developing Innovative GastroEnterology Specialty Training (DIGEST) Program. Topics included appetite stimulation, tube feeding (TF), and aspects of nutrition assessment, specifically urine sodium and essential fatty acid (EFA) status. Results The response rate was 61% (22/36). About half (55%; 12/22) of respondents had 5-10 years of experience in GI, and 23% (5/22) had >10 years. In regard to appetite stimulation, the majority used cyproheptadine; however, duration and pattern of prescribing varied. Variation was noted in TF management pertaining to tube placement, formula choice, and prescribing pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy with overnight TF. The majority did not check EFAs or urine sodium. Treatment for deficiencies in EFA or abnormal urine sodium was inconsistent. Conclusion The survey reveals wide variation in management of some aspects of nutrition-related manifestations of CF among experienced providers. This reflects the need for research to provide evidence-based guidelines.

BACKGROUND: Critically ill patients frequently develop feeding intolerance, which is difficult to predict. In healthy subjects, gastric motility, assessed by nasogastric balloon tube, correlated with gastric emptying. We now investigated this correlation in critically ill patients, as well as the feasibility and safety of such application in a pilot study. METHODS: Endotracheally intubated adults scheduled to receive enteral nutrition (EN) were included. After insertion of a double-lumen nasogastric balloon tube and radiographic confirmation of position, balloon pressure was recorded for 10 hours after inflation (4 hours fasted, 2 hours during administration of 13 C-labeled EN, and 4 hours postprandially). Gastric motility was expressed as Gastric Balloon Motility Index (GBMI), reflecting the fraction of time in which phasic gastric contractions occurred. Gastric emptying was assessed by 13 C-octanoate breath test and expressed as gastric half-emptying time (GET½). Correlation between GBMI (assessed in different time intervals) and GET½ was investigated by Pearson/Spearman correlation. Feasibility was defined as the success of tube placement and pressure recording. Safety was assessed based on adverse device effects. RESULTS: Thirty patients were enrolled, of whom 19 had paired GBMI and GET½ data. There was no correlation between GBMI and GET½. The tube was successfully placed in 28/30 (93.3%) patients. In 3/28 (10.7%) patients, balloon leakage precluded analysis. Two safety events were directly linked to the device. CONCLUSION: This pilot study showed no significant correlation between balloon-assessed gastric motility and emptying in critically ill patients. The feasibility/safety profile of the balloon tube appears similar to that of standard nasogastric tubes. ispartof: JOURNAL OF PARENTERAL AND ENTERAL NUTRITION vol:45 issue:8 pages:1779-1784 ispartof: location:United States status: published

BACKGROUND Afferent loop syndrome (ALS) is a rare mechanical complication that occurs after reconstruction of the stomach or esophagus to the jejunum, such as Billroth II gastrojejunostomy, Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy, or Roux-en-Y esophagoje-junostomy. Traditionally, an operation is the first choice for benign causes. However, for patients in poor physical condition who experience ALS soon after R0 resection, the type of treatment remains controversial. Here, we present an efficient conservative method to treat ALS. CASE SUMMARY Case 1 was a 69-year-old male patient who underwent total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y jejunojejunostomy. On postoperative day (POD) 10 he developed symptoms of ALS that persisted and increased over 1 wk. Case 2 was a 59-year-old male patient who underwent distal gastrectomy with Billroth II gastrojejunostomy. On postoperative day POD 9 he developed symptoms of ALS that persisted for 2 wk. Both patients underwent fluoroscopic-guided nasointestinal tube placement with maintenance of continuous negative pressure suction. Approximately 20 d after the procedure, both patients had recovered well and were discharged from hospital after removal of the tube. At 3-mo follow-up, there were no signs of ALS in these two patients. CONCLUSION This is the first report of treating postoperative ALS by fluoroscopic-guided nasointestinal tube placement. Our cases demonstrate that this procedure is an effective and safe method to treat ALS that relieves patients’ symptoms and avoids complications caused by other invasive procedures.

OBJECTIVES: Families describe decision-making about gastrostomy tube (g-tube) placement as challenging. We measured caregiver decisional conflict before and after initial g-tube consultation to evaluate the potential benefit of a decision aid and feasibility in testing it. METHODS: Families presenting for initial consultation about g-tube placement completed the decisional conflict scale (DCS) at 1 or 2 of 3 time points: before consultation, after consultation, and after viewing a video. The decision support consultation was a 2-hour structured meeting with a pediatric hospitalist, nurse practitioner, and dietitian that was focused on clarifying the indication, feasibility, safety, and family values around tube placement. The video described decision-making and lived experiences of families with tube feeding. RESULTS: We measured the decisional conflict of 61 caregivers. Preconsultation decisional conflict scores were high (mean = 38.7), but there was substantial variation between families (SD = 19.4). Baseline scores did not vary between clinically relevant subgroups. Postconsultation DCS scores were lower (17.9 and SD = 13.5 for consult alone; 12.7 and SD = 13.2 for consult with video). Three caregivers (7.7%) of families had residual decisional conflict scores >37.5, the threshold conventionally associated with decision delay. CONCLUSIONS: Measuring decisional conflict among caregivers deciding about pediatric g-tube is feasible during the clinical encounter. Residual decisional conflict after our institution’s current decision support consultation model (with or without an additional video) was low, so development of an additional structured decision aid is not warranted. Further study of preconsult DCS variability across different clinical subgroups may help identify families benefiting from additional decisional support.

Objective. To investigate the curative effect of a transnasal ileus tube in the treatment of small bowel obstruction caused by a phytobezoar. Methods. Seventy-one patients with small bowel obstruction caused by a phytobezoar who underwent treatment in three provincial tertiary grade A hospitals in Fujian Province from March 2011 to February 2020 were included in this study. Patients were divided into the following two groups according to the treatment received: (1) conservative group, comprising patients who received medical conservative treatment, and (2) combined group, including patients who received combined medical conservative treatment and transnasal ileus tube placement. The clinical symptoms, changes in abdominal imaging, tube depth of the first day, reduction of pressure volume on the first day after catheterization, length of hospital stay, and nonsurgical rate were compared between the combined and conservative groups. Results. There was no significant difference in age, sex, history of previous abdominal surgery and abdominal radiotherapy, symptoms at admission, duration of symptoms before admission, signs at admission, laboratory data, and obstruction position between the combined and conservative groups. There was a statistically significant difference in the nonsurgical rate (19/24 vs. 23/47, P = 0.014 ) between the combined and conservative groups. Logistic analysis showed that the duration of symptoms before admission, albumin level, and use of a transnasal ileus tube might be independent factors affecting the transition to surgery for patients with small bowel obstruction caused by a phytobezoar ( P < 0.05 ). Conclusion. Timely conservative medical treatment with transnasal ileus tube placement can effectively improve the nonsurgical rate of small bowel obstruction caused by a phytobezoar. The duration of symptoms before admission, albumin level, and use of a transnasal ileus tube were closely related to whether patients with small bowel obstruction caused by phytobezoar were transferred to surgery.

Hydrodissection technique is a safe way to establish a fully functional tympanic membrane in cases of early stages of atelectatic ears.

BACKGROUND Predominance of blind feeding tube placement makes esophageal tube misplacement and aspiration risk commonplace. Accurate estimation of nose-to-stomach length could reduce this risk. Standards for estimating this length were audited against the length measured from guided tube placement. METHODS This prospective, single-center observational study used electromagnet-guided tube placement to measure the length from nose to gastric body flexure as part of routine care. This measurement was used to audit standard equations used to estimate this length from external measures: xiphisternum-ear-nose + 10 cm (XEN+10), nose-ear-xiphisternum (NEX), and Hanson_A and Hanson_B. RESULTS From April 23, 2015, to March 2, 2020, measurements were obtained from 200 primary tube placements. Median length to the gastric body flexure (61 cm) was significantly different from that to the pre-gastroesophageal junction flexure (48 cm) or lengths predicted by NEX (51 cm) or Hanson_A (50.5 cm) and Hanson_B (56.1 cm) (all P < .00001) but similar to XEN+10 (61 cm). Esophageal placement was a potential risk for all methods (NEX: 96.3%, Hanson_A: 99.5%, Hanson_B: 86.9%, XEN+10: 43.2%) and a definite risk for most (NEX and Hanson_A: 14.9%, Hanson_B: 1%, XEN+10: 0%). CONCLUSIONS NEX and Hanson methods of predicting the length from nose to gastric body flexure are too short and risk esophageal misplacement. XEN+10 reduces but does not eliminate this risk. External measurement predictions are clinically unsafe as a guide blind tube placement. Guided placement is recommended.

Tracheal intubation is commonly performed in critically ill patients. Unfortunately, this procedure also carries a high risk of complications; half of critically ill patients with difficult airways experience life-threatening complications. The high complication rates stem from difficulty with laryngoscopy and tube placement, consequences of physiologic derangement, and human factors, including failure to recognize and reluctance to manage the failed airway. The last 10 years have seen a rapid expansion in devices available that help overcome anatomic difficulties with laryngoscopy and provide rescue oxygenation in the setting of failed attempts. Recent research in critically ill patients has highlighted other important considerations for critically ill patients and evaluated interventions to reduce the risks with repeated attempts, desaturation, and cardiovascular collapse during emergency airway management. There are three actions that should be implemented to reduce the risk of danger: 1) preintubation assessment for potential difficulty (e.g., MACOCHA score); 2) preparation and optimization of the patient and team for difficulty-including using a checklist, acquiring necessary equipment, maximizing preoxygenation, and hemodynamic optimization; and 3) recognition and management of failure to restore oxygenation and reduce the risk of cardiopulmonary arrest. This review describes the history of emergency airway management and explores the challenges with modern emergency airway management in critically ill patients. We offer clinically relevant recommendations on the basis of current evidence, guidelines, and expert opinion.

Objectives To describe the use, complications and outcome of temporary tracheostomy tube placement as part of the management of acute upper airway obstruction in the postoperative period following multi-level airway surgery in patients with brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome. Materials and methods Retrospective review of records of dogs surgically treated for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome that had a temporary tracheostomy tube placed in the postoperative period. Results Forty-two dogs were included. Median duration of temporary tracheostomy tube placement was 2 days (range 1 to 7). The major complication rate was 83.3%, minor complication rate was 71.4%, resulting in an overall postoperative complication rate of 95.2%. The most common postoperative complications were tracheostomy tube obstruction (32/42), cough (25/42) and tracheostomy tube dislodgement (16/42). Temporary tracheostomy tube management was classified as successful in 97.6%. Dyspnoea was the most common clinical sign in the short-term postoperative follow-up period, while dyspnoea and increased upper respiratory tract noise were the most common clinical sign in the long term. The median duration of follow-up was 251 days. Clinical significance In an appropriate clinical setting, placement of temporary tracheostomy tubes following multi-level airway surgery for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome is a useful strategy to manage postoperative airway obstruction, carrying a low mortality rate, and with a complication rate similar to that found in previous reports.