Chest Tube Insertion Research Articles

Safety and Efficacy of Indomethacin for Reducing Chest Tube Duration After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery.

Background: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) contain a boxed warning for use in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery due to increased risk of thrombotic events, but recent research has challenged the assumption that these risks are a class effect. One anecdotal indication for NSAIDs in CABG is reducing chest tube output. Objective: The primary objective of this retrospective study was to determine whether indomethacin was associated with reduced duration of chest tube insertion after CABG surgery, defined as total chest tube duration in controls versus duration of chest tube insertion after the first dose of indomethacin in the treatment group. Secondary objectives were comparisons of daily reductions in chest tube output volume, length of stay, and safety between groups. Methods: In this retrospective, single-center case-control review, adult patients who received indomethacin after CABG were matched 1:1 to control patients based on age, sex, concomitant valve surgery, and, when possible, diabetes status. Results: Thirty-two patients were included. The mean age was 56 years and 75% were men. The primary outcome measure was 94 hours among control patients and 82.8 hours among indomethacin patients (P = 0.041). Insignificant mean reductions in daily chest tube output were observed prior to and after indomethacin initiation (38.7 vs 87.7 mL/day, P > 0.05). Conclusion: In this small, single-center study, indomethacin appeared safe and possibly effective for reducing chest tube duration after CABG surgery. Future large, prospective, randomized studies should be conducted to confirm the results.

Effectiveness and Safety of Prolonged Needle Decompression Procedures in Tension Pneumothorax Patients with COVID-19

Introduction: Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic that is still ongoing today. This is a new challenge for health workers in handling emergency cases. Several COVID-19 patients arrived at the hospital with severe respiratory problems. Meanwhile, other pathological conditions causing respiratory failure must also be considered, such as pneumothorax. Objective: This study aimed to examine the effective emergency procedures to treat COVID-19 cases with tension pneumothorax. Case report: A 45-year-old male patient arrived with a referral letter from a pulmonologist with a diagnosis of simple pneumothorax and pneumonia. The patient also presented a positive SARS COV-2 PCR test result. The patient complained about a worsening of shortness of breath. A symptom of dry cough for 14 days was also reported. Chest radiograph examination subsequently indicated right tension pneumothorax. In the emergency ward, needle decompression procedure connected to the vial containing sterile intravenous fluids was performed. Re-examination of the chest x-ray demonstrated right pulmonary re-expansion. The patient was monitored and after four days, needle decompression was removed and no chest tube was inserted because complete resolution of the lungs had occurred. Discussion: This case illustrates that tension pneumothorax causes worsening of the patient's condition with COVID-19 diagnosis. In another case of tension pneumothorax in a COVID-19 patient, needle decompression of the 2nd intercostal space and the mid-clavicular line was performed as initial treatment followed by chest tube insertion as definitive treatment. However, in this case, chest tube approach was not carried out because the patient had demonstrated clinical and radiological improvement and a worsening condition had not occurred. Conclusion: Prolonged needle decompression connected to a vial containing sterile intravenous fluids as deep as 2 cm from the water surface is an effective procedure in the management of tension pneumothorax even without the installation of a chest tube.

Empyema and Parapneumonic effusions in children admitted to a teaching hospital in Ghana. -A retrospective review

Background
 Parapneumonic effusions (PPE) and Empyema are serious complications of pneumonia in children that are associated with higher morbidity and prolonged hospital stay. The introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV 13) have led to a reported decline in the episodes of complicated pneumonia in children. The organisms commonly associated with PPE and Empyema are Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus though Mycobacterium tuberculosis has also been reported. There is paucity of data on children with PPE and Empyema in Ghana. We aimed to describe the profile, mode of presentation and outcomes in children admitted with PPE and Empyema to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
 Methods
 A retrospective review of medical records (folders) and electronic data on children with PPE and Empyema admitted to the pulmonology unit from January 2018 to December 2020 were retrieved. Demographic records, immunization status, clinical presentation, length of hospital stay and outcome of admission were extracted using a Microsoft Excel. Data was then analysed with STATA version 16.
 Results
 Records were available for 51 children; the median age was 42 months IQR (22.5-96) and 68.6% (n=35) were males. In all 84.2% (n=38), had received all immunisations up to date for age. At presentation, 9.5% (n=4/42) had oxygen saturation <90%, whilst 43.9% (n=18/41) had axillary temperature > 38oC. The median respiratory rate was 47.5 IQR (32.8-57). The Median white cell count was 15.84 X10 9/l IQR (11.9-24.73) and median hemoglobin was 9.6 g/dl IQR (8.6-11.7). Pleural aspirate culture isolated Staphylococcus aureus for 6 patients. The rest were either not available or had no bacterial growth. Amoxicillin clavulanic acid and ceftriaxone were the most commonly used antibiotics. The median length of hospital stay was 9 days IQR (7-12) while the median length of chest tube insertion was 7 days IQR (5.5-9). In all 7.8 (n-4/51) patients died.
 Conclusion
 Both young and older children are affected with PPE/empyema. There is a good uptake of vaccines among children admitted for PPE/empyema, Staphylococcus aureus is the most common bacterial isolated from pleural aspirate culture. Most children admitted with complicated PPE/Empyema survived.

Impact of routine chest radiographs after removal of pigtail chest tubes placed by pediatric interventional radiology.

Chest radiographs are commonly obtained after chest tube removal to assess for complications. The benefit of this practice in children is uncertain. To determine the clinical impact of a routine chest radiograph following removal of chest tubes placed by pediatric interventional radiology. This single-center retrospective study evaluated 200 chest tube removals in 176 patients (median age:4 years, interquartile range [IQR]:1.2-12; median weight: 17.2 kg, IQR: 10.67-37.6), whohad a chest tube placed and removed by pediatric interventional radiology over a 16-year period. A chest radiograph obtained on the day of removal was compared to the preceding study. For patients with imaging changes, medical records were reviewed to determine whether clinical actions occurred as a result. All records were reviewed for 7days after tube removal or hospital discharge, whichever occurred first. The most common indication for chest tube insertion was simple effusion (53%, 106/200) and the most common tube size was 10.2 French (38.7%, 81/209). The median tube dwell time was 8days (IQR: 5-17). There was a median of 14h (IQR: 7-33.5) between imaging before and after tube removal. Imaging changes occurred in 10% (n = 20/200) of chest tube removals. Three of 200 (1.5%) of these were symptomatic after removal and only 0.5% (1/200) required chest tube reinsertion. For the remaining removals resulting in chest radiograph changes, patients were asymptomatic and required no change in clinical management. For chest tubes placed by pediatric interventional radiology, these findings do not support the practice of a routine chest radiograph after removal in asymptomatic children.

CASE STUDY ON SMALL LUNG CELL CARCINOMA IN A 26-YEAR-OLD MALE

Introduction: A small-cell lung carcinoma is an aggressive form of lung cancer that is strongly associated with cigarette smoking and tends to early disseminate in the body. It represents about 20 per cent of all lung cancer. Increasing evidence has implicated autocrine growth loops, proto-oncogenes, and tumour-suppressor genes in its development as well as cigarette smoking, exposure to occupational carcinogens such as radon, asbestos, arsenic, crystalline silicon and benzopyrene e.t.c.
 Materials and Methods: This case study reports the management of suspected small lung cell cancer in a resource-limited centre diagnosed from transthoracic pleural biopsy in a 26-year-old male who had a history of cigarette smoking from preteen years (9 years). He was stabilized at the emergency with insertion of chest tube, antibiotics, analgesics and oxygen but couldn't commence treatment for lung cancer owing to the late diagnostic test done as a result of severe financial constraints and died three weeks post-hospital admission.
 Results: This case shows that early exposure to risk factors associated with lung cancer such as cigarette smoking, exposure to harmful chemicals in Plaster of Paris can lead to aggressive lung cancers like small cell lung cancer in young people.
 Recommendations: Increase public awareness of tobacco smoking in all age groups, adequate healthcare financing and insurance schemes and adequate funding for small cell lung cancer research to improve and promote prevention, early detection and proper treatment of the disease.

Randomized controlled trial of an alternative drainage strategy vs routine chest tube insertion for postoperative pain after thoracoscopic wedge resection

BackgroundThoracoscopic surgery has greatly alleviated the postoperative pain of patients, but postsurgical acute and chronic pain still exists and needs to be addressed. Indwelling drainage tubes are one of the leading causes of postoperative pain after thoracic surgery. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the effects of alternative drainage on acute and chronic pain after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).MethodsNinety-two patients undergoing lung wedge resection were selected and randomly assigned to the conventional chest tube (CT) group and the 7-Fr central venous catheter (VC) group. Next, the numeric rating scale (NRS) and pain DETECT questionnaire were applied to evaluate the level and characteristics of postoperative pain.ResultsNRS scores of the VC group during hospitalization were significantly lower than those of the CT group 6 h after surgery, at postoperative day 1, at postoperative day 2, and at the moment of drainage tube removal. Moreover, the number of postoperative salvage analgesics (such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [(NSAIDs]) and postoperative hospitalization days were notably reduced in the VC group compared with the CT group. However, no significant difference was observed in terms of NRS pain scores between the two groups of patients during the follow-up for chronic pain at 3 months and 6 months.ConclusionIn conclusion, a drainage strategy using a 7-Fr central VC can effectively relieve perioperative pain in selected patients undergoing VATS wedge resection, and this may promote the rapid recovery of such patients after surgery.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03230019. Registered July 23, 2017.

Candida albicans empyema in COVID-19 infected patient: The first reported case in Qatar

Background: COVID-19 infection is caused by a novel coronavirus. It was identified initially in late 2019 as the cause of a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China. It spread worldwide causing a pandemic. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, multiple complications have been linked to COVID-19 infections, one of them being pleural effusion. To the best of our knowledge, only a few case reports have discussed the incidence of candida empyema in COVID-19 patients1,2. Case Presentation: This work is reporting on a case of COVID-19 pneumonia, in a 52-year-old previously healthy male patient, who developed ARDS 2 days after diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia and was attached to mechanical ventilation. Unfortunately, he continued to progress with refractory hypoxemia despite the maximum support. Ultimately, the patient required veno-venous ECMO with ultra-protective lung ventilation until the gas exchange in his lungs has normalized. The patient received multiple treatments based on our local protocol that have immunosuppressive effects. Due to worsening pneumonia, bronchoscopy was done. The Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) showed Candida Albicans, which was complicated with left-sided candida empyema. The later was treated by antifungal, chest tube insertion, and finally with decortication. However, despite the maximum interventions, the patient has unfortunately passed away 2 weeks after the decortication due to sepsis and multi-organ failure, while he was on ECMO during the whole period. Recommendation: Given the immunosuppressive effect of many of the medications used for the treatment of COVID-19 infection, atypical and opportunistic infections should be carefully considered within the clinical context. Conclusion: Candida pneumonia/empyema is not very common in a healthy host, however, it is a serious and rare condition, commonly seen in immunocompromised patients and associated with a high mortality rate3. The immunosuppressive therapies that are used in COVID-19 are not completely safe and more atypical infectious agents have been considered as not suitable in several typical locations causing adverse outcomes.

An innovative mobile application to improve the efficiency of common procedures in the paediatric intensive care unit: a pilot study

Background/Aims Procedures performed in the paediatric intensive care unit require optimal efficiency. This study evaluated the feasibility of a mobile app for paediatric critical care trainees to help improve the efficiency of three common procedures: central line placement, arterial line insertion and chest tube insertion. Methods Data regarding frequency of forgotten items were collected during the pre-intervention stage. A mobile app was developed with a checklist to help users to gather all the correct equipment. Data regarding the number of forgotten items were collected from the app in the period following initial implementation (March–August 2019) and after a software update (August–October 2019). Results Once the mobile application was introduced, all 13 (100%) fellows and 2 (20%) of the 10 advanced practice registered nurses accessed the application's checklist to record their procedures. From March–August 2019, 19 users submitted post-completion assessments, of which four included records of forgotten items (21%). After a software update, from August–October 2019, there were eight post-procedure assessments submitted with zero forgotten items. After using the mobile application, over half (13/24) of users surveyed agreed that the mobile application was useful for helping select items. Conclusions A considerable decrease in the proportion of procedures with forgotten items was recorded after the implementation of the app and after the software update. However, there was also a decrease in use of the app during the study period, so more research is required into the use of mobile apps for this purpose.

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax and subcutaneous emphysema in critically ill COVID-19 patients: A systematic review.

Objectives:COVID-19 patients develop Life-threatening complications like pneumomediastinum/pneumothorax and emphysema which might experience prolonged hospital stays and additional costs might be imposed on the patient and the health system. The clinical features and outcomes of mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19 infection who develop a pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema has not been rigorously described or compared to those who do not develop these complications. So a systematic review of studies conducted on this subject was carried out to better manage these complications by investigating the underlying factors in COVID-19 patients.Methods:The search was conducted between early January and late December 2020 in databases including PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science, using the following keywords and their combinations: COVID-19 Complication, Pneumothorax, Pneumomediastinum, Pneumopericardium, and Subcutaneous Emphysema. The extracted studies were screened separately by two researchers based on the PRISMA statement. After eliminating the duplicate studies, the title, abstract, and full text of the remaining studies were reviewed. Disagreements in the screening and selection of the studies were resolved by consensus or through a third-party opinion.Results: A total of 793 articles were retrieved through the literature search, and 99 studies conducted on a total of 139 patients were finally included The patient mortality was found to have a significant relationship with positive pressure ventilation (P=0.0001). There was no significant relationship between the patients’ death and chest tube insertion (P=0.2) or between the interval of time from the onset of symptoms to the diagnosis of pneumothorax (P=0.7). The mean age was higher in the deceased cases, and the mean difference observed was statistically significant (P=0.001).Conclusion: With the expansion of our clinical understanding of COVID-19, recognition of the uncommon complications of COVID-19 especially pneumothorax is crucial. Although in our review we couldn’t find a causal relationship between COVID-19 and pneumothorax or association between pneumothorax and death, as it is limited by many variables such as included studies’ design, or incomplete outcome data especially more information about the associated risk factors, we recommend performing more well-designed studies to describe the pneumothoraxes’ incidence, risk factors, and outcomes in COVID-19 patients.

Comparing a Novel Hand-Held Device for Chest Tube Insertion to the Traditional Open Tube Thoracostomy for Simple Pneumothorax in a Porcine Model.

Tube thoracostomy is the most effective treatment for pneumothorax, and on the battlefield, is lifesaving. In combat, far-forward adoption of open thoracostomy has not been successful. Therefore, the ability to safely and reliably perform chest tube insertion in the far-forward combat theatre would be of significant value. The Reactor is a hand-held device for tube thoracostomy that has been validated for tension pneumothorax compared to needle decompression. Here we investigate whether the Reactor has potential for simple pneumothorax compared to open thoracostomy. Treatment of pneumothorax before tension physiology ensues is critical. Simple pneumothoraces were created in 5 in-vivo swine models and confirmed with x-ray. Interventions were randomized to open technique (OT, n = 25) and Reactor (RT, n = 25). Post-procedure radiography was used to confirm tube placement and pneumothorax resolution. Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) was used to evaluate for iatrogenic injuries. 50 chest tubes were placed, with 25 per group. There were no statistical differences between the groups for insertion time, pneumothorax resolution, or estimated blood loss (p = .91 and .83). Injury rates between groups varied, with 28% (n = 7) in the Reactor group and 8% (n = 2) the control group (p = .06). The most common injury was violation of visceral pleura (10%, n = 5, both groups) and violation of the mediastinum (8%, n = 4, both groups). The Reactor device was equal compared to open thoracostomy for insertion time, pneumothorax resolution, and injury rates. The device required smaller incisions compared to tube thoracostomy and may be useful adjunct in simple pneumothorax management.

Efficacy and safety of thoracoscopic talc pleurodesis in the treatment of malignant pleural effusion

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of thoracoscopic talc pleurodesis in the management of malignant pleural effusion (MPE).BackgroundMPE is a common complication of advanced malignancy. Pleurodesis is a well-recognized treatment for the management of MPE. Talc is considered the most effective sclerosing agents used to produce pleurodesis.Patients and methodsThis is a retrospective chart review of all patients with MPE who underwent thoracoscopic talc pleurodesis for the management of MPE from April 2020 to December 2021.ResultsA total of 24 patients with MPE who underwent thoracoscopic talc pleurodesis for the management of MPE were included in the study. The mean age was 63 ± 8.35 years, and included 12 (50%) males and 12 (50%) females. Overall, low-grade fever was seen in four (16.67%) patients, pleuritic chest pain in three (12.5%) patients, and no complication in 17 (70.83%) patients. No recurrence of pleural effusion happened in 21 (87.5%) patients, recurrence in the form of localized effusion that did not need medical interference happened in two (8.33%), and recurrence in the form of diffuse effusion that needed medical interference happened in one (4.17%) patient. Operative time was 43.75 ± 6.63 min, duration of chest tube insertion was 3.25 ± 0.44 days, and hospital stay was 6 ± 0.72 days.ConclusionsThoracoscopic talc pleurodesis for the treatment of MPE is a feasible and effective treatment with short operative time, is a minimally invasive procedure, and has few adverse effects, making it a safe and effective option for managing patients with MPE.

Re-expansion Pulmonary Edema in a patient with Secondary Spontaneous Pneumothorax Following Closed Thoracostomy: A Case Report

Although re-expansion pulmonary edema (RPE) is rare (incidence rate <1%), it is associated with a mortality rate of >20%; therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are important. We report a case of RPE following chest tube insertion in a patient with spontaneous pneumothorax. We have specifically focused on the mechanism underlying RPE and the possible etiology. An 82-year-old man with a history of chronic anemia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension was referred to the emergency department for management of recurrent right-sided pneumothorax. We performed emergency closed thoracostomy for suspected tension pneumothorax, which led to stabilization of the patient’s vital signs; however, he coughed up frothy pink sputum accompanied by severe right-sided chest pain 30 min postoperatively. The patient showed new-onset right pulmonary consolidation on chest radiography, as well as desaturation, tachycardia, and tachypnea and was diagnosed with RPE. He was transferred to the intensive care unit for mechanical ventilation and supportive treatment using diuretics, ionotropic agents, and prophylactic antibiotics. RPE gradually resolved, and the patient was extubated 3 days after admission. He has not experienced recurrent pneumothorax or pulmonary disease for 4 months. We emphasize the importance of RPE prevention and that aggressive ventilator care and supportive treatment can effectively treat RPE following an accurate understanding of the underlying pathogenetic mechanisms and risk factors.

Spontaneous alveolo-pleural fistula in a case of COVID-19 pneumonia-challenges and solutions: case report

COVID-19 pneumonia has demonstrated a wide spectrum of clinical presentations that have yet to be completely uncovered. As this pandemic progresses, uncommon presentations of this disease have come into light. Development of broncho/alveolo-pleural fistula in a patient with COVID-19 pneumonia is a rare phenomenon with only 4 cases reported in literature till date. A 61-year-old gentleman presented to the emergency department with fever, cough, and shortness of breath. His initial chest X-ray was suggestive of a viral pneumonia that was later confirmed to be due to COVID-19. The patient was put on non-invasive ventilator support and treated with empirical antibiotics, glucocorticoids, anti-viral medications and convalescent plasma therapy. Four weeks into the patient’s hospital course, his vital parameters suddenly deteriorated with a subsequent chest X-ray showing a tension pneumothorax, for which a chest tube insertion was done. However, when the air leak did not resolve by the 3rd day, a chest computed tomography (CT) was planned which showed a spontaneous alveolo-pleural fistula (APF). The patient was managed with conservative treatment using negative suction applied to an underwater seal, had his chest tube removed 10 days later and was discharged subsequently. Spontaneous fistulisation between broncho-alveolar tree and pleura can occur rarely in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and can be managed using underwater seal with negative suction, insertion of endobronchial valves or surgical closure, and needs to be individualised.

Spontaneous Pneumothorax Mimicking Perforated Viscus in Covid-19 patient

Case presentation: A 65-year-old female diagnosed with COVID-19 developed worsening respiratory distress requiring invasive ventilation. Chest radiography post-intubation revealed air under the diaphragm, pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema. The case was referred to the surgical team for emergency laparotomy for suspected perforated viscus. Clinically, her abdomen was distended but there was no sign of peritonism. In view of the high risk of perioperative morbidity and absence of peritonism, a CT scan was done to rule out the cause of pneumoperitoneum. CT scan showed bilateral pneumothorax, presence of air in the extra peritoneum and retroperitoneum. There was no air in the peritoneum and no evidence of perforated viscus. She was treated conservatively with bilateral chest tube insertion. Unfortunately, she developed multiorgan failure and succumbed to death.

Congenital Pulmonary Airway Malformation in Children: Advantages of an Additional Trocar in the Lower Thorax for Pulmonary Lobectomy.

Aim: To present the use of an additional trocar (AT) in the lower thorax during thoracoscopic pulmonary lobectomy (TPL) in children with congenital pulmonary airway malformation.Methods: For a lower lobe TPL (LL), an AT is inserted in the 10th intercostal space (IS) in the posterior axillary line after trocars for a 5-mm 30° scope, and the surgeon's left and right hands are inserted conventionally in the 6th, 4th, and 8th IS in the anterior axillary line, respectively. For an upper lobe TPL (UL), the AT is inserted in the 9th IS, and trocars are inserted in the 5th, 3rd, and 7th IS, respectively. By switching between trocars (6th↔8th for the scope, 4th↔6th for the left hand, and 8th↔10th for the right hand during LL and 5th↔7th, 3rd↔5th, and 7th↔9th during UL, respectively), vital anatomic landmarks (pulmonary veins, bronchi, and feeding arteries) can be viewed posteriorly. The value of AT was assessed from blood loss, operative time, duration of chest tube insertion, requirement for post-operative analgesia, and incidence of perioperative complications.Results: On comparing AT+ (n = 28) and AT– (n = 27), mean intraoperative blood loss (5.6 vs. 13.0 ml), operative time (3.9 vs. 5.1 h), and duration of chest tube insertion (2.2 vs. 3.4 days) were significantly decreased with AT (p < 0.05, respectively). Differences in post-operative analgesia were not significant. There were three complications requiring conversion to open/mini-thoracotomy: AT– (n = 2; bleeding), AT+: (n = 1; erroneous stapling).Conclusions: An AT and switching facilitated posterior dissection during TPL in children with congenital pulmonary airway malformation enhancing safety and efficiency.

Safely Inserting Neonatal Chest Drains

Background: Inserting a chest drain for a left-sided neonatal pneumothorax carries a risk of penetrating the pericardium. We identified reference ranges for the chest wall thickness (CWT) and distance between the pericardium and parietal pleura to improve safety of chest tube insertion. Method: We prospectively measured the CWT using ultrasound in 20 neonates (body weight [BW] 640–2,700 g, age <10 days) at the usual site of puncture in the 4th and 5th intercostal space (ICS). Furthermore, we measured the minimal distance between the parietal pleura and the cardiac silhouette in 131 neonatal chest X-rays (birth weight, 420–4,930 g [divided into 11 weight groups]; age <10 days). Both data sets were transformed into weight-dependent percentiles (Ps). We considered the difference between the sum of P 2.5 for the CWT plus P 2.5 for pleura-heart distance minus P 97.5 for the CWT as a safe corridor for placing the tip of the needle. Results: At both ICSs, curves for the above metrics did not cross, indicating a narrow but safe corridor for each BW with at least 97.5% probability. This safety corridor was 4.6–5.2 mm wide for the 4th and 2.8–3.4 mm for the 5th ICS. Conclusion: These data offer a reference for left-sided chest drain insertion for BW <2,700 g, which may help to improve safety of the procedure.

European Pediatric Surgeons' Association Survey on the Management of Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax in Children.

To evaluate the practice patterns of the European Pediatric Surgeons' Association (EUPSA) members regarding the management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) in children. An online survey was distributed to all members of EUPSA. In total, 131 members from 44 countries participated in the survey. Interventional approach (78%) is the most common choice of treatment in the first episode, and most commonly, chest tube insertion (71%) is performed. In the case of a respiratory stable patient, 60% of the responders insert chest tubes if the pneumothorax is more than 2 cm. While 49% of surgeons prefer surgical intervention in the second episode, 42% still prefer chest tube insertion. Main indications for surgical treatment were the presence of bullae more than 2 cm (77%), and recurrent pneumothorax (76%). Eighty-four percent of surgeons prefer thoracoscopy and perform excision of bullae with safe margins (91%). To prevent recurrences, 54% of surgeons perform surgical pleurodesis with pleural abrasion (55%) and partial pleurectomy (22%). The responders who perform thoracoscopy use more surgical pleurodesis and prefer shorter chest tube duration than the surgeons performing open surgery (p < 0.05). Most of the responders prefer chest tube insertion in the management of first episode of PSP and perform surgical treatment in the second episode in case of underlying bullae more than 2 cm and recurrent pneumothorax. The surgeons performing thoracoscopy use more surgical pleurodesis and prefer shorter chest tube duration than the responders performing open surgery. The development of evidence-based guidelines may help standardize care and improve outcomes in children with PSP.

C8. An Extremely Rare Case: Cardiac Contusion Presenting with an Atrioventricular Block, An Unfortunate Fall

Abstract Background Blunt cardiac injury (BCI), also referred to cardiac contusion, is a known cause of myocardial injury. It is often challenging to diagnose in the absence of clear diagnostic criteria. The clinical manifestation ranges from none to fatal arrhythmias to cardiac wall rupture seen on post-mortem examination. Cardiac biomarkers and electrocardiograms are usually helpful in identifying cardiac trauma but are not necessarily abnormal in all cases. Case Illustration A 55-year-old male with no history of cardiac disease was brought to the emergency department after a motor vehicle collision resulted in chest wall injury. The patient was found to have left clavicle fracture, left costae II-VII fractures, and hematothorax followed by chest tube insertion. The patient had multiple episodes of complete heart block with junctional escape rhythm alternate with high degree 2:1 AV conduction, and sometimes became a normal sinus rhythm. A temporary pacemaker was inserted. After the patient underwent the ORIF procedure, cardiac rhythm revealed normal sinus rhythm and temporary pacemaker is removed. Discussion High-degree AV block has been reported in human studies following BCI, secondary to necrosis, inflammation, or fibrotic changes in the subendocardial tissue. 50% of patients reviewed in the literature had a recurrence or permanent complete heart block requiring pacemaker implantation and complete heart block secondary to BCI which was associated with a 20% mortality in the post-traumatic period. Our patient developed a fatal heart block in the early period which could have easily been missed.

C8. An Extremely Rare Case: Cardiac Contusion Presenting with an Atrioventricular Block, An Unfortunate Fall

Abstract Background Blunt cardiac injury (BCI), also referred to cardiac contusion, is a known cause of myocardial injury. It is often challenging to diagnose in the absence of clear diagnostic criteria. The clinical manifestation ranges from none to fatal arrhythmias to cardiac wall rupture seen on post-mortem examination. Cardiac biomarkers and electrocardiograms are usually helpful in identifying cardiac trauma but are not necessarily abnormal in all cases. Case Illustration A 55-year-old male with no history of cardiac disease was brought to the emergency department after a motor vehicle collision resulted in chest wall injury. The patient was found to have left clavicle fracture, left costae II-VII fractures, and hematothorax followed by chest tube insertion. The patient had multiple episodes of complete heart block with junctional escape rhythm alternate with high degree 2:1 AV conduction, and sometimes became a normal sinus rhythm. A temporary pacemaker was inserted. After the patient underwent the ORIF procedure, cardiac rhythm revealed normal sinus rhythm and temporary pacemaker is removed. Discussion High-degree AV block has been reported in human studies following BCI, secondary to necrosis, inflammation, or fibrotic changes in the subendocardial tissue. 50% of patients reviewed in the literature had a recurrence or permanent complete heart block requiring pacemaker implantation and complete heart block secondary to BCI which was associated with a 20% mortality in the post-traumatic period. Our patient developed a fatal heart block in the early period which could have easily been missed.

Adverse events associated with transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) for chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease: a MAUDE database analysis.

Transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) has been used for treating chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) refractory to medical therapy. We aim to investigate the complications associated with TIF using a national database. We analyzed post-marketing surveillance data from the FDA Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database from Jan 2011 through Jan 2021. During the study period, approximately 95 event cases reported to the FDA. Approximately 131 patient complications were identified. The number of adverse events declined from 2011 to 2016 (R2 = 0.96) but increased from 2016 to 2020 (R2 = 0.99). The most common adverse event was perforation (19.8%), followed by laceration 17.6%, bleeding (9.2%), and pleural effusion (9.2%). The most common patient complications were treated using endoscopic clips (12.3%), chest tube or drain insertion (12.3%), use of endoscopic retriever device (11.1%), esophageal stent (8.6%), and emergent or open surgery (11.1%). Adverse events from TIF range from mild to severe. Further research is needed to develop approaches aimed at reducing patient risks.