Insertion Attempts Research Articles

Neonatal Vascular Access Practice and Complications: An Observational Study of 1,375 Catheter Days.

Vascular access devices play vital roles within neonatal care. We aimed to identify neonatal vascular access device insertion and management practices, and describe the incidence and risk factors for complication development. This is a prospective cohort study of neonates requiring vascular access devices over 3 months in an Australian quaternary-referral neonatal intensive care unit. In addition to describing current practices, primary outcomes were device failure, complications, and skin complications. Results are reported using descriptive statistics and with risk factors calculated via Cox proportional hazards regression. A total of 104 neonates required 302 vascular access devices, over 1375 catheter days. Peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs) were most used (n = 186; 62%), followed by umbilical venous catheters (n = 52; 17%). Insertion attempts were often undocumented; but for those recorded, 5% of devices (n = 15) required 4 attempts or more. Device failure occurred in 28% (n = 82), at an incidence rate of 62.5 per 1000 catheter days (95% confidence interval [CI] 49.7-75.9). Failure was most frequent in PIVCs (37%; n = 68), peripheral arterial catheters (33%; n = 2), and peripherally inserted central catheters (20%; n = 6). Infiltration and extravasation were the most frequent cause of PIVC failure (12%; n = 35). A birth weight less than 1500 g was associated with a significant decrease in PIVC failure (hazard ratio 0.58; 95% CI 0.34-0.99).

Safety and efficacy of LMA Supreme™ vs. LMA ProSeal™ for ambulatory surgeries in adult patients

Background & objectives: The laryngeal mask airway Supreme™ (LMA-S) is a new, single-use, supraglottic device that combines the functionality of the ProSeal™ and Fastrach™ airways. Till now, there have been conflicting results regarding the oropharyngeal leak pressure (OLP) of the LMA Supreme™ vs. the LMA ProSeal™, which is the major determinant of effective ventilation and airway protection during LMA use. We compared the safety and efficacy of the LMA ProSeal™ vs. the LMA Supreme™ in ambulatory surgeries.
 Methodology: In this prospective, comparative trial, eighty adult patients undergoing elective surgery, were randomly allocated to one of the two groups: Group LMA–P (LMA ProSeal™ group) and Group LMA–S (LMA Supreme™ group) of 40 patients each. OLP, insertion times, number of insertion attempts, ease of insertion and pharyngolaryngeal morbidity were assessed. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 21.0 software using Student’s t-test and Chi-square test. P < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.
 Results: Oropharyngeal leak pressure in Group LMA–P (26.65 ± 1.59 cmH2O) was comparable to Group LMA–S (26.08 ± 1.67 cmH2O) and both provided adequate seal and effective ventilation. The mean effective airway time was significantly less in Group LMA–S as compared to Group LMA–P (14.80 ± 1.24 sec and 17.80 ± 1.47 sec) respectively. Mean number of successful insertion attempts, hemodynamic response and pharyngolaryngeal morbidity were comparable in both the groups.
 Conclusion: Both LMA Supreme™ and LMA ProSeal™ are equally efficacious and safe for maintaining airway and ventilation in paralyzed patients. However, LMA Supreme™ is easier to insert with shorter effective airway time than LMA ProSeal™.
 Abbreviations: SAD - Supraglottic airway device; ETI - Endotracheal intubation; LMA - Laryngeal mask airways; PPV - Positive pressure ventilation; OLP - oropharyngeal leak pressure
 Key words: LMA ProSeal™, LMA Supreme™, Oropharyngeal leak pressure; Airway; Aieway management
 Citation: Singh A, Kaur J, Kaur S, Gupta KK. Safety and efficacy of LMA Supreme™ vs. LMA ProSeal™ for ambulatory surgeries in adult patients. Anaesth. pain intensive care 2021;26(1):63-68.
 DOI: 10.35975/apic.v26i1.1769
 Received: June 02, 2021, Reviewed: December 13, 2021, Accepted: December 15, 2021

Optimizing Physiology During Prehospital Airway Management: An NAEMSP Position Statement and Resource Document

Airway management is a critical component of resuscitation but also carries the potential to disrupt perfusion, oxygenation, and ventilation as a consequence of airway insertion efforts, the use of medications, and the conversion to positive-pressure ventilation. NAEMSP recommends: Airway management should be approached as an organized system of care, incorporating principles of teamwork and operational awareness. EMS clinicians should prevent or correct hypoxemia and hypotension prior to advanced airway insertion attempts. Continuous physiological monitoring must be used during airway management to guide the timing of, limit the duration of, and inform decision making during advanced airway insertion attempts. Initial and ongoing confirmation of advanced airway placement must be performed using waveform capnography. Airway devices must be secured using a reliable method. Perfusion, oxygenation, and ventilation should be optimized before, during, and after advanced airway insertion. To mitigate aspiration after advanced airway insertion, EMS clinicians should consider placing a patient in a semi-upright position. When appropriate, patients undergoing advanced airway placement should receive suitable pharmacologic anxiolysis, amnesia, and analgesia. In select cases, the use of neuromuscular blocking agents may be appropriate.

Baska Mask in Patients undergoing Elective Breast Surgeries under General Anaesthesia: An Observational Study

Introduction: Supraglottic airway devices are newer safer alternative devices to endotracheal intubation during General Anaesthesia. The Baska mask is a novel third generation Supraglottic Airway Devices (SADs) with an added advantage of silicon self-recoiling, non inflatable cuff. Postgraduate trainees will need hands on training in all available airway securing devices and have experience in using the Baska mask and also complications associated with it. Aim: To assess the successful insertion of Baska mask by postgraduate trainees, and its placement in 50 low-risk female patients posted for breast surgeries, and also to determine the correct placement using fibreoptic bronchoscope. Materials and Methods: The present study was an observational study conducted at Kidwai Cancer Institute, Bangalore, Karnataka, India from January 2019 to January 2020 in which a total of 50 study participants were selected, and Baska mask was inserted by postgraduate trainees in all patients. The placement of the mask was assessed by fibreoptic bronchoscope using Brimacombe scoring. Ease of insertion, time required for insertion and attempts required for the insertion of the mask was assessed along with postoperative complications. Student’s t-test and Chisquare test were used to study the parameters on continuous scale and categorical scale, respectively. Results: The mean age of the study population was 46.9±7.8 years. The overall success rate for device insertion was 96%, while the success rate for the first insertion attempt was 60%. The device was ‘easy’ to insert among 48% of patients, and mean time required for insertion was 20.54±10.7 sec. The mean airway leak pressure was 39.17 cmH2 O. Postoperative complications were notably less with sore throat seen in 20.8%, and the incidence of other side-effects like laryngospasm was nil. Conclusion: Baska mask can be successfully and safely used by postgraduate trainees as a tool for securing the airway. As learning curve for Baska mask is short, it can be used safely for training postgraduate trainees and to improve their expertise in using the Baska mask.

Deep Learning-Based Forearm Subcutaneous Veins Segmentation

In most of the medical treatments, intravenous catheterization is considered as a first crucial phase, in which health practitioners find the superficial vein to conduct blood sampling or medication procedures. In some patients these veins are hard to localize due to different physiological characteristics such as dark skin tone, scars, vein depth etc., which mostly results in multiple attempts for needle insertion. This causes pain, delayed treatment, bleeding, and even infections. To reduce these risks, an automated veins detection method is needed that can efficiently segment the veins and produce realistic results for cannulation purposes. For this purpose, many imaging modalities such as Photoacoustic, Trans-illumination, ultrasound, Near-Infrared etc. are used. Among these modalities Near-Infrared (NIR) imaging modality is considered most suitable due to its lower cost and non-ionizing nature. Over the past few years, subcutaneous veins localization using NIR have attracted increasing attention in the field of health care and biomedical engineering. Therefore, the proposed research work is based on NIR images for forearm subcutaneous veins segmentation. This paper presents a deep learning-based approach called Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) for segmentation/localization of forearm veins. GANs have shown exciting results in the medical imaging field recently. These are used for unsupervised feature learning and image-to-image translation applications. These networks generate realistic results by learning data mapping from one state to another. Since GANs can produce state of the art results, therefore we have proposed a Pix2Pix GAN for segmentation of forearm veins. The proposed algorithm is trained and tested on forearm subcutaneous veins image dataset. The proposed model outperforms traditional approaches with the mean accuracy and sensitivity, values obtained are 0.971 and 0.862 respectively. The dice coefficient and Intersection over Union (IoU) score are respectively 0.962 and 0.936 which are better than the state-of-the-art methods.

Subclavian Vein Cannulation and its Common Technical Errors, Failure Rates and Complications: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Central Venous Catheter (CVC) is indicated when peripheral vein administration is not possible which can be inserted via different routes. CVC play a significant role in the therapeutic armamentarium of the surgeon and intensivist. The subclavian vein is the most frequently used access site but is associated with certain risks and failures. Aim: To study common technical errors, failure rate and complications associated with subclavian cannulation. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study carried out on 100 patients admitted from October 2017 to October 2020 for various surgical diseases in a Swami Ramanand Teerth Rural Government Medical College, Ambajogai, Maharashtra, India, requiring CVC placement. Subclavian vein cannulation (SVC) technique was done as standard method. Surgeon or anaesthetist who was performing the procedure noted the number of insertion attempts, failures and complications. Data was collected and analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0 and paired t-test. Level of significance was set at p-value <0.05. Results: Total of 100 patients included in the study, 57 (57%) were male with mean age of 61±14.2 years and 43 (43%) were female with mean age of 58±11.7 years. SVC was successfully done in all 100 cases but in 236 attempts. Thus, 136 attempts were failure and the overall failure rate was 57.62%. On an average there are 2.4 failed attempts per line. The most common technical error observed was improper site for needle insertion relative to the clavicle 27.94% followed by insertion of the needle through the clavicular periosteum 25.74%. The overall complication rate was 9% and most common complications was haematoma in 6%, catheter site infection 2% and pneumothorax in 1%. Conclusion: Subclavian vein catheterisation is an important invasive procedure often performed to administer drugs, haemodynamic monitoring and total parenteral nutrition. It is associated with high failure rate and complications due to technical errors of judgement leading to multiple attempts of needle insertion. They can be minimised with knowledge of anatomical landmarks, ultrasound guidance and Subclavian Vein Cannulation (SVC) personnel experience.

Late venous air embolism following insertion of Mayfield head pins.

Dear Editor, Venous air embolism (VAE) is not an uncommon event during neurosurgical procedures. It is an iatrogenic complication that occurs when air from the atmosphere enters into the systemic circulation specifically when the surgical site is above the level of heart producing a sub-atmospheric pressure in the open veins. A 27-year-old male diagnosed as a case of fronto-temporo-parietal meningioma was posted for craniotomy and excision under general anesthesia. His Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] was 15, and no neurological deficit was present. All laboratory investigations were within normal limits. His magnetic resonance imaging was suggestive of large well-defined lesion in left Sylvian fissure, extending into left basal cistern with mass effect. Following anesthesia induction, a Mayfield pin was used to stabilize the head of the patient in a supine position. The pin was removed and reinserted by the surgeon to improve the surgical access. Half an hour later, the surgeon repositioned the patient with head end elevated by 30 degree. We observe a sudden fall in end-tidal carbon dioxide concentration [EtCO2] from 30 to 19 mmHg with a drop of oxygen saturation from 100% to 95%. Rest of the vital parameters including heart rate and blood pressure demonstrated no change from baseline. We started the management with administration of 100% oxygen and intravenous fluids. We could aspirate 4–5 ml of air through the central venous line catheter [Arrow triple lumen central venous catheter, 7 French sizes, and 16-centimeter length]. We confirmed the central venous line position with electrocardiogram as a guide. The superior vena cava – right atrium junction positioning of the central venous line was confirmed with a tall P wave, which was equal to R wave height. The time frame between the event and air aspiration was one and half minutes. Within 1–2 min of air aspiration, oxygen saturation returned back to normal and EtCO2 rose up to 25 mmHg from 19 mmHg. No further episodes of VAE occurred during surgery. Mayfield head pin is commonly used in neurosurgical patients to keep the head stable during surgery. The literature is scarce in case reports showing an association of VAE and Mayfield head pins in adult patients.[12] Ture H et al. observed that the rate and severity of VAE were significantly lower in patients with 30-degree head elevation than in patients with 45-degree head elevation undergoing craniotomy in semi-sitting position.[3] This was a case of late VAE during repositioning of patient possibly following air entrainment through diploic veins injured at first attempt of pin insertion. In our case, we could not find any other possible explanation for this sudden decrease in EtCO2 except for the traumatized initial skull pin site being culprit for air entrainment after a change in position. At this time point, the surgery was not started and anesthetic depth was well maintained. The proper scanning of the surgical site by a surgeon before pin insertion, avoidance of sudden change in patient positioning, and proper suturing of the initial traumatized pin insertion site could avert this iatrogenic complication. Declaration of patient consent The authors certify that they have obtained all appropriate patient consent forms. In the form the patient(s) has/have given his/her/their consent for his/her/their images and other clinical information to be reported in the journal. The patients understand that their names and initials will not be published and due efforts will be made to conceal their identity, but anonymity cannot be guaranteed. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.

Preprocedural ultrasound assessment of landmarks of paramedian approach for subarachnoid block in geriatric population

Background: Paramedian spinal anesthesia is the preferred anesthetic technique in the elderly. This conventional approach is occasionally challenged by difficulty in identifying landmarks accurately. Neuraxial ultrasound aims to overcome these inaccuracies.Objective: The objective was that the routine use of preprocedural ultrasound assessment of landmarks for paramedian spinal in geriatric population improves the efficacy of spinal anesthesia by reducing the number of attempts and redirections.Materials and Methods: Sixty consenting elderly patients aged 60 year or above, posted for elective surgery under spinal anesthesia, were enrolled in the study. Participants were assigned at random to receive spinal anesthesia by the paramedian approach by either conventional landmark guidance (Group CP) or preprocedural ultrasound-assisted (Group PP) technique.Results: The number of needle redirections was not significant and the success rate at the first attempt with no redirection was higher in the ultrasound compared with the landmark group. However, the mean insertion attempts were indifferent. The preprocedural ultrasound-assisted approach required an insignificantly shorter time for administering spinal anesthesia than the landmark-guided technique (48.87s [67.65] vs. 50.67s [50.19]) [P = 0.90]. The periprocedural pain scores (2.90[2.07] vs. 2.87[1.57]) [P = 0.94] and willingness for a similar future intervention (66.7 vs. 66.7%) were comparable among the groups.Conclusion: The use of preprocedural ultrasonography for paramedian approach to spinal anesthesia is not superior to the conventional landmark guidance in achieving successful dural tap at L3-L4 interspace in elderly adult population and should be limited to a setting with expert operators and selected patients for whom conventional methods may be technically challenging.

Septorinoplasti operasyonlarında ProSeal laryngeal maske ve entübasyon tüpünün karşılaştırılması

Purpose: The aim of this study is to use ProSeal laryngeal mask airway (PLMA) and endotracheal tube (ETT) in elective septorhinoplasty operation and to compare the hemodynamic differences and postoperative complications during the application. 
 Materials and Methods: In the prospective planned study, ASA I-II and 60 patients aged 18-35 were randomly allocated into two groups (n = 30, n = 30). After the standard anesthesia technique, Group E was placed ETT, Group P PLMA. Patients’ demographic characteristics, number of attempts for correct insertion, hemodynamic changes, postoperative nausea, vomiting, sore throat, hoarseness, dysphagia and surgical satisfaction evaluated.
 Results: Heart rate was higher in Group E than in Group P at the 1st min after anesthesia induction, at the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 10th min after airway insertion, and at the 3rd min after extubation. Difficulty in swallowing at postoperative was higher in Group E than in Group P. Insertion rates of the devices, were similar. Surgical satisfaction was higher in Group E than in Group P. Adequate tidal volume was provided in both groups during the operation.
 Conclusion: The use of PLMA in airway management in outpatient septorhinoplasty operations creates less hemodynamic response compared to the use of ETT, less airway complications are seen and thanks to its flexibility, it does not interfere with the surgical area. PLMA may be an alternative to ETT when the insertion of the airway devices is performed by experienced physicians.

Second Generation Supraglottic Airway Devices: A Randomized Comparison of the Ambu Aura Gain Versus the LMA Proseal in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Surgeries

Background: Second generation Supraglottic airway devices are increasingly used in laparoscopic surgeries. Supraglottic airway devices have no effect on pharyngo-esophageal reflex and prevent aspiration. We attempt to elucidate whether Ambu Aura Gain (AAG) would provide a higher Oropharyngeal Leak Pressure (OLP) with a lower mucosal pressure compared to ProSeal Laryngeal Mask Airway (PLMA). Objective: The present study was done to evaluate and compare Ambu Aura Gain and ProSeal Laryngeal mask airway with respect to number of insertion attempts, ease of insertion, time required for placement, Oropharyngeal leak pressure, hemodynamic changes and complications in laparoscopic surgeries. Method: 60 patients who belong to ASA physical status I & II, posted for laparoscopic surgeries, were divided into two groups of 30 each. Group A (n=30) - Ambu Aura Gain used and Group B (n=30) – ProSeal laryngeal mask used. Result: No significant difference in OLP were observed. Both AAG and PLMA are easy to insert with a similar successful insertion rate on first attempt. The time taken for insertion of AAG was longer than PLMA. Conclusion: AAG provide adequate sealing pressure and easy to insert and can be used effectively as Supraglottic airway device for laparoscopic surgeries.

AI-Enabled, Ultrasound-Guided Handheld Robotic Device for Femoral Vascular Access.

Hemorrhage is a leading cause of trauma death, particularly in prehospital environments when evacuation is delayed. Obtaining central vascular access to a deep artery or vein is important for administration of emergency drugs and analgesics, and rapid replacement of blood volume, as well as invasive sensing and emerging life-saving interventions. However, central access is normally performed by highly experienced critical care physicians in a hospital setting. We developed a handheld AI-enabled interventional device, AI-GUIDE (Artificial Intelligence Guided Ultrasound Interventional Device), capable of directing users with no ultrasound or interventional expertise to catheterize a deep blood vessel, with an initial focus on the femoral vein. AI-GUIDE integrates with widely available commercial portable ultrasound systems and guides a user in ultrasound probe localization, venous puncture-point localization, and needle insertion. The system performs vascular puncture robotically and incorporates a preloaded guidewire to facilitate the Seldinger technique of catheter insertion. Results from tissue-mimicking phantom and porcine studies under normotensive and hypotensive conditions provide evidence of the technique’s robustness, with key performance metrics in a live porcine model including: a mean time to acquire femoral vein insertion point of 53 ± 36 s (5 users with varying experience, in 20 trials), a total time to insert catheter of 80 ± 30 s (1 user, in 6 trials), and a mean number of 1.1 (normotensive, 39 trials) and 1.3 (hypotensive, 55 trials) needle insertion attempts (1 user). These performance metrics in a porcine model are consistent with those for experienced medical providers performing central vascular access on humans in a hospital.

Central venous catheter-related thrombosis in pediatric surgical patients: A prospective observational study.

Perioperative central venous catheters are required but may be associated with various complications. The purpose of our study was to assess the incidence and perioperative risk factors for catheter-related internal jugular vein thrombosis in pediatric surgical patients. This prospective observational study included children under 6years of age who were scheduled to undergo central venous catheterization of the right internal jugular vein under general anesthesia. A central venous catheter was inserted under real-time ultrasound guidance. An investigator examined for thrombosis using ultrasonography at predetermined time points. The primary aim was the incidence of catheter-related thrombosis from insertion until the 5th day postoperatively or the removal of the central venous catheter. The secondary aim was the determination of the risk factors for thrombosis. Eighty patients completed the study. Internal jugular vein thrombi were found in 31 patients (38.8%, 95% CI 28.0-49.4). On multiple logistic regression analyses, the number of insertion attempts was the only influencing factor for catheter-related thrombosis (p<.001). More than two insertion attempts increased the risk of thrombosis (odds ratio 5.6; 95% CI 1.7 - 18.7, p=.004). Anesthesia time (p=.017; mean difference 166.4min; 95% CI 55.7-277.1), intraoperative red blood cell transfusion (p=.001; median difference 21.1ml kg-1 ; 95% CI 6.6-34.4), and intensive care unit stay (p=.001; median difference 100.0h; 95% CI 48-311) differed between patients with transient thrombosis and those with thrombosis lasting for more than 3days. Internal jugular vein thrombosis was frequently detected by ultrasound following central venous catheterization in pediatric surgical patients. Multiple insertion attempts may be associated with the incidence of thrombosis. The clinical relevance of thrombi detected via ultrasound surveillance has not been determined.

Defining difficult intravenous access (DIVA): A systematic review.

The term "difficult intravenous access" (DIVA) is commonly used but not clearly defined. Repeated attempts at peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) insertion can be a traumatic experience for patients, leading to sub-optimal clinical and economic outcomes. We conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) to collate literature definitions of DIVA, with the aim of arriving at an evidence-driven definition. The SLR was designed to identify clinical, cost, and quality of life publications in patients requiring the insertion of a PIVC in any setting, including studies on US-guidance and/or guidewire, and studies with no specific intervention. The search was restricted to English language studies published between 1st January 2010 and 30th July 2020, and the Ovid platform was used to search several electronic databases, in addition to hand searching of clinical trial registries. About 121 studies were included in the SLR, of which 64 reported on the objectives relevant to this manuscript. Prevalence estimates varied widely from 6% to 87.7% across 19 publications, reflecting differences in definitions used. Of 43 publications which provided a definition of DIVA, six key themes emerged. Of these, themes 1-3 (failed attempts at PIV access using traditional technique; based on physical examination findings for example no visible or palpable veins; and personal history of DIVA) were covered by all but one publication. Following a failed insertion attempt, the most common number of subsequent attempts was 3, and it was frequently reported that a more experienced clinician would attempt to gain access after multiple failed attempts. Considering the themes identified, an evidence-driven definition of DIVA is proposed: "when a clinician has two or more failed attempts at PIV access using traditional techniques, physical examination findings are suggestive of DIVA (e.g. no visible or palpable veins) or the patient has a stated or documented history of DIVA."

P.202 Image-Guidance for Ventricular Drains Insertion: A Systematic Review and Metanalysis

Background: The use of Image-guidance to improve the accuracy during ventricular drain insertion has been attempted. We aim to assess the effect of use of Image-guidance on accuracy, drain failure rate and number of ventricular cannulation attempts. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception to February 2021 looking for studies comparing image-guided versus freehand ventricular drain insertion. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data and assessed risk of bias and quality of evidence. Metanalysis was conducted in compliance with PRISMA guidelines using a random-effects model and GRADE tool was used to assess quality of evidence. Results: 17 studies with 3404 patients were included, all of which were of non-randomized design. Pooled data on drain accuracy and drain failure rates showed favourable effect of image-guidance with risk ratio of 1.31 (95% CI of 1.13 – 1.51, low quality evidence) and 0.63 (95% CI 0.48 – 0.83, moderate quality evidence), respectively. Pooled data were equivocal for number of attempts with mean difference score of -0.11 times (95% CI -0.31 – 0.09, very low-quality evidence). Conclusions: Image-guidance likely enhances drain accuracy and reduces drain failure rate. No clear recommendation can be drawn on the benefit of intervention on number of drain insertion attempts.

Comparison of the clinical performance of the i-gelTM, LMA SupremeTM, and Ambu AuraGainTM in adult patients during general anesthesia: a prospective and randomized study.

BackgroundSupraglottic 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.MethodsAmerican 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.ResultsDemographic 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.ConclusionsAll 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.

Comparative evaluation of sevoflurane and propofol to facilitate insertion of supra glottic airway device

: Propofol has been used since ages as induction agent to aid in insertion of Supraglottic airway devices however its side effects like hypotension, apnea and pain on injection do coexist. To avoid these side effects sevoflurane has been studied and well recognized because of its sweet smelling property. We conducted this study with primary aim to compare the insertion conditions such as no. of attempts for insertion, hemodynamic variations and awakening after surgery. The secondary aim was to note the adverse effects associated with Sevoflurane and propofol.We included sixty female patients of age 18-65 years graded as ASA I and II undergoing short gynecological procedures. Patients were induced with Sevoflurane 8% or IV Propofol 2mg/kg. Attempts for I-gel insertion, jaw relaxation, biting, coughing, gagging, laryngospasm and hemodynamic pressor response and awakening after surgery were noted.Induction time with Propofol is less compared to Sevoflurane. I-Gel insertion time with Sevoflurane and Propofol is insignificant (p value= 0.93). 25 patients in Group S and 27 patients in group P had very easy insertion of I-gel. 23 patients in Group S and 27 patients in Group P had relaxed jaw. None of the patients in both groups experienced laryngospasm.Propofol provided better conditions for I-gel insertion with manageable hypotension while the patients induced with Sevoflurane were hemodynamically more stable but the jaw relaxation was less as compared to that provided by propofol. Induction with 8% Sevoflurane by Vital Capacity Breath (VCB) technique can be an alternative for induction in high risk patients. Also the awakening from anaesthesia is faster with sevoflurane and is more suitable for patients demanding early discharge after day care surgeries.

Ultrasound-guided post-pyloric feeding tube insertion in peri-operative cardiac infants.

We carried out a prospective pilot observational experimental study in peri-operative cardiac infants with feeding intolerance between 2019 and 2021. Feeding tube insertion depends on a combination of ultrasound and gastric insufflation with air-saline mixture. Insertion was confirmed by bedside abdominal X-ray. Out of 500 peri-operative cardiac infants, 15 needed post-pyloric feeding tube insertion in median 15 postoperative day. All were under 6 months of age with average weight of 3 ± 0.2 kg. Median Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery Categories was 4. Median insertion time was 15 minutes. No complications have been reported. First pass success rate was 87%, while a second successful insertion attempt was needed in 2 cases (13%). Target daily calorie intake was achieved within average of 3.5 ± 0.4 days. Mean post-pyloric feeding tube stay was 20 ± 3 days. Out of 15 infants, 3 patients died, 1 patient needed gastrostomy tube, and 11 patients were discharged home on oral feeds. Ultrasound-guided post-pyloric feeding tube insertion using gastric insufflation with air-saline mixture in peri-operative cardiac infants with feeding intolerance is a useful and practical bedside tool, and it can be performed by a trained paediatric cardiac ICU intensivist. It may have potential positive effects on morbidity and outcome.

Development of a Peripheral Intravenous Access Training Program for Nurses in the Pediatric Intensive Care Units

PurposeObtaining vascular access in the pediatric population can be challenging, with insertion success rates varying widely based on patient and practitioner associated factors. Difficulty establishing peripheral intravenous access can delay treatment, which can be detrimental in emergent situations. Nurses who are trained in vascular access yield a much higher first attempt success rate, which decreases resource utilization, time to intervention, and complication rate. Fewer insertion attempts can also result in improved outcomes including decreased length of stay and better patient and family perception of pain. Design and methodsThe Vascular Access Service at our institution developed an extensive training program, which included three stages: didactic learning, simulation training, and insertion validation. ResultsDuring the first three months of 2020, there were 54 ultrasound-guided peripheral IVs placed in the pediatric intensive care units, 100% of which were placed by the vascular access service. In the first three months of 2021, 63 ultrasound-guided peripheral IVs were placed, 100% of which were placed by pediatric intensive care unit nurses. Of those placed by pediatric intensive care unit nurses, 52 (82.5%) were placed following their ultrasound-guided peripheral IV training. First time insertion success rates were 86.5% with competency in a diverse patient population of widely varying ages. ConclusionsPrograms that include repeated simulation experiences may facilitate greater learning and thus increase the confidence of the nurses trained. Improving staff skills for vascular access has promoted independent bedside practice and contributed to a culture of quality and safety for the pediatric patient population.

PIVC Best Practices: A Path to Performance Improvement

Highlights Abstract Background: Insertion of peripheral vascular access devices (PIVC) is fundamental to patient care and may affect patient outcomes. Baseline data of PIVC insertions at a large medical center revealed that catheters required multiple insertion attempts, catheter hubs were manipulated to place extension sets, increasing the risk of complications, dwell times did not meet current standards, nurses experienced blood-exposure risk, and overall compliance with the hospital documentation policy was suboptimal. A 3-phase quality improvement project was conducted to address these concerns. Methods: In Phase 1, an assessment of the current state of PIVC insertions and care was conducted using a mixed-methods approach consisting of an observational audit of insertion and maintenance practices, and retrospective chart reviews. In Phase 2, PIVC policies and practices were updated to reflect current standards. A new advanced design PIVC device was adopted, and education was provided to all staff. In Phase 3, the impact of these changes on key PIVC measures was assessed 1 year later. Results: The analysis of the data found several improvements following implementation of an integrated IV catheter system: first-stick success rate increased from 73% to 84%, staff blood exposure was reduced from 46.67% to 0% (P = .01), improper securement of PIVC catheters was reduced from 11% to 0% (P = .002), and documentation compliance rate increased from 68% to 80%. The median PIVC dwell time doubled (from 2 days to 4 days). Conclusion: Changes to policy, practices, and products plus education can improve the PIVC first-stick success, dwell time, documentation, and staff safety.

Association of Advanced Airway Insertion Timing and Outcomes After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

While often prioritized in the resuscitation of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, the optimal timing of advanced airway insertion is unknown. We evaluated the association between the timing of advanced airway (laryngeal tube and endotracheal intubation) insertion attempt and survival to hospital discharge in adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. We performed a secondary analysis of the Pragmatic Airway Resuscitation Trial (PART), a clinical trial comparing the effects of laryngeal tube and endotracheal intubation on outcomes after adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. We stratified the cohort by randomized airway strategy (laryngeal tube or endotracheal intubation). Within each subset, we defined a time-dependent propensity score using patients, arrest, and emergency medical services systems characteristics. Using the propensity score, we matched each patient receiving an initial attempt of laryngeal tube or endotracheal intubation with a patient at risk of receiving laryngeal tube or endotracheal intubation attempt within the same minute. Of 2,146 eligible patients, 1,091 (50.8%) and 1,055 (49.2%) were assigned to initial laryngeal tube and endotracheal intubation strategies, respectively. In the propensity score-matched cohort, timing of laryngeal tube insertion attempt was not associated with survival to hospital discharge: 0 to lesser than 5 minutes (risk ratio [RR]=1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.53 to 3.44); 5 to lesser than10 minutes (RR=1.07, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.73); 10 to lesser than 15 minutes (RR=1.17, 95% CI 0.60 to 2.31); or 15 to lesser than 20 minutes (RR=2.09, 95% CI 0.35 to 12.47) after advanced life support arrival. Timing of endotracheal intubation attempt was also not associated with survival: 0 to lesser than 5 minutes (RR=0.50, 95% CI 0.05 to 4.87); 5 to lesser than10 minutes (RR=1.20, 95% CI 0.51 to 2.81); 10 to lesser than15 minutes (RR=1.03, 95% CI 0.49 to 2.14); 15 to lesser than 20 minutes (RR=0.85, 95% CI 0.30 to 2.42); or more than/equal to 20 minutes (RR=0.71, 95% CI 0.07 to 7.14). In the PART, timing of advanced airway insertion attempt was not associated with survival to hospital discharge.