Esophageal Intubation Research Articles

The Theatre Recovery and Anaesthetic nurse Capnography Education (TRACE) project.

The Theatre Recovery and Anaesthetic Nurse Capnography Education (TRACE) project is a multidisciplinary quality improvement project. The overall aim is to educate anaesthetic and recovery nurses on the correct use of capnography and educate non-consultant hospital doctors on the guidelines on Preventing Unrecognised Oesophageal Intubation from the Project for Universal Management of Airways group. This project addresses technical aspects of task performance such as correct waveform identification and interpretation, troubleshooting abnormal waveforms and establishing routine checks of capnography both pre-induction and post-intubation. The pre-induction verification of the correct function of capnography is an essential component of this project. In addition, the project focuses on team aspects of task performance with an emphasis on team psychological safety, empowering nurses to speak up using graded assertiveness and flattening hierarchies. As a result of the project, our nurses' knowledge about capnography and waveform identification improved to over 80% correct answers six months after completion of the project. In addition, over 90% of participants reported feeling confident in speaking up to both consultants and non-consultant hospital doctors when a waveform was not present before induction of anaesthesia or after attempted tracheal intubation.

The Efficacy of Utilizing Bougie Vs Stylet in Patients Requiring Endotracheal Intubation: Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction: Endotracheal intubation is a high-risk procedure that can be lifesaving for critically ill or injured patients. Assisted devices, such as the bougie and stylet, are commonly used to improve success rates and reduce complications. The bougie facilitates the passage of the endotracheal tube through the vocal cords while the stylet is inserted into the endotracheal tube prior to intubation. However, there is variation in clinical practice regarding the preference for using these devices in difficult airway management. Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the efficacy of bougie versus stylet in tracheal intubation. Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central of Controlled Trials and Clinical trials.gov were searched for studies discussing the same topic. The primary outcome was the first-attempt intubation success rate between the bougie and stylet. Our secondary outcomes were to compare the duration of intubation and the complications rates between bougie and stylet. Results: A total of 7 RCTs that enrolled participants(number?) were eligible. The bougie approach had a slightly higher success rate on the first attempt, but there was no significant difference between the methods (RR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.90 to 1.15). The duration of intubation, pooled analysis indicated a statistically significant reduction in the duration of intubation with the stylet approach compared to the bougie approach (MD, 8.39; 95% CI, 2.87 to 13.91). Subgroup analysis revealed lower rates of esophageal intubation (RR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.26 to 1.61, I2= 0%) and pneumothorax (RR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.54 to 1.66, I2= 0%) in the bougie group. Conclusion: This study reported that no significant difference between the use of bougie vs stylet in terms of first attempt intubation success rates and the complication rates of endotracheal intubation. However, stylet displayed significantly shorter duration of intubation in comparison to bougie.

Gastric Perforation, a Rare Consequence of Unintentional Esophageal Intubation

Accidental esophageal intubation is a preventable human error that complicates airway management and continues to occur despite advances in medical devices. Perforation of the stomach has been associated with esophageal intubation in several case reports. This report presents a case of an elderly woman suspected of having COVID-19-related pneumonia. She was intubated due to respiratory dysfunction. In the initial few minutes, the patient became desaturated, leading to a second intubation. An hour later, the patient’s abdomen was distended, and the chest computed tomography (CT) showed a massive pneumoperitoneum. During laparotomy, a 6 cm long rupture was found in the lesser curvature, which was attributed to accidental esophageal intubation. To avoid such a fatal condition, it is imperative for physicians to ensure the correct positioning of the endotracheal tube. To achieve this goal, further investigation into readily available and highl y sensitive techniques is recommended.

Effect of Premedication with Glycopyrrolate on Patient Tolerance and Procedure Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Unsedated Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy: A Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial.

An optimal topical pharyngeal anesthesia (TPA) is required for better patient tolerance and procedural outcomes of an unsedated upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGIE). Several additional strategies have been tried to improve patient tolerance with limited success. We hypothesized that premedication with glycopyrrolate would enhance TPA and improve patient tolerance and procedural outcomes of an unsedated UGIE. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial between July 2020 and May 2022. Consecutive patients undergoing unsedated UGIE were randomly assigned to receive either intravenous glycopyrrolate or a placebo 30 minutes before TPA. Patient tolerance, comfort level for the endoscopist, cardiorespiratory fluctuations, percentage of failed esophageal intubation, and incomplete examination were studied. 380 patients were randomized to 190 in each arm. The median (IQR) VAS scores for the overall patient satisfaction in the glycopyrrolate and placebo groups were 8 (1) and 7 (2), respectively (p = 0.04). The median (IQR) VAS scores for endoscopist assessment of patient cooperation in the glycopyrrolate and placebo groups were 8 (1.3) and 8 (1), respectively (p = 0.04). There was no difference in the percentage of failed esophageal intubation and incomplete examination, fluctuations in heart rate, and oxygen saturation of the participants. However, the mean arterial pressure (MAP) on-table before the start of the procedure at 1 minute and 3 minutes was significantly higher in the glycopyrrolate group (p = 0.01, 0.01, and 0.04, respectively). In unsedated UGIE, glycopyrrolate premedication significantly improves the patient tolerance and endoscopist's comfort, with minimal cardiorespiratory effects. Hence, it could be incorporated into day-care unsedated endoscopy practice.Trial registration - CTRI/2020/07/026786. Ramalingam R, Senthamizhselvan K, Harichandrakumar KT, et al. Effect of Premedication with Glycopyrrolate on Patient Tolerance and Procedure Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Unsedated Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy: A Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2023;13(2):55-60.

Comparison of Time to Intubation of a Double-Lumen Endobronchial Tube Utilizing C-MAC® Versus GlideScope® Versus Macintosh Blade: A Randomized Crossover Manikin Study.

Macintosh blade direct laryngoscopy is widely used for endotracheal intubation. It may, however, provide an incomplete view of the glottis in patients with challenging airway anatomy. Consequently, various video laryngoscopes have been developed to enhance the visualization of the glottis and facilitate intubation. Yet, the effectiveness of these video laryngoscopes for intubation using a double-lumen endotracheal tube (DLT), which is longer, larger, and more rigid and has a linear configuration as opposed to the naturally semicircular curvature of a single-lumen endotracheal tube, remains uncertain. We hypothesized that video laryngoscopes would be more efficient for DLT intubation compared to the Macintosh blade in an adult manikin. Ninety-four anesthesia providers, comprising 67 residents, 15 fellows, and 12 attendings, attempted to intubate an adult manikin with normal airway anatomy (Laerdal, Wappingers Falls, NY, USA) using a 37 Fr left-sided DLT. Three different intubation devices were used: the C-MAC® video laryngoscope (Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG, Tuttlingen, Germany), the GlideScope® video laryngoscope (Verathon Inc., Bothell, WA), and the Macintosh blade direct laryngoscope-were used. Each participant intubated a manikin once with each of the three devices. Participants were randomized via a crossover design with the order of devices determined by using a Latin square design. Time to intubation and the number of failed intubations (esophageal intubation) were compared across the three different devices. Mean times to intubation for the C-MAC®, GlideScope®, and Macintosh blades were 18.57 ± 0.77, 36.26 ± 2.69, and 20.76 ± 0.96 seconds, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference (P<0.001) between the GlideScope® and the other two laryngoscopes. The times for C-MAC® and Macintosh blades were not significantly different. There were two instances of first-attempt failed intubation with the Macintosh. Both the C-MAC® and the Macintosh blades proved more efficient in terms of time to DLT intubation in the manikin with normal airway anatomy, when compared to the GlideScope®. Considering the occurrence of first-attemptfailed intubation, the C-MAC® was the most effective device among the three laryngoscopes for timely successful DLT intubation in the adult manikin. Further studies are needed to confirm these results in human subjects.

Integrated Assessment of Discrepancy Between Tracheal Tube and Tube Exchanger as Advancement: A Manikin Simulation Study.

Advancing a tracheal tube over a tracheal tube exchanger into the trachea frequently causes difficulties because of the tube impingement on laryngeal structures. In the present study, we measured the resistance of tube advancement both objectively and subjectively with a variety of combinations of tube exchanger sizes and tracheal tubes using a manikin simulator. Lubricated 7.5 mm ID standard and Parker Flex-Tip (PFT) tracheal tubes were railroaded over the tube exchangers (OD 1-6 mm) into the trachea through the oral route in a manikin. Consequently, 12 combinations of tracheal tube-exchanger tube assemblies were evaluated. Tube advancing resistance at the laryngeal inlet was subjectively evaluated. The objective tube advancing resistance (force) at the laryngeal inlet was evaluated using a digital force gauge. The execution of each tracheal tube-exchanger trial was conducted 10 times. With a 1-mm tube exchanger, all intubation attempts with both standard and PFT tubes failed. Esophageal intubation or severe impingement at the right arytenoid accompanied with a bent tracheal tube was observed. With a 2-mm tube exchanger, during intubation with a standard tracheal tube, rotation of the tube was sometimes required; however, all other intubations were done without problems. When PFT tubes were used, all intubation attempts were performed without problems. The rest of the trials were successfully performed regardless of the combinations of tube exchangers and tracheal tubes; however, one attempt of intubation with a combination of a 5 mm tube exchanger and a standard tracheal tube required withdrawal and rotation of the tube because of impingement at the epiglottis. In cases where there was no gap resistance, which means tube advancing resistance generated by a gap between an introducer and a tracheal tube, the pressing force was approximately less than 10 N. However, in the cases requiring some interventions to overcome the gap, the pressing force reached around 15 N. When intubation failed, for example when the tube bent, or esophageal intubation, the pressing force reached around 30 N. Impingement due to the gap between the tube exchanger and the tracheal tube is thought to occur in the PFT tube less frequently. Once an impingement occurs, we can feel approximately twice the amount of resistance as usual, which may be a chance to consider taking some interventions. When the impingement is not released, regardless of interventions, excessive force may result in esophageal intubation or tracheal injury.

Airway and respiratory complications during anaesthesia and associated with peri-operative cardiac arrest as reported to the 7th National Audit Project of the Royal College of Anaesthetists.

The 7th National Audit Project (NAP7) of the Royal College of Anaesthetists studied complications of the airway and respiratory system during anaesthesia care including peri-operative cardiac arrest. Among 24,721 surveyed cases, airway and respiratory complications occurred commonly (n = 421 and n = 264, respectively). The most common airway complications were: laryngospasm (157, 37%); airway failure (125, 30%); and aspiration (27, 6%). Emergency front of neck airway was rare (1 in 8370, 95%CI 1 in 2296-30,519). The most common respiratory complications were: severe ventilation difficulty (97, 37%); hyper/hypocapnia (63, 24%); and hypoxaemia (62, 23%). Among 881 reports to NAP7 and 358 deaths, airway and respiratory complications accounted for 113 (13%) peri-operative cardiac arrests and 32 (9%) deaths, with hypoxaemia as the most common primary cause. Airway and respiratory cases had higher and lower survival rates than other causes of cardiac arrest, respectively. Patients with obesity, young children (particularly infants) and out-of-hours care were overrepresented in reports. There were six cases of unrecognised oesophageal intubation with three resulting in cardiac arrest. Of these cases, failure to correctly interpret capnography was a recurrent theme. Cases of emergency front of neck airway (6, approximately 1 in 450,000) and pulmonary aspiration (11, approximately 1 in 25,000) leading to cardiac arrest were rare. Overall, these data, while distinct from the 4th National Audit Project, suggest that airway management is likely to have become safer in the last decade, despite the surgical population having become more challenging for anaesthetists.

Ultrasonography Imaging versus Waveform Capnography in Detecting Endotracheal Tube Placement during Intubation at a Tertiary Hospital.

There is continued research to find new faster, highly accurate, easily accessible, and portable methods of confirming endotracheal tube position during intubation. A newer modality for visualizing endotracheal tube location is transtracheal or transcricothyroid ultrasonography. The aim of this study was to see if ultrasound machine can also be routinely used for the confirmation of endotracheal tube position in operating theaters along with capnograph. The study was observational and prospective, conducted from January 2017 to July 2017. Study locations were at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital and Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Center operating rooms. Sample size taken was 95. In the study, 11 patients had esophageal intubation out of the 95. The accuracy of both ultrasonography and capnography was found to be 96.84%. For ultrasonography, the sensitivity, specificity, along with positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 97.62%, 90.91%, 98.80%, and 83.33%, respectively, while that for capnography were found to be 96.43%, 100%, 100%, and 78.57%, respectively. The kappa value was calculated to be 0.749, which suggested the degree of agreement of result between the methods to be good. Compared to capnography, ultrasonography was found to be significantly faster for the confirmation of endotracheal tube location by 16.36 s (15.70-17.02) (P = 0.011). Both waveform capnography and ultrasonography were found to be accurate and reliable in confirming endotracheal tube location. The use of ultrasound during intubation can help confirm endotracheal tube location faster and also aid in precision when used along with capnography. Manual bag ventilations are not necessary when confirming endotracheal tube position by ultrasonography and thus may help in preventing aspiration of gastric contents into the lungs of the patient.

Design and Superior Performance of a New Endotracheal Tube to Avoid the Asphyxiation of Premature Infants.

Background Neonatal endotracheal intubation attempts often fail, with failures typically attributable to unintended esophageal intubation, with asphyxia, brief or prolonged, as the consequence. Standard-of-care neonatal endotracheal tubes have changed little over recent decades, even as the gestational age of neonates thought eligible for resuscitation and intensive care has decreased. Methods A new neonatal endotracheal tube waspatterned after the soft steering mechanism of a two-string fishing line trocar.The new tuberemains patent throughout the intubation for air movement and CO2 detection and allows for a finger on the intubator's hand to stiffen, curve, and elevate the tip of the tube over the epiglottis and into the trachea without occluding the vision through a laryngoscope. Thistube's engineering principles were studied prospectively in a controlled open-label pilot studyin premature infants. Infantswereobserved during 12 intubationsin a one-to-one comparison with standard practice. Results The new design in comparison to a conventional neonatal endotracheal tube(CNETT) was found to be superior. The average intubation time (mean 36.6 sec, median 30 sec) was shorter (mean 44.6 sec, median 45 sec) in the new design. Intubation attempts were fewer (0 vs. 3), and unintended esophageal intubations were also fewer (0 vs. 4). Conclusion Tracheal intubation of premature infants with the new soft-steering mechanism endotracheal tube was associated with less asphyxia, fewer intubation attempts, and fewer esophageal intubations.

Capnography-An Essential Monitor, Everywhere: A Narrative Review.

Capnography is now recognized as an indispensable patient safety monitor. Evidence suggests that its use improves outcomes in operating rooms, intensive care units, and emergency departments, as well as in sedation suites, in postanesthesia recovery units, and on general postsurgical wards. Capnography can accurately and rapidly detect respiratory, circulatory, and metabolic derangements. In addition to being useful for diagnosing and managing esophageal intubation, capnography provides crucial information when used for monitoring airway patency and hypoventilation in patients without instrumented airways. Despite its ubiquitous use in high-income-country operating rooms, deaths from esophageal intubations continue to occur in these contexts due to incorrect use or interpretation of capnography. National and international society guidelines on airway management mandate capnography's use during intubations across all hospital areas, and recommend it when ventilation may be impaired, such as during procedural sedation. Nevertheless, capnography's use across high-income-country intensive care units, emergency departments, and postanesthesia recovery units remains inconsistent. While capnography is universally used in high-income-country operating rooms, it remains largely unavailable to anesthesia providers in low- and middle-income countries. This lack of access to capnography likely contributes to more frequent and serious airway events and higher rates of perioperative mortality in low- and middle-income countries. New capnography equipment, which overcomes cost and context barriers, has recently been developed. Increasing access to capnography in low- and middle-income countries must occur to improve patient outcomes and expand universal health care. It is time to extend capnography's safety benefits to all patients, everywhere.

Transorbital endoscopic ultrasonography (with video)

A 31-year-old male presented with acute cholecystitis and history of metastatic alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. He previously underwent left orbital exenteration and facial radiation. Given the patient's malnutrition, he was deemed a non-surgical candidate. The patient chose to pursue EUS-guided gallbladder drainage. Due to radiation-induced trismus, he was not able to open his mouth more than 5mm. Bougie dilation of an existing gastrostomy was considered, however there was concern for poor healing and gastrostomy leak. A discussion with his otolaryngologist revealed that because his left eye and surrounding bone were surgically removed, the left orbit gave direct access to the oropharynx. Therefore, transorbital intubation and endoscopy were pursued (A) (Video). Initially, neither the echoendoscope nor wire were able to intubate the esophagus antegrade due to radiation-associated scarring. A neonatal gastroscope was passed retrograde through the gastrostomy, up the esophagus, and into the orbit (B, C). A long 0.025-inch wire was passed and a forward-viewing echoendoscope was reinserted through the orbit over the wire. Esophageal intubation was successful by following a wire-guided balloon inflated to 13.5mm (D). An EUS-guided cholecystoduodenostomy was then performed. The patient tolerated the procedure well and discharged the day after without adverse events. The patient consented to publication.

Airway Management: The Current Role of Videolaryngoscopy.

Airway management is usually an uncomplicated and safe intervention; however, when problems arise with the primary airway technique, the clinical situation can rapidly deteriorate, resulting in significant patient harm. Videolaryngoscopy has been shown to improve patient outcomes when compared with direct laryngoscopy, including improved first-pass success at tracheal intubation, reduced difficult laryngeal views, reduced oxygen desaturation, reduced airway trauma, and improved recognition of oesophageal intubation. The shared view that videolaryngoscopy affords may also facilitate superior teaching, training, and multidisciplinary team performance. As such, its recommended role in airway management has evolved from occasional use as a rescue device (when direct laryngoscopy fails) to a first-intention technique that should be incorporated into routine clinical practice, and this is reflected in recently updated guidelines from a number of international airway societies. However, currently, overall videolaryngoscopy usage is not commensurate with its now widespread availability. A number of factors exist that may be preventing its full adoption, including perceived financial costs, inadequacy of education and training, challenges in achieving deliverable decontamination processes, concerns over sustainability, fears over "de-skilling" at direct laryngoscopy, and perceived limitations of videolaryngoscopes. This article reviews the most up-to-date evidence supporting videolaryngoscopy, explores its current scope of utilisation (including specialist techniques), the potential barriers preventing its full adoption, and areas for future advancement and research.

Traumatic diaphragmatic herniation following esophageal intubation in neonatal death

Traumatic diaphragmatic herniation following esophageal intubation in neonatal death

Video laryngoscopy and direct laryngoscopy for cardiac arrest: A meta-analysis of clinical studies and trials

BackgroundIntubation is an essential procedure in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of trials and studies comparing the performance of video laryngoscope (VL) and direct laryngoscope (DL) in endotracheal intubation (ETI) during CPR in cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients. MethodsWe searched the PUBMED, EMBASE, and Cochrane library databases. We analyzed the first-pass success rate, total intubation time, Cormack–Lehane grade (CL grade), esophageal intubation rate, and dental injury rate among the in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) patients or out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients. We demonstrated the pooled results of continuous outcomes by mean difference (MD) and dichotomous outcomes by odds ratio (OR), with a 95% confidence interval (CI) using a random-effects model. ResultsWe obtained six observational studies and one randomized control trial. The pooled results showed a significant increase in first-pass success rate (OR: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.41, 2.47), Cormack–Lehane (CL) grade (OR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.59,2.53), and a decrease of esophageal intubation rate (OR: 0.25, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.85) in the VL group compared with DL group. Also, a non-significant decrease in dental injury rate [OR: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.05, 1.08) was observed in the VL group compared with the DL group. There was no statistical difference between the VL and DL groups, although the VL group seemed to have a shorter total intubation time (MD: -15.43, 95% CI: −34.67, 3.81). Types of laryngoscopes were not associated with the rate of ROSC [OR 1.01 (0.95,1.07); P = 0.83]. No differences in survival outcomes were observed between the two approaches. ConclusionsCompared to DL, VL was found to be associated with first-pass success and CL grade. We recommend prioritizing VL over DL when performing ETIs for patients with cardiac arrest.

An approach to difficult airway in infants: Comparison of GlideScope® Spectrum LoPro, GlideScope® Spectrum Miller and conventional Macintosh and Miller blades in a simulated Pierre Robin sequence performed by 90 anesthesiologists.

Airway management can be challenging in neonates and infants. The Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) is a condition characterized by micrognathia, glossoptosis and airway obstruction. The airway management of these patients poses great challenges for anesthesiologists and pediatricians alike. To date, there has been no direct comparison of the hyperangulated GlideScope® Spectrum LoPro (GLP), the straight GlideScope® Spectrum Miller (GSM), a conventional Macintosh (MC) and a conventional Miller blade (ML) in patients with PRS. For this purpose, 90 anesthesiologists (43 with limited experience, 47 with extensive experience) performed orotracheal intubation on an Air-Sim® Pierre Robin X manikin using GLP, GSM, MC and ML in randomized order. 'Time-to-vocal-cords', 'time-to-intubate', 'time-to-ventilate', the severity of oral-soft-tissue-trauma and the subjective evaluation of each device were recorded. A significantly faster and better view of the vocal cords and lower oral-soft-tissue-trauma was achieved using the GLP (p<0.001). Though, there were no significant differences in the 'time-to-intubate' or 'time-to-ventilate'. The highest intubation success rate was found with GSM and the lowest with GLP (GSM 100%, ML 97.8%, MC 96.7%, GLP 93.3%). When using the videolaryngoscopes, there were no undetected esophageal intubations but in six cases prolonged attempts of intubation (>120s) with the GLP. In the sub-group with extensive experience, we found significantly shorter intubation times for the GSM and ML. The GLP was the tool of choice for most participants, while the conventional MC received the lowest rating. Videolaryngoscopy leads to increased safety for the prevention of undetected esophageal intubation in the airway management in a PRS manikin. Hyperangulated blades may ensure a good and fast view of the vocal cords and low oral-soft-tissue-trauma but pose a challenge during the placement of the tube. Specific skills and handling seem to be necessary to ensure a safe tube placement with this sort of blades.

Quantifying Intubation Forces on Incisors and Tongue Base Across Exposure Difficulty and Experience in a Simulator.

Laryngoscopy simulators quantifying forces on critical structures in progressively challenging airways and operator expertise are lacking. We aimed to quantify laryngoscopy forces across expertise and exposure difficulty. Prospective observational study Setting: Tertiary care medical center Methods: Force gauges were affixed to a difficult airway mannequin to quantify teeth and tongue forces across increasingly challenging airway exposure. Medical students (n=10), residents (n=11), and otolaryngology staff (n=10) performed direct laryngoscopy using a Miller size 3 laryngoscope with 1) normal neck/jaw mobility, 2) restricted neck extension, 3) restricted jaw opening, and 4) restricted neck/jaw mobility. Incisor and tongue pounds of force (lbf) were continuously measured. As the difficulty setting increased, forces exerted by the students, residents, and staff on the incisors and tongue base increased (p=0.01). Between normal and maximally restricted settings, force delivered to the incisors increased by 6.95 lbf (standard error (SE) 1.29), 5.93 lbf (SE 0.98), and 5.94 lbf (SE 0.70) for the students, residents, and staff, respectively. At the tongue base, force increased by 0.37 lbf (SE 0.18), 0.46 lbf (SE 0.14), and 0.73 lbf (SE 0.15) for the students, residents, and staff, respectively. Esophageal intubations occurred in 50% of the students, 23% of the residents, and 45% of the otolaryngology staff at maximal difficulty, with none at the easiest setting (p=0.33). Compared to the residents, the staff applied significantly increased pressure on the tongue base during laryngoscopy (p=0.02). Forces exerted on the incisors and tongue base varied across exposure difficulty and expertise levels, suggesting that they may be useful markers for training and competence assessment.

Integration of Point of Care Ultrasound during Rapid Sequence Intubation in Trauma Resuscitation

Introduction: Rapid Sequence Intubation (RSI) is the definitive modality of airway management when resuscitating trauma patients in the Emergency Department (ED). This study was done to evaluate the utility of POCUS in RSI and its efficacy in confirming tube placement as compared to conventional methods. Aims &amp; Objectives: Primary Objectives - Time taken for airway evaluation and identifying potentially fatal conditions using POCUS guided Intubation Algorithm (PA) during RSI. Proper placement of the endotracheal tube and confirmation of the same was also assessed and compared with the conventional technique. Methodology: A prospective, randomized single-centred study was conducted in 100 trauma patients requiring emergent airway management, presenting to the ED. The time taken and efficacy of confirmation of tube placement is recorded and compared in two arms. Results: In our study we found the mean procedure time for ETT placement was less in the PA arm compared to the CE arm (45 vs 91.36 seconds, p&lt;0.0001). Oesophageal intubations were detected in the PA arm in 22 seconds vs 114 seconds in CE arm with a p&lt; 0.0001 and the time taken for effective reintubation was 26.67 vs 55 seconds in the PA and CE arm with a p value &lt; 0.007 respectively. Conclusion: POCUS detected oesophageal intubations and confirmed proper tube position in less time when compared to standard techniques such as five-point auscultation and capnography. The results of this study have proved that POCUS is a useful adjunct to the Emergency physician to improve quality of care in trauma patients. Keywords: Point of care ultrasound, Rapid sequence intubation, Trauma, Emergency department, Emergency physician, Endotracheal tube, End tidal carbon dioxide, Ultrasound, Clinical examination

Early Diagnosis of Esophageal Intubation: Primary Auscultation of the Armpits Versus Epigastrum

Esophageal intubation is a common accident and failure to detect it can result in fatality. The objective of this study is to suggest the primary the auscultation of the epigastric area as mean of rapid diagnosis of esophageal intubation. A cross sectional study was carried out at the N’djili hospital in Kinshasa from June to September 2020. The sampling was randomly made and two groups of the population were selected. In the study group, the endotracheal intubation was indirectly confirmed by the absence of borborygmi on auscultation of the of epigastric area whereas in the control group, it was confirmed by the presence of vesicular murmur in armpits. After intubation, the investigator counted the time from the moment the chest piece of the stethoscope was placed in the armpit to confirm tracheal intubation or on the epigastric area to rule out esophageal intubation. The chest compression was also performed to check fogging of endotracheal tube. The time counted was the time between the placement of the chest piece of the stethoscope and the diagnosis of esophageal intubation. Seven cases of esophageal intubation were recorded out of sixty-two patients intubated. The average time for diagnosing esophageal intubation was 15 ± 5.6 seconds in the study group and 24 ± 3.2 seconds in the control group (Z= 8.035; p &lt; 0.0001). Based on the time recorded, the primary auscultation of the epigastric area can quickly detect esophageal intubation as opposed to the auscultation of the armpit. “The sign the cross” could be used as chronogram to confirm tracheal placement of the tube.

Prevalence of peri-intubation major adverse events among critically ill patients: A systematic review and meta analysis

BackgroundPeri-intubation major adverse events (MAEs) are potentially preventable and associated with poor patient outcomes. Critically ill patients intubated in Emergency Departments, Intensive Care Units or medical wards are at particularly high risk for MAEs. Understanding the prevalence and risk factors for MAEs can help physicians anticipate and prepare for the physiologically difficult airway. MethodsWe searched PubMed, Scopus, and Embase for prospective and retrospective observational studies and randomized control trials (RCTs) reporting peri-intubation MAEs in intubations occurring outside the operating room (OR) or post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). Our primary outcome was any peri-intubation MAE, defined as any hypoxia, hypotension/cardiovascular collapse, or cardiac arrest. Esophageal intubation and failure to achieve first-pass success were not considered MAEs. Secondary outcomes were prevalence of hypoxia, cardiac arrest, and cardiovascular collapse. We performed random-effects meta-analysis to identify the prevalence of each outcome and moderator analyses and meta-regressions to identify risk factors. We assessed studies' quality using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. ResultsWe included 44 articles and 34,357 intubations. Peri-intubation MAEs were identified in 30.5% of intubations (95% CI 25–37%). MAEs were more common in the intensive care unit (ICU; 41%, 95% CI 33–49%) than the Emergency Department (ED; 17%, 95% CI 12–24%). Intubation for hemodynamic instability was associated with higher rates of MAEs, while intubation for airway protection was associated with lower rates of MAEs. Fifteen percent (15%, 95% CI 11.5–19%) of intubations were complicated by hypoxia, 2% (95% CI 1–3.5%) by cardiac arrest, and 18% (95% CI 13–23%) by cardiovascular collapse. ConclusionsAlmost one in three patients intubated outside the OR and PACU experience a peri-intubation MAE. Patients intubated in the ICU and those with pre-existing hemodynamic compromise are at highest risk. Resuscitation should be considered an integral part of all intubations, particularly in high-risk patients.

Clinical tests for confirming tracheal intubation or excluding oesophageal intubation: a diagnostic test accuracy systematic review and meta-analysis.

Unrecognised oesophageal intubation causes preventable serious harm to patients undergoing tracheal intubation. When capnography is unavailable or doubted, clinicians still use clinical findings to confirm tracheal intubation, or exclude oesophageal intubation, and false reassurance from clinical examination is a recurring theme in fatal cases of unrecognised oesophageal intubation. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the diagnostic accuracy of five clinical examination tests and the oesophageal detector device when used to confirm tracheal intubation. We searched four databases for studies reporting index clinical tests against a reference standard, from inception to 28 February 2023. We included 49 studies involving 10,654 participants. Methodological quality was overall moderate to high. We looked at misting (three studies, 115 participants); lung auscultation (three studies, 217 participants); combined lung and epigastric auscultation (four studies, 506 participants); the oesophageal detector device (25 studies, 3024 participants); 'hang-up' (two non-human studies); and chest rise (one non-human study). The reference standards used were capnography (22 studies); direct vision (10 studies); and bronchoscopy (three studies). When used to confirm tracheal intubation, misting has a false positive rate (95%CI) of 0.69 (0.43-0.87); lung auscultation 0.14 (0.08-0.23); five-point auscultation 0.18 (0.08-0.36); and the oesophageal detector device 0.05 (0.02-0.09). Tests to exclude events that invariably lead to severe damage or death must have a negligible false positive rate. Misting or auscultation have too high a false positive rate to reliably exclude oesophageal intubation and there is insufficient evidence to support the use of 'hang-up' or chest rise. The oesophageal detector device may be considered where other more reliable means are not available, though waveform capnography remains the reference standard for confirmation of tracheal intubation.