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Respiratory Care Feb 2022Artificial airway suctioning is a key component of airway management and a core skill for clinicians charged with assuring airway patency. Suctioning of the artificial...
Artificial airway suctioning is a key component of airway management and a core skill for clinicians charged with assuring airway patency. Suctioning of the artificial airway is a common procedure performed worldwide on a daily basis. As such, it is imperative that clinicians are familiar with the most-effective and efficient methods to perform the procedure. We conducted a systematic review to assist in the development of evidence-based recommendations that pertain to the care of patients with artificial airways. From our systematic review, we developed guidelines and recommendations that addressed questions related to the indications, complications, timing, duration, and methods of artificial airway suctioning. By using a modified version of the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method, the following recommendations for suctioning were developed for neonatal, pediatric, and adult patients with an artificial airway: (1) breath sounds, visual secretions in the artificial airway, and a sawtooth pattern on the ventilator waveform are indicators for suctioning pediatric and adult patients, and an acute increase in airway resistance may be an indicator for suctioning in neonates; (2) as-needed only, rather than scheduled, suctioning is sufficient for neonatal and pediatric patients; (3) both closed and open suction systems may be used to safely and effectively remove secretions from the artificial airway of adult patients; (4) preoxygenation should be performed before suctioning in pediatric and adult patients; (5) the use of normal saline solution should generally be avoided during suctioning; (6) during open suctioning, sterile technique should be used; (7) suction catheters should occlude < 70% of the endotracheal tube lumen in neonates and < 50% in pediatric and adult patients, and suction pressure should be kept below -120 mm Hg in neonatal and pediatric patients and -200 mm Hg in adult patients; (8) suction should be applied for a maximum of 15 s per suctioning procedure; (9) deep suctioning should only be used when shallow suctioning is ineffective; (10) routine bronchoscopy for secretion removal is not recommended; and (11) devices used to clear endotracheal tubes may be used when airway resistance is increased due to secretion accumulation.
Topics: Adult; Airway Management; Child; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Intubation, Intratracheal; Respiration, Artificial; Suction; Ventilators, Mechanical
PubMed: 35078900
DOI: 10.4187/respcare.09548 -
Wounds : a Compendium of Clinical... Mar 2020The lymphatic system is arguably the most neglected bodily system. As a result, its contribution to human health and disease is not well understood. In this review, the... (Review)
Review
The lymphatic system is arguably the most neglected bodily system. As a result, its contribution to human health and disease is not well understood. In this review, the clinical approaches based on new knowledge and developments of the lymphatic system are covered. The lymphatic system has 3 major functions: (1) the preservation of fluid balance; (2) a nutritional function, as intestinal lymphatics are responsible for fat absorption; and (3) host defense. Lymph vessels return the capillary ultrafiltrate and escaped plasma proteins from most tissues back, ultimately, to the blood circulation. Hence, lymphatics are responsible for maintaining tissue (and plasma) volume homeostasis. Impaired lymph drainage results in peripheral edema (lymphedema) and may have more far-reaching effects on cardiovascular disease, in particular hypertension and atherosclerosis. Lymphatics have an important immune surveillance function, as they represent the principal route of transport from tissues for antigen and immune cells. Intestinal lymphatics (lacteals) are responsible for most fat absorption, first documented by Gaspare Aselli in 1627, when the lymphatic system was discovered. A relationship between fat and lymphatics may exist well beyond the gut alone. Fat deposition is a defining clinical characteristic of lymphedema. Suction-assisted lipectomy of lymphedema has shown the swelling is not just fluid but is dominated by fat. Lymphatics are the preferred route for the metastatic spread of cancer. Accordingly, the lymphatic system may be important for defense against cancer by generating immune responses to malignant cell antigens. Preventing lymphatic entry and propagation of malignant metastasis would effectively render the cancer nonfatal. As one can see, the lymphatic circulation is fundamentally important to cardiovascular disease, infection and immunity, cancer, and, in all likelihood, obesity - 4 of the major challenges to health care in the 21st century.
Topics: Humans; Lymphatic System; Lymphedema; Lymphoscintigraphy
PubMed: 32163039
DOI: No ID Found -
Lakartidningen Feb 2022A couple of decades ago, most large pneumothoraces were managed initially through the insertion of large-bore chest tubes, active suction and in hospital admission.... (Review)
Review
A couple of decades ago, most large pneumothoraces were managed initially through the insertion of large-bore chest tubes, active suction and in hospital admission. Mounting evidence has since established that the patient's symptoms, not the size of the pneumothorax, should guide whether invasive management is required for spontaneous pneumothoraces. There is also mounting evidence that small traumatic and iatrogenic pneumothoraces can be managed conservatively. Small-bore chest tubes are just as effective as large-bore chest tubes for all types of pneumothoraces and likely associated with fewer complications. Passive drainage allows for out-of-hospital follow-up for selected patients. This article presents a stepwise approach to the management of pneumothoraces in the emergency department based on a review of the current literature.
Topics: Chest Tubes; Drainage; Emergency Service, Hospital; Humans; Pneumothorax; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 35226352
DOI: No ID Found -
Respiratory Care Aug 2019Airway management techniques are aimed at reducing complications associated with artificial airways and mechanical ventilation, such as retained secretions. The impact... (Review)
Review
Airway management techniques are aimed at reducing complications associated with artificial airways and mechanical ventilation, such as retained secretions. The impact of airway management techniques on ventilator-associated events (VAEs) varies considerably by modality. Closed-suction techniques are generally recommended but have limited, if any, impact on VAEs. Normal saline instillation during suctioning is not recommended. Devices designed specifically to remove biofilm from the inside of endotracheal tubes appear to be safe, but their role in VAE prevention is uncertain. Subglottic secretion clearance by artificial cough maneuvers is promising, but more research is needed to assess its clinical feasibility. Continuous cuff-pressure management appears to be effective in reducing microaspiration of subglottic secretions.
Topics: Airway Management; Humans; Iatrogenic Disease; Intubation, Intratracheal; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated; Respiration, Artificial; Suction; Ventilators, Mechanical
PubMed: 31346073
DOI: 10.4187/respcare.07107 -
Respiratory Care Dec 2019Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a well-known complication of invasive mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients. The presence of an endotracheal tube... (Review)
Review
Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a well-known complication of invasive mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients. The presence of an endotracheal tube (ETT) is one of the major culprits for VAP development: air flow moves pathogens toward the distal airways, while clearance of the trachea is blunted due to reduced tracheal ciliary movement and impaired cough. Several measures are recognized as being useful to prevent VAP, and these are usually grouped in a VAP bundle (ie, avoiding intubation or re-intubation whenever possible; head of bed elevation; hand hygiene; shortening ventilation through sedation interruptions, spontaneous breathing trials, or thromboembolic prophylaxis). However, other interventions have been proposed to reduce VAP rate; some of these interventions have been reported in large clinical trials to be effective, some have been evaluated in small observational studies, and still others at a pre-clinical stage. Some strategies aim to improve the ETT design via a subglottic drainage system, with treatment of the ETT surface to reduce pathogen activity, or by modification of the cuff shape or cuff material to provide a better seal. Another proposed strategy is improving airway care through control of cuff pressure, cleaning the ETT, or use of closed suction systems. Other interventions target a patient's position in the bed to reduce aspiration of digestive content in the airways, or the use of probiotics to modulate gastric flora. Some of these measures are supported by strong evidence, but the impact on relevant outcomes such as duration of ventilation or mortality, as well as cost-benefit ratio, is still unclear, resulting in lack of widespread use.
Topics: Drainage; Humans; Intubation, Intratracheal; Patient Positioning; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated; Probiotics; Respiration, Artificial
PubMed: 31551284
DOI: 10.4187/respcare.07127 -
Respiratory Medicine Oct 2019A chylothorax, also known as chylous pleural effusion, is an uncommon cause of pleural effusion with a wide differential diagnosis characterized by the accumulation of... (Review)
Review
A chylothorax, also known as chylous pleural effusion, is an uncommon cause of pleural effusion with a wide differential diagnosis characterized by the accumulation of bacteriostatic chyle in the pleural space. The pleural fluid will have either or both triglycerides >110 mg/dL and the presence of chylomicrons. It may be encountered following a surgical intervention, usually in the chest, or underlying disease process. Management of a chylothorax requires a multidisciplinary approach employing medical therapy and possibly surgical intervention for post-operative patients and patients who have failed medical therapy. In this review, we aim to discuss the anatomy, fluid characteristics, etiology, and approach to the diagnosis of a chylothorax.
Topics: Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; Chylothorax; Diagnosis, Differential; Exudates and Transudates; Humans; Lymphography; Lymphoscintigraphy; Octreotide; Pleural Effusion; Postoperative Period; Radiography, Thoracic; Suction; Thoracentesis; Thoracic Duct; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Triglycerides
PubMed: 31454675
DOI: 10.1016/j.rmed.2019.08.014 -
Respiratory Care May 2021In mechanically ventilated subjects, intra-tracheal secretions can be aspirated with either open suction systems (OSS) or closed suction systems (CSS). In contrast to... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
In mechanically ventilated subjects, intra-tracheal secretions can be aspirated with either open suction systems (OSS) or closed suction systems (CSS). In contrast to CSS, conventional OSS require temporarily disconnecting the patient from the ventilator, which briefly diminishes PEEP and oxygen supply. On the other hand, CSS are more expensive and less effective at aspirating secretions. Thus, it was hypothesized that the 2 procedures differentially affect pulmonary and cardiovascular parameters after suction.
METHODS
Subjects in the ICU ( = 66) were quasi-randomized for initial treatment with OSS or CSS in a crossover design. To compare the potential for these suction systems to compromise cardiorespiratory stability, changes in cardiopulmonary physiology were assessed from before to just after use of each suction system (three 10-s aspirations).
RESULTS
For most pulmonary and cardiovascular parameters (ie, peak inspiratory pressure, airway resistance, pressure plateau, heart rate, and arterial pressures), the effects of aspiration inversely correlated with baseline values for that parameter, with a similar regression slope between suction systems. However, when controlling for baseline values, OSS caused significantly greater increases in airway resistance and peak inspiratory pressure ( < .001 and < .01 vs CSS, respectively).
CONCLUSIONS
Elevated airway resistance prior to endotracheal suction may justify use of a CSS and contraindicate a conventional OSS in mechanically ventilated subjects. Adoption of this approach into clinical guidelines may prevent suction-induced pulmonary injury in subjects, especially for those with underlying diseases involving increased airway resistance or increased alveolar pressure. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT03256214.).
Topics: Humans; Intubation, Intratracheal; Respiration, Artificial; Respiratory Physiological Phenomena; Suction; Trachea
PubMed: 33688090
DOI: 10.4187/respcare.08511 -
The Journal of Experimental Medicine Dec 2020Severe COVID-19 patients develop acute respiratory distress syndrome that may progress to cytokine storm syndrome, organ dysfunction, and death. Considering that...
Severe COVID-19 patients develop acute respiratory distress syndrome that may progress to cytokine storm syndrome, organ dysfunction, and death. Considering that neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have been described as important mediators of tissue damage in inflammatory diseases, we investigated whether NETs would be involved in COVID-19 pathophysiology. A cohort of 32 hospitalized patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 and healthy controls were enrolled. The concentration of NETs was augmented in plasma, tracheal aspirate, and lung autopsies tissues from COVID-19 patients, and their neutrophils released higher levels of NETs. Notably, we found that viable SARS-CoV-2 can directly induce the release of NETs by healthy neutrophils. Mechanistically, NETs triggered by SARS-CoV-2 depend on angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, serine protease, virus replication, and PAD-4. Finally, NETs released by SARS-CoV-2-activated neutrophils promote lung epithelial cell death in vitro. These results unravel a possible detrimental role of NETs in the pathophysiology of COVID-19. Therefore, the inhibition of NETs represents a potential therapeutic target for COVID-19.
Topics: A549 Cells; Adult; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2; Betacoronavirus; COVID-19; Cell Death; Coronavirus Infections; Epithelial Cells; Extracellular Traps; Female; HeLa Cells; Humans; Male; Neutrophil Activation; Pandemics; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; Pneumonia, Viral; SARS-CoV-2; Serine Proteases; Suction; Trachea
PubMed: 32926098
DOI: 10.1084/jem.20201129 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Jun 2021Miscarriage, defined as the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before 24 weeks' gestation, is common with approximately 25% of women experiencing a miscarriage in their... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Miscarriage, defined as the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before 24 weeks' gestation, is common with approximately 25% of women experiencing a miscarriage in their lifetime. An estimated 15% of pregnancies end in miscarriage. Miscarriage can lead to serious morbidity, including haemorrhage, infection, and even death, particularly in settings without adequate healthcare provision. Early miscarriages occur during the first 14 weeks of pregnancy, and can be managed expectantly, medically or surgically. However, there is uncertainty about the relative effectiveness and risks of each option.
OBJECTIVES
To estimate the relative effectiveness and safety profiles for the different management methods for early miscarriage, and to provide rankings of the available methods according to their effectiveness, safety, and side-effect profile using a network meta-analysis.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth's Trials Register (9 February 2021), ClinicalTrials.gov and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (12 February 2021), and reference lists of retrieved studies.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We included all randomised controlled trials assessing the effectiveness or safety of methods for miscarriage management. Early miscarriage was defined as less than or equal to 14 weeks of gestation, and included missed and incomplete miscarriage. Management of late miscarriages after 14 weeks of gestation (often referred to as intrauterine fetal deaths) was not eligible for inclusion in the review. Cluster- and quasi-randomised trials were eligible for inclusion. Randomised trials published only as abstracts were eligible if sufficient information could be retrieved. We excluded non-randomised trials.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
At least three review authors independently assessed the trials for inclusion and risk of bias, extracted data and checked them for accuracy. We estimated the relative effects and rankings for the primary outcomes of complete miscarriage and composite outcome of death or serious complications. The certainty of evidence was assessed using GRADE. Relative effects for the primary outcomes are reported subgrouped by the type of miscarriage (incomplete and missed miscarriage). We also performed pairwise meta-analyses and network meta-analysis to determine the relative effects and rankings of all available methods.
MAIN RESULTS
Our network meta-analysis included 78 randomised trials involving 17,795 women from 37 countries. Most trials (71/78) were conducted in hospital settings and included women with missed or incomplete miscarriage. Across 158 trial arms, the following methods were used: 51 trial arms (33%) used misoprostol; 50 (32%) used suction aspiration; 26 (16%) used expectant management or placebo; 17 (11%) used dilatation and curettage; 11 (6%) used mifepristone plus misoprostol; and three (2%) used suction aspiration plus cervical preparation. Of these 78 studies, 71 (90%) contributed data in a usable form for meta-analysis. Complete miscarriage Based on the relative effects from the network meta-analysis of 59 trials (12,591 women), we found that five methods may be more effective than expectant management or placebo for achieving a complete miscarriage: · suction aspiration after cervical preparation (risk ratio (RR) 2.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.41 to 3.20, low-certainty evidence), · dilatation and curettage (RR 1.49, 95% CI 1.26 to 1.75, low-certainty evidence), · suction aspiration (RR 1.44, 95% CI 1.29 to 1.62, low-certainty evidence), · mifepristone plus misoprostol (RR 1.42, 95% CI 1.22 to 1.66, moderate-certainty evidence), · misoprostol (RR 1.30, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.46, low-certainty evidence). The highest ranked surgical method was suction aspiration after cervical preparation. The highest ranked non-surgical treatment was mifepristone plus misoprostol. All surgical methods were ranked higher than medical methods, which in turn ranked above expectant management or placebo. Composite outcome of death and serious complications Based on the relative effects from the network meta-analysis of 35 trials (8161 women), we found that four methods with available data were compatible with a wide range of treatment effects compared with expectant management or placebo: · dilatation and curettage (RR 0.43, 95% CI 0.17 to 1.06, low-certainty evidence), · suction aspiration (RR 0.55, 95% CI 0.23 to 1.32, low-certainty evidence), · misoprostol (RR 0.50, 95% CI 0.22 to 1.15, low-certainty evidence), · mifepristone plus misoprostol (RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.31 to 1.84, low-certainty evidence). Importantly, no deaths were reported in these studies, thus this composite outcome was entirely composed of serious complications, including blood transfusions, uterine perforations, hysterectomies, and intensive care unit admissions. Expectant management and placebo ranked the lowest when compared with alternative treatment interventions. Subgroup analyses by type of miscarriage (missed or incomplete) agreed with the overall analysis in that surgical methods were the most effective treatment, followed by medical methods and then expectant management or placebo, but there are possible subgroup differences in the effectiveness of the available methods. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Based on relative effects from the network meta-analysis, all surgical and medical methods for managing a miscarriage may be more effective than expectant management or placebo. Surgical methods were ranked highest for managing a miscarriage, followed by medical methods, which in turn ranked above expectant management or placebo. Expectant management or placebo had the highest chance of serious complications, including the need for unplanned or emergency surgery. A subgroup analysis showed that surgical and medical methods may be more beneficial in women with missed miscarriage compared to women with incomplete miscarriage. Since type of miscarriage (missed and incomplete) appears to be a source of inconsistency and heterogeneity within these data, we acknowledge that the main network meta-analysis may be unreliable. However, we plan to explore this further in future updates and consider the primary analysis as separate networks for missed and incomplete miscarriage.
Topics: Abortion, Incomplete; Abortion, Missed; Abortion, Spontaneous; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Humans; Mifepristone; Misoprostol; Network Meta-Analysis; Oxytocics; Placebos; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimester, First; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Suction; Vacuum Curettage; Watchful Waiting
PubMed: 34061352
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD012602.pub2