ABSTRACT
Abstract Objective: Medical advances have resulted in increased survival rates of neurologically impaired children who may require mechanical ventilation and subsequent tracheostomy as a surgical airway. However, at present, there is no definite consensus regarding the timing and methods for placement of a surgical airway in a neurologically impaired intubated child who needs to be cared for over a long-term period. We therefore created a flowchart for the selection of a surgical airway for Neurologically Impaired Pediatric Patients (NIPPs). Methods: The flowchart includes information on the patients' backgrounds, such as intubation period, prognosis related to reversibility, and history of aspiration pneumonia. To evaluate the importance of the flowchart, first we conducted a survey of pediatricians regarding selection of a surgical airway, and we also evaluated the appropriateness of the flowchart among pediatricians and caregivers through questionnaire surveys which include satisfaction with the decision-making process, and postoperative course after discharge. Results: A total of 21 NIPPs with intubation underwent surgery and a total of 24 participants (14 pediatricians and 10 caregivers) completed the survey. The answers regarding the importance of the flowchart showed that eleven pediatricians had experience selecting of surgical airways, nine of whom had had experiences in which they had to make a difficult decision. The answers regarding the appropriateness of the flowchart revealed that all pediatricians and caregivers were satisfied with the decision-making process and postoperative course after discharge using the flowchart. Conclusions: The present study demonstrated the effectiveness of our flowchart for selecting an appropriate surgical airway in NIPP. By referring to our flowchart, pediatricians and caregivers are likely to be able to select an appropriate surgical airway, leading to increased satisfaction with the decision-making process and postoperative course. Level of Evidence: 4.
ABSTRACT
Objective To compare efficacy, time consumed and complications among cricothyroid membrane puncture guided tracheostomy ( CMPGT ) , surgical tracheostomy ( ST ) , surgical cricothyroidotomy ( SC) , and percutaneous tracheostomy using Griggs'guide wire dilating forceps ( GWDF) for the establishment of airway in urgent need of medical attention.Methods Twenty miniature swine were randomly ( random number) divided into four groups.The procedures of CMPGT, ST, SC and GWDF were carried out when patients'SpO2 ( oxygen saturation of blood ) declined to 80% by suspension of oxygen supply after general anesthesia. Procedure performed time, ventilation resumed time, SpO2 and electrocardiograph ( ECG) and arterial blood gases ( ABG) analysis including SaO2 , PaO2 , PaCO2 , blood pH, and heart rate, blood pressure were recorded.Fiberoptic bronchoscope was used to assess any damage to the tracheal wall.Complications were noted and scored in a two-month follow-up period.Results Airways were successfully established in all swine.The times consumed for SC, GWDF, CMPGT, and ST were (86 ±12) s, (165 ±63) s, (174 ±34) s, and (519 ±128) s, respectively, however a shorter time for ventilation resumed was found in CMPGT procedure (23 ±4) s, P<0.01.ECG showed that SpO2 and T-wave decreased and Q-T shortened after oxygen suspension and recovered to normal level rapidly after ventilation.There were significant differences in ECG and ABG between pre-and post-operative periods ( P<0.05) in all groups.Minimal intra-operative bleeding was found in two swine of each group.In ST group, moderate intra-operative bleeding was encountered in three swine.Three pigs were suffered from hypotension owing to prolonged hypoxemia.There was minimal postoperative bleeding occurred in one swine, thus leading to stoma infection.In SC group, moderate intra-operative bleeding was noticed in one swine. One miniature swine had slight injury at laryngeal cartilage resulting in difficult decannulation happened in one swine.and moderate tracheal wall injury occurred in one swine of GWDF group.The complication scores of CMPGT, GWDF, SC and ST were 3, 5, 9, and 19, respectively.Conclusions A shorter time for ventilation resumed with fewer complications was found in the procedure of CMPGT than that in the other methods.This animal study suggested that CMPGT was a time-saving and secure technique for emergency surgical airway establishment which has been practiced in human being as well.Key words:Surgical airway establishment, Cricothyroidotomy, Tracheostomy, Percutaneous dilational tracheostomy.