ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The current coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has increased interest in the use of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) in the transport setting. The purpose of this report was to outline the clinical workflow of using HFNC in transport and the results of a retrospective chart review of patients undergoing interhospital transfer on HFNC. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all patient transfers using HFNC between January 2018 and June 2019. The primary data abstracted from patient charts included patient demographics, transport distance, HFNC settings including flow rate in liters per minute and fraction of inspired oxygen (Fio2), and vital signs. RESULTS: There was a total of 220 patients, 148 pediatric and 72 adult patients. Both pediatric groups experienced statistically significant reductions in heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure. The most common flow rate for both pediatric groups was 10 L/min and 50 L/min for adults. For pediatrics, the most common settings ranged between 30% and 50% Fio2, with the most common setting being 30% Fio2. The adult Fio2 settings ranged from 30% to 100% Fio2, with the 2 most common settings being 50% Fio2 and 80% Fio2. No patients were intubated during the transport encounter. CONCLUSION: Our study provides evidence that HFNC is feasible and tolerated by patients and is an additional option for noninvasive ventilation in transport across the age continuum. Future studies are needed to compare HFNC with other noninvasive modalities that include assessing patient tolerance and comfort as contributing factors and to identify indications and contraindications for use in the transport setting.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Noninvasive Ventilation , Respiratory Insufficiency , Adult , COVID-19/therapy , Cannula , Child , Humans , Oxygen , Oxygen Inhalation Therapy , Respiratory Insufficiency/therapy , Retrospective Studies , SARS-CoV-2Subject(s)
Aortic Diseases/therapy , Betacoronavirus , Coronavirus Infections/complications , Critical Care/methods , Patient Transfer/methods , Pneumonia, Viral/complications , ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction/therapy , Stroke/therapy , Aortic Diseases/complications , Aortic Diseases/epidemiology , COVID-19 , Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Emergencies , Global Health , Humans , Incidence , Pandemics , Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology , SARS-CoV-2 , ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction/epidemiology , Stroke/complications , Stroke/epidemiology , Survival Rate/trendsABSTRACT
Hospital-to-hospital transportation of patients in the COVID-19 era presents unique challenges to ensuring the safety of both patients and health care providers. Crucial factors to address include having adequate supplies of protective equipment and ensuring their appropriate use, defining patient care procedures during transport, and decontamination post-transport. Transport vehicles need to have adequate physical space, an isolated driver compartment, NS HEPA filtration of air. Having a standardized intake process can help identify patients who would benefit from transport to another facility.