Medical intensivist directed VV ECMO cannulation for the facilitation of tracheostomy in a patient with severe tracheal stenosis: A case report

Objectives: We present a case report of medical intensivist driven ECMO program using ECMO as a pre-procedural tool to maintain oxygenation in a patient with critical tracheal stenosis during tracheostomy placement. Method(s): VV ECMO is primarily used to support patients when mechanical ventilation is unable to provide adequate gas exchange. Alternatively, it has been used pre-procedurally when intubation is required in anticipation of a difficult airway. Described here is the first intensivist preformed awake VV ECMO cannulation to facilitate tracheostomy in a patient with severe tracheal stenosis. Result(s): The patient is a 41-year-old female with the relevant background of COVID19 pneumonia status post tracheostomy and subsequently decannulated after prolonged intubation and ICU stay. As a result, the patient developed symptomatic tracheal stenosis and presented two years after her ICU stay for scheduled bronchoscopy and balloon dilation. However, the patient developed worsening stridor and shortness of breath requiring heliox and BPAP. After multidisciplinary discussion between the critical care team ENT teams, the decision was made to cannulate for VV ECMO as a pre-procedural maneuver to allow for oxygenation during open tracheostomy in the OR. Dexmedetomidine and local anesthesia were used for the procedure with the patient sitting at 30 degrees on non-invasive ventilation and heliox. The patient was cannulated with a 21F right internal jugular return cannula and 25F right common femoral drainage cannula by medical intensivists in the intensive care unit using ultrasound guidance. The patient went for operative tracheostomy the next day and was subsequently decannulated from ECMO the following day without complication. She was discharged home on trach collar. Conclusion(s): Intensivist performed ECMO cannulation has been shown to be safe and effective. We anticipate the indications and use will continue to expand. This case is an example that intensivist driven preprocedural ECMO is a viable extension of that practice.

Emergency visits of otorhinolaryngology department during COVID-19 pandemic, Saudi Arabia, 2020

Aim: In this study, we aimed to assess the frequency of patient emergency visits to the Otorhinolaryngology (ORL) Department during coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and compare it with that before coronavirus COVID-19. Material(s) and Method(s): A retrospective comparative study was performed at Al-Al-Hada Armed Forces Hospital, Taif (Saudi Arabia), and data regarding various diagnoses of ORL cases were collected from medical records of patients who visited/admitted to ORL-ED during the lockdown (Group 1) and those who visited/ admitted to ORL-ED before the pandemic (Group 2). Result(s): Group 2 had a significantly higher percentage of cases who had no ENT-related disorders, hypertrophy inferior turbinate (HIT), stridor, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), epistaxis and who had no complications, had general ENT, foreign body ingestion-aspiration, trauma, otology and who had more than one disorder and Group 1 had a significantly higher percentage of those having nasal obstruction, tonsil hypertrophy grade 3, had emergency head and neck cancer, had deep neck space infections and who had complicated. Discussion(s): During coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic period, cold ENT visits were much less and foreign body ingestion remains the highest reason for ENT visits. Additionally, telemedicine has been shown to be effective in reducing ED visits during the pandemic period. Furthermore, older cases with chronic ENT problems who had regular follow-up ENT visits were less likely to visit ED during the pandemic.Copyright © 2022, Derman Medical Publishing. All rights reserved.

Comprehensive evaluation of otorhinolaryngological symptoms in COVID-19 patients

Introduction: The aim of this study is to comprehensively evaluate the incidence and natural course of otorhinolaryngological symptoms of COVID-19 infection and its relations to each other and patient's demographics. Method(s): This is a prospective study conducted on symptomatic adult patients proven to be infected with COVID-19. Detailed history was taken from each patient including onset of symptoms. Symptoms were followed up tightly. We focus on otorhinolaryngological (ORL) symptoms and their duration and onset in relation to other symptoms. Data were collected and analyzed in detail. Result(s): Six-hundred eighty-six patients were included in the study, their age ranged from 19-75 years old, and of them 55.1% were males. Cough was found in 53.1% of cases followed by sore throat in 45.8%, anosmia/ hyposmia in 42.3%, headache in 42%, rhinorrhea in 19.5%, dry mouth in 7.6%, globus in 6.1%, epistaxis in 4.4%, and hearing loss in 0.6%. In non-ORL symptoms, fever was found in 54.2%, malaise in 55.1%, dyspnea in 49.3%, and diarrhea in 27.2%. The first symptom was anosmia in 15.7% of cases, sore throat in 6.1 %, cough in 7.9%, and headache in 13.4% of cases. Fever was the first symptom in 22.7%, malaise in 25.1%, and diarrhea in 6.4%. Headache occurred for 5.5 +/- 2 days, anosmia/hyposmia 3 to > 30 days, sore throat 4.1 +/- 1.2 days, rhinorrhea 4.3 +/- 1.1, cough 7.4 +/- 2.5 days, fever 4.7 +/- 2 days, and malaise 6.5 +/- 2.4 days. The cluster of COVID-19-related symptoms showed nine principal components. Conclusion(s): Otorhinolaryngological symptoms are main symptoms in COVID-19 infection, and they should be frequently evaluated to detect suspected cases especially in pauci-symptomatic patients and to properly manage infected patients.Copyright © 2022, The Author(s).

Pediatric admissions due to respiratory diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the incidence of respiratory viral infections. Our aim was to assess changes in pediatric admissions due to respiratory diseases and associated respiratory viral infections. Method(s): This was a case control study. All children hospitalized with a respiratory disease from Jan. 2015 to Aug. 2021 to the pediatric departments were included. Cases consisted of children admitted between Mar. 2020 to Aug. 2021 (COVID-19 era) and controls between Jan. 2015 to Mar. 2020 (pre COVID-19 era). Diagnosis, length of stay, demographic data, and viral panel results were compared. Result(s): A total of 8774 patients were included, 7157 controls and 1617 cases. There was a significant decrease in respiratory admission rates during the COVID-19 era (17.4% vs 20.9% of all admission, p<0.001). Cases had decreased rates of admissions due to bronchiolitis (4.72% vs 6.3%, p<0.001) and pneumonia (4.87% vs 6.26%, p<0.001) but not asthma (3.84% vs 3.9%), wheezing illness (2.62% vs 2.38%), complicated pneumonia (2.0% vs 2.0%) or stridor (1.79% vs 1.72%). There was a significant decrease in the detection of a respiratory viral pathogen in cases vs controls (44% vs 52%, p<0.001). This was related to a significant decrease in the detection of RSV (27% vs. 37%, p<0.001) and influenza (0.3% vs 5%, p<0.001), but not other respiratory viruses. Conclusion(s): During the COVID-19 pandemic, a decrease in pediatric admissions due to bronchiolitis and pneumonia was observed and associated with a decreased prevalence of RSV and influenza. This may allow us to estimate the significance of preventive measures and vaccination programs for RSV and influenza on respiratory pediatric diseases.

Iatrogenic tracheal stenosis: another cause of persistent dyspnea after COVID-19

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of patients who required admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and prolonged intubation (ETI) or a tracheotomy (TT) due to severe ARDS has increased. Causes of persistent dyspnea after severe COVID-19 pneumonia include diffuse lung disease and pulmonary embolism. However, other causes of persistent dyspnea need to be ruled out in COVID-19 ICU-survivors, including iatrogenic tracheal stenosis (TS). Iatrogenic TS account for 50% of the 15-20 patients evaluated every year in the laryngotracheal multidisciplinary team (MDT) of our center. The management of these patients requires an individualized and multidisciplinary assessment, including Interventional Pulmonologists, Thoracic Surgeons and Otolaryngologists. The objective of this study was to describe the cases of iatrogenic TS after severe pneumonia due to COVID-19. Material(s) and Method(s): A descriptive study of the cases of iatrogenic TS in COVID-19 ICU-survivors evaluated at our center's MDT, from the end of the first wave to present. Result(s): A total of 10 patients were included, 70% were women, with a median age of 60 years [53.5-64.5]. The median ICU stay was 58.5 days [34-91]. All patients were intubated and 9 of them (90%) required TT, in 2 cases due to extubation failure. Symptoms at diagnosis included dyspnea in 3 (30%), stridor in 6 (60%) and 1 (10%) was asymptomatic. TS location was glottic in 2 (20%) and tracheal in 8 (80%). The main cause of TS was ring fracture secondary to TT (40%). Conclusion(s): Iatrogenic TS is a rare cause of dyspnea in COVID-19 ICU-survivors, but it must be considered in these patients given the high number of patients who required prolonged ETI or TT during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mechanical ventilation for COVID19 - new patient cluster in risk for postintubation tracheal stenosis

Introduction: Postintubation tracheal stenosis (PITS) is a rare complication of mechanical ventilation (MV). Risk factors for PITS include prolonged MV, reintubation and poor endotracheal tube cuff management, all of which are common in severe COVID19 patients during pandemic surges. Aims and objectives: to describe the patient characteristics and outcomes of PITS after MV for COVID19. Method(s): we conducted a retrospective review of all patients referred to our tertiary teaching hospital for endoscopic PITS treatment after COVID19 during 2021. Result(s): 60% of the 15 referred patients were female with a mean age of 60.1 years. Median duration of MV was 11.5 (8.5 - 16) days. 13.3% of patients were reintubated and 26.7% required tracheostomy during their ICU stay. 86.7% presented with stridor after a median of 32 (16.5-60) days after extubation with a further delay of 14 (2-42) days until the diagnosis of PITS. 73.3% had simple PITS with a mean diameter of 5.73+/-1.53 mm. 12 patients were successfully treated endoscopically with serial dilatation and electrocautery. Restenosis after treatment was observed in 66.7% of patients after a median of 30 (22.5-35) days. 5 patients required surgery while 2 patients required further endoscopic dilatation after surgery. Interestingly, 13 of the 15 patients were referred from a single tertiary hospital, after treatment in the same ICU. Conclusion(s): We observed an increase in referrals for PITS treatment during the study period with a cluster of patients from a single ICU. The high restenosis rate emphasizes the importance of multidisciplinary management as well as the prevention of PITS with high quality ICU care during the COVID19 pandemic.

Antibiotic Use in Acute Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

Upper respiratory tract infections are responsible for millions of physician visits in the United States annually. Although viruses cause most acute upper respiratory tract infections, studies show that many infections are unnecessarily treated with antibiotics. Because inappropriate antibiotic use results in adverse events, contributes to antibiotic resistance, and adds unnecessary costs, family physicians must take an evidence-based, judicious approach to the use of antibiotics in patients with upper respiratory tract infections. Antibiotics should not be used for the common cold, influenza, COVID-19, or laryngitis. Evidence supports antibiotic use in most cases of acute otitis media, group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis, and epiglottitis and in a limited percentage of acute rhinosinusitis cases. Several evidence-based strategies have been identified to improve the appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing for acute upper respiratory tract infections.Copyright © 2022 American Academy of Family Physicians.

Tracheal stenosis following tracheotomy in a COVID-19 patient.

Hemodialyzed patients with COVID-19 are at risk for severe complications from acute respiratory distress syndrome, requiring admission to the intensive-care unit for invasive mechanical ventilation. Post tracheotomy stenosis can be a life-threatening condition that commonly occurs after iatrogenic injury secondary to tracheotomy or tracheal intubation. We report a case of a 44-year-old female patient on maintenance haemodialysis who presented a COVID-19-related ARDS that required mechanical ventilation for 4 weeks, followed by a persistent stridor and finally succumbed, 1 month after being discharged from intensive care unit, from a severe respiratory distress due to a tracheal stenosis. Our aim is to highlight the importance of the early recognition and management of post tracheotomy stenosis in patients with persistent respiratory difficulty as stridor after prolonged intubation requiring tracheotomy, in order to improve the prognosis of these patients.

Croup associated with COVID-19: A case series.

Background: Croup encounters substantially decreased when the pandemic first began, specifically between March and September 2020, before croup cases dramatically spiked again with the Omicron variant. There is a dearth of information concerning children at risk for severe or refractory COVID-19-associated croup and their outcomes. Objective: The objective of this case series was to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of croup associated with the Omicron variant in children, with a focus on cases refractory to treatment. Methods: The case series includes children from birth to 18 years old who presented to a freestanding children's hospital emergency department in the Southeastern United States between December 1, 2021 and January 31, 2022 with a diagnosis of croup and a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. We used descriptive statistics to summarize patient characteristics and outcomes. Results: Of the total 81 patient encounters, 59 patients (72.8%) were discharged from the ED, with one patient requiring two revisits to the hospital. Nineteen patients (23.5%) were admitted to the hospital, and three of these patients represented to the hospital after discharge from the hospital. Three patients (3.7%) were admitted to the intensive care unit, none of whom represented after discharge. Conclusions: This study reveals a wide age range of presentation as well as a relatively higher rate of admission and fewer coinfections compared to pre-pandemic croup. Reassuringly, the results also show a low postadmission intervention rate as well as a low revisit rate. We discuss four refractory cases to highlight nuances for management and disposition decisions.

A HARD PILL TO SWALLOW

SESSION TITLE: COVID-19 Case Report Posters 3 SESSION TYPE: Case Report Posters PRESENTED ON: 10/19/2022 12:45 pm - 01:45 pm INTRODUCTION: Epiglottitis is an inflammation of the epiglottis which can be life-threatening in the absence of prompt intervention. Although primarily a pediatric condition, streptococcus pneumonia has been identified as a common pathogen in adults. SARS-CoV 2 has been known to affect a multitude of systems including the upper respiratory tract, but rarely the epiglottis. CASE PRESENTATION: A 66-year-old female with a past history of hypertension, and hypothyroidism presented with acute onset pharyngodynia and dysphagia with a feeling of throat closing up due to swelling and difficulty speaking. She had a recent COVID-19 diagnosis and was doing well except for mild fatigue. Upon presentation, she was hemodynamically stable. Physical exam revealed posterior pharyngeal edema without any exudate, mildly edematous uvula, and no stridor. Laboratory data was pristine except for elevated inflammatory markers. Rapid streptococcal test and MRSA swab were negative. Sputum culture showed usual respiratory flora and blood cultures were negative. A neck CT showed diffuse edema without any evidence of abscess. Laryngoscopy performed by the ENT surgeon revealed diffuse edema including epiglottitis. Emergent intubation revealed supra and epiglottis edema sparing the vocal cords. The patient was given Decadron and Benadryl to help with the edema along with clindamycin and subsequently transferred to ICU for further care. She was treated with Ceftriaxone for 7 days due to a chest X-ray finding of pneumonia. As for COVID 19 treatment, she received a course of Remdesivir and Decadron. Decadron was given at an increased interval to reduce edema around the epiglottis. Her ICU course was complicated with hypotension requiring intermittent vasopressor support, and acute kidney injury from ischemic acute tubular necrosis which slowly improved. Repeat CT chest showed bibasilar consolidations with peripheral ground-glass opacities. In view of hospital-acquired pneumonia, she was started on Ertapenem. Her clinical condition improved and she was successfully extubated. She was shifted to the floors from where she was discharged without any further complications. DISCUSSION: There are only two other reported cases of COVID 19 epiglottitis. The patient's advanced age and obesity were non-modifiable risk factors, but the COVID-19 infection played a role. The virus can lead to excessive upregulation of the host inflammatory response through repeat epithelial and endothelial damage leading to a cytokine storm, which may be responsible for this presentation. A great level of attention is to be maintained while attending to these patients given the multitude of systems that can be affected. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 is a potential cause of life-threatening acute epiglottitis. Early suspicion and direct visualization of the epiglottis is the key to success for early management. Reference #1: Emberey J, Velala SS, Marshall B, et al. Acute Epiglottitis Due to COVID-19 Infection. Eur J Case Rep Intern Med. 2021;8(3):002280. Published 2021 Mar 3. doi:10.12890/2021_002280 Reference #2: Smith C, Mobarakai O, Sahra S, Twito J, Mobarakai N. Case report: Epiglottitis in the setting of COVID-19. IDCases. 2021;24:e01116. doi: 10.1016/j.idcr.2021.e01116. Epub 2021 Apr 7. PMID: 33842206;PMCID: PMC8025537. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Arunava Saha

THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF LABILE BP: AFFERENT BAROREFLEX FAILURE IN A CRITICAL PATIENT WITH MULTIPLE THYROID SURGERIES AND COVID-19 INFECTION

SESSION TITLE: Cardiovascular Critical Care Cases SESSION TYPE: Rapid Fire Case Reports PRESENTED ON: 10/19/2022 12:45 pm - 1:45 pm INTRODUCTION: The carotid sinus-arterial baroreflex is essential in maintaining blood pressure (BP) regulation. Afferent baroreflex failure (ABF) can present with labile changes in BP within seconds and can be secondary to neck surgery or radiation (RT). The prevalence and etiology of this condition remain unknown, and management of BP can be challenging. We present here the first case, to our knowledge, of ABF precipitated by thyroidectomy, in a patient (pt) with active COVID-19 pneumonia (PNA), causing difficult control of severely labile BP in a critical care unit. CASE PRESENTATION: A 74-year-old female with a history of COPD and a thyroid mass s/p an open left hemithyroidectomy & isthmusectomy, partial right thyroidectomy with drain placement who presented with dyspnea and hypoxia with COVID-19 PNA and superimposed bacterial PNA. She was immediately intubated and admitted to the ICU. Due to improved alertness and breathing, an extubation trial was done on day 2 but was unsuccessful due to a neck mass compressing the trachea, and during extubation, the pt began to develop stridor, desaturate, and was reintubated. CT head and neck showed a markedly enlarged thyroid with left tracheal deviation and the pt underwent complete thyroidectomy the following day. On the 4th day following surgery, the pt desaturated on PRVC and CXR showed new consolidation, and the PNA panel was positive for K. pneumoniae. The pt's BP began to fluctuate from the 80's/40's - 260's/190's. Titrating pressors were not effective in controlling her volatile BP. Clonidine was started to control hypertensive urgencies, but severe subsequent hypotensive episodes made it difficult to continue. A trial of Fentanyl drip did not add a benefit either. Adequate BP control was finally achieved through administering Clonidine only when SBP reached above 180mmHg and Midodrine when SBP reached below 80mmHg. DISCUSSION: Blood pressure changes can be sensed by carotid sinus stretch receptors. ABF can manifest secondary to carotid sinus nerve damage following neck surgery or radiation. The diagnosis of ABF remains ill-defined;with limited research available to guide definitive management. Critically ill patients with poor prognosis have demonstrated higher ACTH levels with a longer cortisol release, with elevated IL-8 and IL-6 concentrations, concluding potential destructive pituitary-adrenal axis response in the setting of inflammation. IL-6 in particular can manifest following hypoxic conditions. In certain cases of POTS and AD in COVID-19, there has been an improvement of symptoms with the use of B-blockers, fludrocortisone, midodrine, methyldopa, and clonidine. CONCLUSIONS: Additional research with a multidisciplinary approach is warranted to fully optimize the treatment of ABF in patients with neck surgery and or inflammatory conditions such as COVID-19. Reference #1: Biaggioni I, Shibao CA, Jordan J. Evaluation and Diagnosis of Afferent Baroreflex Failure. Hypertension. 2022 Jan;79(1):57-9. Reference #2: Dimopoulou I, Alevizopoulou P, Dafni U, Orfanos S, Livaditi O, Tzanela M, Kotanidou A, Souvatzoglou E, Kopterides P, Mavrou I, Thalassinos N. Pituitary-adrenal responses to human corticotropin-releasing hormone in critically ill patients. Intensive care medicine. 2007 Mar;33(3):454-9. Reference #3: Dani M, Dirksen A, Taraborrelli P, Torocastro M, Panagopoulos D, Sutton R, Lim PB. Autonomic dysfunction in 'long COVID': rationale, physiology and management strategies. Clinical Medicine. 2021 Jan;21(1):e63. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Wadah Akroush No relevant relationships by Shady Geris No relevant relationships by Brooke Kania No relevant relationships by Anas Mahmoud No relevant relationships by Rajapriya Manickam

MEMBRANOUS DEHISCENCE AFTER TRACHEAL RESECTION AND RECONSTRUCTION HEALED SPONTANEOUSLY WITH CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT

SESSION TITLE: Rare Cases in Cardiothoracic Surgery SESSION TYPE: Rapid Fire Case Reports PRESENTED ON: 10/18/2022 12:25 pm - 01:25 pm INTRODUCTION: Membranous dehiscence after tracheal resection is an uncommon but deadly complication. It may present acutely with loss of airway, insidiously with progressive stridor, infection or subcutaneous emphysema, or asymptomatically. Treatment may be conservative if the separation is minimal but may require re-exploration if the defect is more severe. The extent of dehiscence amenable to conservative treatment is not well described in the literature. This case report describes the conservative treatment of a posterior membrane dehiscence. CASE PRESENTATION: A 50-year-old woman suffered from stridor due to tracheal stenosis after prolonged intubation from COVID-19. Endobronchial treatments were unsuccessful because of a malacic segment of airway. Via a cervical approach, approximately 2cm of malacic trachea was resected. Reconstruction was performed with a running suture of the posterior membrane and interrupted, figure-of-eight sutures of the anterior trachea. On postoperative day 5, the patient developed subcutaneous emphysema. A CT scan was obtained (Figure 1A), demonstrating disruption of the membranous portion of the anastomosis. As the patient's breathing was not affected, conservative treatment was preferred. She was encouraged to maintain her neck in a flexed position while continuously monitored with a pulse oximeter and treated with intravenous and aerosolized antibiotics. A repeat CT scan was obtained one week after (Figure 1B), showing no residual tracheal wall defect. Postoperative bronchoscopy showed that the posterior membrane had healed entirely. She remains asymptomatic on follow-up visits. DISCUSSION: Wound dehiscence after tracheal resection and reconstruction occurs in about 1-4% of the cases (1, 2), and it is associated with a significant morbidity and a 0.6% chance of mortality (1). We believe the membranous anastomosis failed because the posterior membrane was inflamed and adhered to the esophagus during the index operation. We did not want to perform a bronchoscopy in this situation, as positioning and coughing could exacerbate the dehiscence. As her breathing was unaffected at this point, we debated between a conservative or invasive approach. Conservative management is preferred for small defects and mild symptoms (3), but there is sparse further elaboration in the literature. Because the cartilaginous anastomosis appeared intact and she was breathing spontaneously, we decided to treat conservatively with expectant management. This included aggressive treatment with antibiotics to avoid infection and further anastomotic breakdown. More examples are needed to establish the likelihood of success with conservative treatment versus revisional surgery for partial dehiscence. CONCLUSIONS: Dehiscence after tracheal resection increases morbidity and mortality significantly. This is an example of a posterior membrane dehiscence that resolved spontaneously with conservative measures. Reference #1: Stock C, Gukasyan N, Muniappan A, Wright C, Mathisen D. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for the treatment of anastomotic complications after tracheal resection and reconstruction. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2014;147(3):1030-5. Reference #2: Young A, Bigcas JLM. Tracheal Resection. [Updated 2022 Feb 16]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing;2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK563234/. Reference #3: Auchincloss HG, Wright CD. Complications after tracheal resection and reconstruction: prevention and treatment. J Thorac Dis. 2016;8(Suppl 2):S160-7. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Rocio Castillo-Larios No relevant relationships by Magdy El-Sayed Ahmed No relevant relationships by Sebastian Fernandez-Bussy No relevant relationships by daniel hernandez No relevant relationships by Samuel Jacob No relevant relationships by Ian Makey No relevant relationships by Sai Priyanka Pulipaka No relevant relationships b Mathew Thomas No relevant relationships by Alejandra Yu Lee-Mateus

MANAGEMENT OF METHAMPHETAMINE INDUCED PNEUMONITIS

CASE: A 35-year-old female with history of pulmonary coccidiomycosis s/p treatment 15 years ago, ex-smoker who quit 8 years ago, unvaccinated for COVID-19 presented with two weeks of progressively worsening shortness of breath, fever, chills, generalized body aches, sore throat with hoarseness of voice, nonproductive cough, wheezing and midsternal chest pain. Denied sick contacts, recent travel, allergies or bird contact. On presentation, vitals were significant for hypoxia with SpO2 84% requiring 2L of nasal canula, sinus tachycardia to 109, tachypneic in 30s. Physical exam showed stridor and bilateral diffuse expiratory wheezing. Stridor improved with racemic epinephrine and dexamethasone 10mg IV. CBC, CMP, Procalcitonin, BNP, COVID-19 and Respiratory PCR were negative, while coccidioidomycosis antibody was positive. UDS was positive for methamphetamine. Chest X-ray showed features of atypical pneumonitis. CT Chest showed similar findings and was negative for pulmonary embolism. She was managed symptomatically with albuterol inhaler. Respiratory symptoms improved during hospitalization without any further interventions. IMPACT/DISCUSSION: Methamphetamine can cause toxic lung parenchyma injury irrespective of frequency of use. With recent increase in use of methamphetamine, paucity of literature and unclear mechanism in lung injury, it is important for physicians to be aware of methamphetamine associated lung injury as a differential diagnosis of acute/subacute respiratory distress with the risk factors of illicit drug use in the era of COVID pandemic. According to National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) in 2018, 1.6 million people (age > 26 years) used methamphetamine in one year which is 0.5% more than 2016-2017. Crystalline methamphetamine is a widely used inhaled stimulant with few reported cases of acute respiratory distress syndrome, eosinophilic pneumonia, pneumonitis, and diffuse alveolar hemorrhage. Even though the mechanism of injury is unclear in human beings, toxicity was studied in animals. Chronic methamphetamine use causes thickened alveolar walls and reduced alveolar sacs by oxidative stress and by increased free radical formation. Patients often present with non-specific symptoms including cough, shortness of breath, sore throat or chest pain. The temporal relation of symptomatology with methamphetamine use and exclusion of infectious and other pulmonary etiology based on labs and radiological findings are crucial in establishing the diagnosis. Early diagnosis, symptomatic treatment and cessation of substance use are core management. CONCLUSION: We discussed a case of methamphetamine-induced pneumonitis, who presented with upper and lower respiratory symptoms that resolved dramatically with the early diagnosis and supportive care. We recommend considering methamphetamine-induced lung injury as a differential diagnosis in patients with risk factors of illicit drug use, especially in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic for early diagnosis and appropriate management.

SARS COV-2 AS A RISK FOR ANGIOEDEMA

CASE: This is a 41-year-old man who was admitted to the medical floor with mild COVID-19 symptoms without hypoxia. He had End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) on Hemodialysis (HD), failed renal transplant, Hypertension and Schizophrenia. Patient had no relevant family history. Medications included Aspirin, Atorvastatin, Nifedipine, Benztropine, and Haloperidol. Patient had allergy to shellfish products. He tested positive a week prior to admission with mild cough no fever or hypoxia. As symptoms worsened, he presented to emergency department and was admitted because of his immunocompromised status. The night of admission, he developed wheezing and stridor, swelling of face and lips, and altered mental status. It was difficult to pass endotracheal tube due to swollen airways. Vital signs were stable except for a low oxygen saturation. Physical examination significant for stridor and swelling of the face and lips. Laboratory values were not significant. We reviewed and none of them was newly started or associated with risks of angioedema. He had no history of previous similar episodes. Patient was given anti-histamines and steroids with slight improvement. Flexible laryngoscopy was performed showing swollen epiglottis and aryepiglottic folds. He ended up getting a tracheostomy as he was regarded as a high risk to be liberated from intubation. IMPACT/DISCUSSION: Few other cases of COVID-associated angioedema have been reported in the literature, majority of the cases explained were in African American patients. The features of angioedema reported like the traditional angioedema, swelling of the face, lips and airways. This angioedema developed within 7 days of detection of COVID-19 in our case and >10 days in the previously reported cases. Angioedema develops due to increased levels of Bradykinin (BK) and its metabolites due to increased expression or decreased degradation. Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) with other enzymes prevent angioedema by degradation of BK and its metabolites . African Americans, have genetic susceptibility which leads to lower levels of other enzymes involved in the Bradykinin metabolism, thus ACE blockade put them at a higher risk of angioedema. The association of COVID-19 with ACE2 and its subsequent disruption of ACE activity is thought to be the reason behind the development of angioedema. Most of the published articles are either observational or sporadic case reports. More thorough study might help identify further mechanisms and if there is a direct true causal relationship between COVID-19 infection and angioedema or if it is the result of a “second hit,” as it was called by authors of another case that involved a Caucasian male with hypertension who has been using Lisinopril for years with no previously reported complaint. CONCLUSION: SARS CoV-2 should be suspected as cause for angioedema. Further studies needed to establish modalities for diagnosis, management and prevention in high-risk patients.

Bronchoscopic management of tracheobronchial mucormycosis

Introduction: Mucormycosis is a catastrophic, opportunistic infection with a high mortality rate. Incidence of Pulmonary mucormycosis has gone up in the post covid-19 era. Treatment includes combined surgical and medical therapy. Mucormycosis involving major airway is difficult to treat because, the surgical options are limited. We present a case series of tracheobronchial mucormycosis, managed by combined bronchoscopic interventions and medical therapy. Case Series: Case 1: 30 years old diabetic female presented with stridor. Bronchoscopy showed mass lesion arising from carina extending to lower trachea causing obstruction. Biopsy revealed Mucormycosis. The lesion was completely debulked by using rigid bronchoscopy, cryoprobe, electrosurgical knife. Intravenous amphotericin was for 6 weeks. Follow-up bronchoscopy showed no recurrence. Case 2: 45 years old diabetic male who had Covid-19 recently, presented with cough. Bronchoscopy revealed near-total occlusion left main bronchus by fleshy lesion destroying medial wall and communicating with the mediastinum. Lesion was removed by bronchoscopic methods and intra-lesional amphotericin was injected in multiple sittings along with intravenous amphotericin therapy followed by oral posaconazole. Follow-up bronchoscopy showed complete healing of left main bronchus. Case 3: 25-year-old diabetic male, presented with stridor. Bronchoscopy revealed complete destruction of the upper trachea by necrotic infection extending to paratracheal tissue on right side. Silicon tracheal stent was placed to stabilize trachea and patient was continued on intra-lesional and intravenous amphotericin therapy. Interim bronchoscopy in after 2 weeks showed partial healing of the lesion however patient missed for follow up after 3 weeks of amphotericin therapy. Conclusion: Surgical options for tracheobronchial mucormycosis are limited. Bronchoscopic methods may be tried to treat the disease locally along with intravenous amphotericin therapy when Surgical options are exhausted.

Postextubation Stridor in Severe COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, 60-80% of patients admitted to ICU require mechanical ventilation for respiratory distress. We aimed to compare the frequency of postextubation stridor (PES) and to explore risk factors in COVID-19 subjects compared to those without COVID-19. METHODS: We performed an observational retrospective study on subjects admitted for severe COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation > 48 h during the first and second waves in 2020 and compared these subjects to historical controls without COVID-19 who received mechanical ventilation > 48 h between 2016-2019. The primary outcome was the frequency of PES, defined as audible stridor within 2 h following extubation. RESULTS: Of the 134 subjects admitted with severe COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation, 96 were extubated and included and compared to 211 controls. The frequency of PES was 22.9% in the COVID-19 subjects and 3.8% in the controls (P < .001). Factors independently associated with PES were having COVID-19 (odds ratio 3.72, [95% CI 1.24-12.14], P = .02), female sex (odds ratio 5.77 [95% CI 2.30-15.64], P < .001), and tube mobilization or re-intubation or prone positioning (odds ratio 3.01 [95% CI 1.04-9.44], P = .047) after adjustment on Simplified Acute Physiology Score II expanded). During the first wave, PES was significantly more common in subjects with a positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test on tracheal samples on the day of extubation (73.3% vs 24.3%, P = .018). CONCLUSIONS: PES affected nearly one-quarter of subjects with COVID-19, a proportion significantly higher than that seen in controls. Independent risk factors for PES were COVID-19, female sex, and tube mobilization or re-intubation or prone positioning. PES was associated with persistent viral shedding at the time of extubation.

Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica in the setting of COVID-19.

Tracheobronchopathia osteoplastica (TO) is a rare, benign disease of unknown etiology, primarily affecting the major tracheobronchial tree, characterized by irregular nodular calcifications of the cartilaginous component of the inner wall of the tracheobronchial tree while sparing the posterior wall, leading to progressive narrowing of the airway. We report the case of a 60-year-old male otherwise healthy nonsmoker, who complained of chronic breathing discomfort and recurrent chest infections and was found to have TO according to radiographic, microlaryngoscopic, and biopsy findings. He experienced a flare up with worsening of disease progression after years of being in stable condition, after his infection with SARS-CoV-2.

Respiratory admissions during COVID-19 pandemic restrictions-a single centre experience

Introduction: Respiratory tract diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children. This study aimed to compare respiratory illness rates and aetiology requiring hospitalization in 2019 (pre-COVID lockdown in Ireland) and 2020 (during COVID lockdown in Ireland). Methodology: Data from medical admissions were retrospectively collected from the emergency department admissions record of a Tertiary Paediatric Hospital in Dublin, Ireland. This study focused on September, October and November in 2019 and 2020. The documented reason for admission in each case was noted;these were transcribed and grouped into categories. Reasons for admission under the category of respiratory included: bronchiolitis, lower respiratory tract infection, upper respiratory tract infection, wheeze, stridor and exacerbation of asthma. Rates of admission in this category were compared from 2019 versus 2020. Rates of investigative nasopharyngeal swabs for these admissions were documented, as well as the resultant viruses isolated. The results were compared across 2019 and 2020. Results: 1040 admission were included in the study. Of these, 620 were in 2019 and 420 in 2020. This alone shows a decrease of 32% in the admissions rate to Temple Street Children's hospital during COVID-19 restrictions. Of the 620 admissions across September, October and November 2019, 265 were attributed to respiratory illnesses (42.77%). In the same time period of 2020, only 67 admissions were attributed to respiratory causes (15.95%). This shows a dramatic decrease in the number of paediatric respiratory illnesses requiring hospital admission. There was a decrease in the number of respiratory panel nasopharyngeal swabs taken in 2020 compared to 2019, although 89% of respiratory admissions were swabbed for Sars-CoV-2 in 2020. Respiratory syncytial virus accounted for 54.60% of respiratory admissions swabbed in 2019 versus a 0% isolation rate in 2020. The table below further outlines virology differences between 2019 and 2020. (table) Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic related social restrictions dramatically interfered with the seasonality of childhood respiratory illnesses. This was reflected in the unexpected reduction in the number of hospitalizations in the paediatric population during this period. There is also an obvious stark contrast in the viruses isolated in children presenting with respiratory illnesses in 2019 and 2020. This study raises serious questions and concerns regarding paediatric immunity to respiratory illnesses and begs the question: will we experience a more severe respiratory season in 2021?

Life-Threatening Stridor due to Laryngeal Tuberculosis in the COVID-19 Era: Report of a Case.

Laryngeal tuberculosis is the most frequent granulomatous disease of the larynx and it is prone to be diagnosed as cancer. COVID-19 pandemic caused considerable disruption in tuberculosis service provisions both in the primary care and hospital settings. This report describes a rare case of life-threatening stridor in a patient who presented with an ulceroproliferative laryngeal mass later confirmed as laryngeal tuberculosis. Urgent tracheostomy was performed. The patient's sputum and the computed tomography of the chest revealed a pulmonary, as well as laryngeal tuberculosis. The patient was commenced on a 24 week course of anti-tuberculous treatment which was interrupted because of a mild course of hospital-acquired coronavirus infection. 3 months after initial treatment for tuberculosis, his sputum cultures became negative. Flexible laryngoscopy was performed at our department 4 months after commencement of treatment, demonstrating complete regression of the lesion and symmetrical laryngeal mobility, hence the patient was successfully decannulated and discharged to be followed up to his community hospital. In the time of COVID-19 pandemic, we should never underestimate other severe infectious diseases.