Foreign body removal by a lung-sparing bronchotomy.

This tutorial shows how to remove an aspirated foreign body via a lung-sparing operation using a transverse bronchotomy through a transthoracic approach.  An 18-year-old woman was admitted for treatment of an aspirated foreign body. A pushpin was impacted in a subsegmental branch of the right lower lobe of her bronchus. The problem was managed successfully using a conservative surgical approach:  The foreign body was removed from the lower-lobe bronchus, thereby avoiding the need for a lung resection. Starting with a posterolateral thoracotomy by harvesting a pedicled flap, the surgeon exposed and opened the bronchus to remove the impacted foreign body. The bronchial suture was covered by the pedicled flap.  The endoscopic removal of aspirated foreign bodies, which is considered the first-line treatment, can be challenging and can lead to airway injury or stenosis. Described at the beginning of 20th century, transthoracic bronchotomy for foreign body removal remains a life-saving and lung-sparing procedure that should not be overlooked.

Adding the Capacity for an Intensive Care Unit Dedicated to COVID 19, Preserving the Operational Capability of a French Golden Hour Offset Surgical Team in Sahel.

INTRODUCTION: In April 2020, the military medical planning needs to be recalibrated to support the COVID-19 crisis during a large-scale combat operation carried out by the French army in Sahel. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Since 2019, proper positioning of Forward Surgical Teams (FSTs) has been imperative in peer-to-near-peer conflict and led to the development of a far-forward surgical asset: The Golden Hour Offset Surgical Team (GHOST). Dedicated to damage control surgery close to combat, GHOST made the FST aero-mobile again, with a light logistical footprint and a fast setting. On 19 and 25 March 2020, Niger and Mali confirmed their first COVID-19 cases, respectively. The pandemic was ongoing in Sahel, where 5,100 French soldiers were deployed in the Barkhane Operation. RESULTS: For the first time, the FST had to provide, continuously, both COVID critical care and surgical support to the ongoing operation in Liptako. Its deployment on a Main Operating Base had to be rethought on Niamey, to face the COVID crisis and support ongoing operations. This far-forward surgical asset, embedded with a doctrinal Role-1, sat up a 4-bed COVID intensive care unit while maintaining a casualty surgical care capacity. A COVID training package has been developed to prepare the FST for this innovative employment. This far-forward surgical asset was designed to support a COVID-19 intensive care unit before evacuation, preserving forward surgical capability for battalion combat teams. CONCLUSION: Far-forward surgical assets like GHOST have demonstrated their mobility and effectiveness in a casualty care system and could be adapted as critical care facilities to respond to the COVID crisis in wartime.

PEEP titration in moderate to severe ARDS: plateau versus transpulmonary pressure.

BACKGROUND: Although lung protection with low tidal volume and limited plateau pressure (Pplat) improves survival in acute respiratory distress syndrome patients (ARDS), the best way to set positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) is still debated. METHODS: This study aimed to compare two strategies using individual PEEP based on a maximum Pplat (28-30 cmH2O, the Express group) or on keeping end-expiratory transpulmonary pressure positive (0-5 cmH2O, PLexpi group). We estimated alveolar recruitment (Vrec), end-expiratory lung volume and alveolar distension based on elastance-related end-inspiratory transpulmonary pressure (PL,EL). RESULTS: Nineteen patients with moderate to severe ARDS (PaO2/FiO2 < 150 mmHg) were included with a baseline PEEP of 7.0 ± 1.8 cmH2O and a PaO2/FiO2 of 91.2 ± 31.2 mmHg. PEEP and oxygenation increased significantly from baseline with both protocols; PEEP Express group was 14.2 ± 3.6 cmH2O versus 16.7 ± 5.9 cmH2O in PLexpi group. No patient had the same PEEP with the two protocols. Vrec was higher with the latter protocol (299 [0 to 875] vs. 222 [47 to 483] ml, p = 0.049) and correlated with improved oxygenation (R2 = 0.45, p = 0.002). Two and seven patients in the Express and PL,expi groups, respectively, had PL,EL > 25 cmH2O. CONCLUSIONS: There is a great heterogeneity of PLexpi when Pplat is used to titrate PEEP but with limited risk of over-distension. A PEEP titration for a moderate positive level of PLexpi might slightly improve alveolar recruitment and oxygenation but increases the risk of over-distension in one-third of patients.