[Testing nasogastric tube placement: evaluation of three different methods in intensive care unit]. / Evaluation prospective de trois méthodes de positionnement de la sonde nasogastrique en réanimation.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of three methods (aspiration of gastric fluid, pH measurement of gastric fluid, and insufflation of air) in order to determine the right position of the nasogastric (NG) tube. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, observational study in an intensive care unit. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients requiring a NG tube were included. Since the NG tube was inserted three tests were successively performed: aspiration of gastric fluid, pH measurement of the gastric fluid, and auscultation over the epigastrium of air injected through the NG tube. The feasibility and the results obtained for each test were noted and compared to chest X-ray, considered as the reference. Chest X-ray classified the complications as major or minor. RESULTS: A total of 419 NG tube (202 decompressive NG tube and 217 gastric feeding tube) were analysed in 280 patients. Malpositions of the NG tube were observed in 10% (majors, n=11 and minors, n=31). Aspiration of gastric fluid and pH measurement were not sensible (77% and 49%, respectively) and not specific (38% and 74%, respectively). Insufflation of air was sensible (96%) but not specific (17%). The combination of the three methods did not improve the sensibility and specificity. Two complications were only detected by chest X-ray (one insertion in the intrapleural space, and one pneumothorax). CONCLUSION: None of the test evaluated, alone or associated, was sufficient to avoid chest X-ray. Moreover the occurrence of two potential and serious complications only detected by chest X-ray increase this assertion.

Post-traumatic course complicated by cutaneous infection with Absidia corymbifera.

Cutaneous mucormycosis is a rare but serious infection in trauma patients. Reported here is the case of a young patient with cutaneous mucormycosis due to Absidia corymbifera probably caused by a soil-contaminated wound. Despite daily surgical debridement and amphotericin B therapy, cure could be achieved only by amputation of the lower limb.

Non steady state and steady state PKS Bayesian forecasting and vancomycin pharmacokinetics in ICU adult patients.

The pharmacokinetics of vancomycin was investigated in adult ICU patients after the first administration and at steady state. Then the predictive performance of a two-compartment Bayesian forecasting program was assessed in these patients by using population-based parameters and three non steady state vancomycin concentrations as feedback information. Finally a prospective investigation was carried out to search potential covariates. At steady state, a significant decrease (around 30%) in clearance (CL) was observed, while creatinine clearance (CLcr) was stable and a significant increase (around 30%) in volume of distribution (V(SS)) was observed. A two-fold increase in elimination half-life was found. CL was weakly correlated with CLcr at onset of therapy and at steady state. The Bayesian program tended to overpredict vancomycin peak and trough concentrations. A larger mean prediction error and a poorer precision were observed when population-based parameter estimates were used (no feedback) compared to feedback prediction, but the differences were not significant. Mechanical ventilation and concurrent opioid therapy may be pertinent covariates of vancomycin pharmacokinetics. The current work has shown that vancomycin pharmacokinetics in ICU patients displayed a significant variability and a significant change in both clearance and distribution during the course of therapy. Further investigation is necessary to clarify these findings. Moreover, the use of the Bayesian forecasting PKS program in our patients led to a prediction with low bias but rather poor precision. This outcome highlights the need to implement a population modeling approach, to determine the vancomycin pharmacokinetic parameters and covariates in our ICU patients, and to apply this information to provide more accurate concentration predictions.

[Spontaneous ventilation in positive expiratory pressure in cardiogenic pulmonary edema. Prospective study]. / Ventilation spontanée en pression expiratoire positive au cours de l'oedème pulmonaire cardiogénique. Etude prospective.

New equipment facilitating the use of spontaneous ventilation with positive expiratory pressure (PEP) has become available in France since January 1996. This technique was applied in 38 patients with severe cardiogenic pulmonary oedema and persistent respiratory distress despite high flow classical oxygen therapy and standard treatment. After 1 hour of ventilation with a flow of 220 l/min of 100% oxygen with an average PEP of 7.7 cm H20, a significant improvement of clinical (heart and respiratory rate) and biological parameters (arterial gases) was observed. There were no side effects. Four patients died during the hospital period and only 1 was intubated. Spontaneous ventilation with PEP is a simple technique for coronary care units and, compared with conventional oxygen therapy, it rapidly improves arterial oxygenation, reduces respiratory work and improves conditions of cardiac load. Acute severe cardiogenic pulmonary oedema seems to be an indication of choice, especially in the elderly, where it may help avoid an often controversial intubation.

Non-invasive continuous positive airway pressure in acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure--experience of an emergency department.

Non-invasive continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) seems to decrease the need for intubation in patients with severe cardiogenic pulmonary oedema (CPO) in the intensive care unit. The goals of our study were to delineate indications for CPAP in the emergency department, and to confirm its usefulness in such a setting. We retrospectively assess the evolution of all patients ventilated under CPAP for an acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure over a 1-year period (n = 64 patients). Hypercarbia and respiratory acidosis were present in most patients with CPO (PaCO2 = 54.4+/-22.3 mmHg; pH = 7.27+/-0.13), according to respiratory exhaustion, although initial PaCO2 was low in the pneumonia group. There was a significant improvement of arterial blood gases after 1 hour of ventilation in the CPO group (PaO2 = 254.1+/-121.0 mmHg; PaCO2 = 44.0+/-12.6 mmHg; pH = 7.34+/-0.08; p < 0.0001 for both parameters). In the pneumonia group, oxygenation was also improved but with the persistence of a significant shunt (PaO2 = 157.6+/-84.4 mmHg). Fifty-four patients (84%) were considered as successfully ventilated under CPAP, with no need for intubation and a favourable evolution, mainly in the CPO group. No side effects were reported. In conclusion, CPAP is a useful and easy-to-use ventilatory device in the emergency department. It is now one of our first line treatments during prehospital and emergency care of patients with CPO.

[Torsades de pointe with spiramycine and metiquazine therapy. Apropos of a case]. / Torsades de pointes sous traitement par spiramycine et méquitazine. A propos d'un cas.

The authors report the case of a 21 year old woman with a congenital long Q7 syndrome who had several syncopal attacks at least one of which was caused by torsades de pointe. This sudden complication was attributed to the simultaneous prescription of Spiramycine and Mequitazine over a 48 hour period. These two drugs are not considered to be predisposing factors for torsades de pointe despite the fact that they belong to two families of drugs which can trigger this type of arrhythmia. The withdrawal of this treatment led to the complete regression of the syncopal episodes with a follow-up of two years and a significant shortening of the initial QTc interval which remained, nevertheless, longer than normal. This case underlines the potential risks of drug associations of these two families of drugs, especially in patients with the congenital long Qt syndrome.

[Myocardial infarction caused by acute left main coronary artery occlusion. Apropos of 4 cases and review of the literature]. / Infarctus du myocarde par occlusion aiguë du tronc commun gauche. A propos de 4 cas et revue de la littérature.

Between 1979 and 1996, 4 acute occlusions of the left main coronary artery (LMC) were treated by primary transluminal coronary angioplasty. They were 4 men with a mean age of 43 +/- 5 years, admitted to hospital less than 8 hours after the clinical onset of symptoms of anterior myocardial infarction in Killip class 4 with complete right bundle branch block on the initial electrocardiogramme. All cases had a previous history of unstable angina over 2 to 15 days. Angioplasty was undertaken immediately in view of the haemodynamic instability. The coronary circulation was of a dominant right coronary type in the 4 cases: significant stenoses were discovered after recanalisation, on the left anterior descending artery (LAD) in 2 cases and the circumflex or marginal arteries in 3 cases. The right coronary artery was atheromatous in all cases but without significant stenosis. Angioplasty was completed by implantation of a stent in 3 cases (LAD : 1 case, LMC : 2 cases). The outcome was rapidly fatal in 3 cases. Only one patient survived 6 months in functional class 3. These results show that myocardial infarction due to occlusion of the left main coronary artery is a very severe condition which justifies rapid recanalisation. Primary angioplasty with stent implantation in an immediate therapeutic option which enables the patient to survive the acute stage, though only in a limited number of cases.

[Post-traumatic hemiplegia in a patient with fibromuscular dysplasia of the carotid artery]. / Hémiplégie posttraumatique sur dysplasie fibromusculaire carotidienne.

A 44-year-old patient, without remarkable medical history, was admitted with a head trauma with initial loss of consciousness and a thoracic trauma. The initial treatment included the insertion of a chest drain for evacuation of a pneumothorax and intrapleural analgesia with bupivacaine. The day after admission, the patient experienced a generalized epileptic crisis, without prodomes. Later, a left proportional hemiplegia with aphasia was recognized. The CT scan obtained immediately after the crisis, as well as the carotid Doppler ultrasonography and echocardiography were normal. The bilateral carotid angiography showed an image of fibromuscular dysplasia of the extracranial segment of the right internal carotid artery. The migration of a carotid thrombus initiated by the trauma was hypothetized. A treatment with a platelet aggregation inhibiting drug was started and associated 20 days later with low molecular weight heparin. The patient recovered a normal motility within 10 days; only the aphasia remained. Trauma of the carotid artery is not a frequent cause of cerebrovascular accident. The occurrence of the latter is favoured by a pre-existing lesion of this artery. This case demonstrates that in a trauma patient not all central nervous system manifestations are initiated by a head trauma.

[Oral contraception and surgery]. / Contraception orale et chirurgie.

PIP: Oral contraceptives (OCs) and surgery are both recognized risk factors for thromboembolism. Observation of a postoperative deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in a 21-year-old OC user prompted the authors to define the risk of OC use in surgical patients through a review of the literature. The patient had no other relevant risk factors except a moderate smoking habit. Surgery increases risk of thromboembolism because of the postoperative hypercoagulation state with declines in AT III, elevation of fibrinogen and products of degradation of fibrin, decline of plasminogen, and elevation of antiplasmin. The risks are greater in the immobile postsurgical phase and are increased as well by direct vascular lesions during surgery. Estimates of rates of deep venous thrombosis are very variable according to different authors because of the difficulties of diagnosis, heterogeneity of risk factors encountered, and variety of prophylactic methods employed. The most thrombogenic surgery is believed to be that on the legs; 1 literature review produced a range of estimates from 45-70% without prophylaxis and with 2% involving fatal pulmonary emboli. Another study estimated the risk of deep venous thrombosis at 2% for young subjects in good health undergoing minor surgery lasting less than 30 minutes and at 10-40% for subjects over 40 undergoing moderately serious general surgical procedures. No ideal method of prevention has been found that is well accepted by patients, nurses, and physicians. OC use entails multiple physiopathologic modifications including among others alterations of the vascular walls with endothelial proliferation and/or thickening of the media, increased blood viscosity, hyperaggregability of platelets, and increases in certain coagulation factors. Synthetic estrogens play the major role in modifications but progestins diminish venous tone and increase stasis. Large epidemiologic studies in the US and Great Britain found a significantly increased thromboembolic risk in OC users beginning in the 1st month of use and persisting until 3-4 weeks after termination of treatment. Most authors believe that OC use increases the postsurgical risk of thromboembolism by a factor of about 3. More selective choice of OC users, reduced estrogen doses, and better surveillance of users appear to have diminished the risk of thromboembolic disease with OC use. But unfortunately there are no sure predictors of thromboembolic disease. All authors recognize the reversibility of modifications caused by OCs on hemostasis by 4 weeks after termination. If therefore is recommended that OC use be interrupted 1 cycle before surgery.^ieng