[Evaluation of the learning curve of a new intubation technique: intubating laryngeal mask]. / Evaluation de l'apprentissage d'une nouvelle technique d'intubation: le ML-Fastrach.

OBJECTIVE: Assessment of the learning curve of a new device for blind orotracheal intubation: Intubating laryngeal mask. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. METHODS: Ten persons practicing anaesthesia (specialist, fellow, nurse) underwent videotape learning and manikin training required with the device. Each person had to carry out a tracheal intubation in ten consecutive patients undergoing scheduled surgery. No patient presented history or clinical sign of difficult airway management. Results were expressed as mean +/- SD. Main percentages were provided with their 95% confidence interval; the percentage comparison were performed using Chi 2 test. The significance level for overall analysis was p < 0.05. RESULTS: One hundred patients were included. The overall success rate of tracheal intubation with the intubating laryngeal mask was 88%. An easy learning curve was obtained according to the low failure rate that was observed. No failure was noticed after eight procedures. Significant diminution of the delay for tube insertion was observed during the practice (3 +/- 1.30 min for the first procedure and 1.16 +/- 0.60 min for the tenth procedure). Circumstances of the oral intubation were improved with muscle relaxation. Finally, all failure with the intubating laryngeal mask were followed by successful intubation using direct laryngoscopy. CONCLUSION: The intubating laryngeal mask is a new device for blind orotracheal intubation with an easy learning curve in patients without difficulty in airway management, even for non-selected operators.

Hypopituitarism after surgical clipping of a ruptured cerebral aneurysm.

OBJECTIVE: The causes of hypopituitarism in adult life are most frequently cerebral tumors, pituitary infarction, head trauma, pituitary surgery, or irradiation. We report a case of hypopituitarism after surgical clipping of a ruptured cerebral aneurysm. Two previous cases after the rupture of a cerebral aneurysm have been reported. DESIGN: Case report. PATIENTS: One 42-yr-old man. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A 42-yr-old man was admitted as an emergency for unconsciousness. The computed tomography showed a massive subarachnoid hemorrhage, and specific angiography showed an aneurysm in the internal carotid. The aneurysm was successfully clipped through craniotomy. The patient's hospital course was marked by a few episodes of pulmonary infection, and a tracheotomy was performed. The patient was transferred to the rehabilitation unit; he received a rating of 9 on the Glasgow Coma Scale. Seven months after rupture of the aneurysm, the patient was readmitted to the intensive care unit for septic shock, with pulmonary infection associated with vomiting and diarrhea. Despite standard therapy and inotropic support, there was no improvement of his clinical condition. Adrenal failure was then suspected. Treatment was started immediately with hydrocortisone (50 mg) four times a day. Within hours, his clinical condition improved. The following month, the patient was weaned off his tracheotomy and had nearly recovered. Endocrine tests confirmed the cortisol insufficiency but also hypothyroidism and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism secondary to hypopituitarism. CONCLUSION: Our case is the first one reported of hypopituitarism after surgical clipping of a ruptured cerebral aneurysm.

Could heart rate variability predict outcome in patients with severe head injury? A pilot study.

Despite major improvements in the resuscitation of patients with head injury, the outcome of patients with head trauma often remains poor and difficult to establish. Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis is a noninvasive tool used to measure autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity. The aim of this prospective study was to investigate whether HRV analysis might be a useful adjunct for predicting outcome in patients with severe head injury. Twenty patients with severe head trauma (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] or= 10) to HRV in patients characterized by a worsened neurologic state (GCS < 10). Statistical analysis used the Kruskal-Wallis test, P < .05. To assess whether HRV could predict evolution to brain death, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated the day after trauma for Total Power, natural logarithm of high-frequency component of spectral analysis (LnHF), natural logarithm of low-frequency component of spectral analysis (LnLF), and root mean square for successive interval differences (rMSSD). Seven patients died between Day 1 and Day 5 after trauma. Six of those had progressed to brain death. In these six patients, at Day 1, Global HRV and parasympathetic tone were significantly higher. Referring to the area under the rMSSD ROC curve, HRV might provide useful information in predicting early evolution of patients with severe head trauma. During the awakening period, global HRV and the parasympathetic tone were significantly lower in the worsened neurologic state group. In conclusion, HRV could be helpful as a predictor of imminent brain death and a useful adjunct for predicting the outcome of patients with severe head injury.

Could heart rate variability analysis become an early predictor of imminent brain death? A pilot study.

UNLABELLED: Physiology of brain death is characterized by major disturbances of autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity which can lead to graft dysfunction. These findings exhibit the importance of early diagnosis of brain death to improve transplantation outcome. The aim of this prospective study was to assess whether heart rate variability (HRV) analysis, a noninvasive method to investigate ANS activity in comatose patients, could achieve this goal. A total of 14 brain-injured patients were included in the study as soon as they exhibited the clinical signs of imminent brain death. The electrocardiogram was then recorded from two leads with a Holter digital monitor. The clinical diagnosis of brain death was considered after an autonomic storm had occurred. HRV was assessed from 6 h before to 6 h after brain death in both time domain and spectral analysis, estimating either global ANS activity (index of variability, total power), parasympathetic activity (percentage of delta of R-R interval >50 ms, root mean square for successive interval differences, LnHF) or sympathetic activity (LnLF). Hourly averages of these variables were compared by using one-way analysis of variance. To assess whether HRV could per se diagnose brain death, receiver operating characteristic curves were generated for total power, root mean square for successive interval differences, and LnHF. We observed, for 6 h before brain death, a progressive extinction of the influence of the ANS on cardiovascular regulation. There was no activity in the two components of the ANS as soon as brain death occurred. HRV analysis appeared to be a very sensitive but a less specific method of diagnosing brain death. IMPLICATIONS: A total of 14 brain-injured patients with the clinical criteria of imminent brain death were enrolled for electrocardiogram recording and heart rate variability analysis (a noninvasive method to investigate autonomic nervous system activity). For 6 h before brain death, we observed a progressive extinction of autonomic nervous system activity which was not present as soon as brain death was clinically evoked.

[Predictive factors of short-term mortality in patients with severe head injury]. / Facteurs prédictifs de mortalité à court terme chez le patient traumatisé crânien grave.

OBJECTIVES: To define hazard factors of early mortality in severe brain injured patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: An open prospective study was conducted in 125 brain injured patients with initial Glasgow coma score below 8. Different vital parameters were recorded daily during the first 10 days of resuscitation. Computed tomography (CT) scan classification of the Traumatic Coma Data Bank, the Glasgow coma score, the SAPS score and the influence of neurosurgery were assessed. RESULTS: In exclusive parameters analysis, a Glasgow coma score below 6, the presence of a midline shift of more than 5 mm on the initial brain CT scan, high or mixed density lesion of more than 25 cc, as well as mean blood pressure below 90 mm Hg were respectively correlated with early death. Low mean blood pressure led to low brain perfusion pressure in patients with intracranial hypertension. CONCLUSION: We defined 3 independent predictive factors of early mortality: the Glasgow coma scale, CT scan classification and mean blood pressure below 90 mm Hg. The main goal of the resuscitation in severe brain insult patients must be to obtain a sufficient brain perfusion pressure. This often requires the use of vasoactive drugs.