International evidence-based recommendations on ultrasound-guided vascular access.

PURPOSE: To provide clinicians with an evidence-based overview of all topics related to ultrasound vascular access. METHODS: An international evidence-based consensus provided definitions and recommendations. Medical literature on ultrasound vascular access was reviewed from January 1985 to October 2010. The GRADE and the GRADE-RAND methods were utilised to develop recommendations. RESULTS: The recommendations following the conference suggest the advantage of 2D vascular screening prior to cannulation and that real-time ultrasound needle guidance with an in-plane/long-axis technique optimises the probability of needle placement. Ultrasound guidance can be used not only for central venous cannulation but also in peripheral and arterial cannulation. Ultrasound can be used in order to check for immediate and life-threatening complications as well as the catheter's tip position. Educational courses and training are required to achieve competence and minimal skills when cannulation is performed with ultrasound guidance. A recommendation to create an ultrasound curriculum on vascular access is proposed. This technique allows the reduction of infectious and mechanical complications. CONCLUSIONS: These definitions and recommendations based on a critical evidence review and expert consensus are proposed to assist clinicians in ultrasound-guided vascular access and as a reference for future clinical research.

Multidisciplinary management of expanding bilateral neck hematomas in a patient with Hemophilia A with high-titer inhibitor.

There are multiple modalities by which trauma occurs to the neck. One of these includes minor suction trauma which usually results in a superficial bruising of the skin. While this usually self-resolves, patients with hemophilia are at higher risk for the development of bleeding from such trauma. Hematomas of the head and neck in patients with hemophilia have seldom been reported. We report a unique case of expanding bilateral neck hematomas secondary to suction trauma in a patient with Hemophilia A with high-titer inhibitor and highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in the management of this complex patient.

Acute pain management in children.

The greatest advance in pediatric pain medicine is the recognition that untreated pain is a significant cause of morbidity and even mortality after surgical trauma. Accurate assessment of pain in different age groups and the effective treatment of postoperative pain is constantly being refined; with newer drugs being used alone or in combination with other drugs continues to be explored. Several advances in developmental neurobiology and pharmacology, knowledge of new analgesics and newer applications of old analgesics in the last two decades have helped the pediatric anesthesiologist in managing pain in children more efficiently. The latter include administering opioids via the skin and nasal mucosa and their addition into the neuraxial local anesthetics. Systemic opioids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents and regional analgesics alone or combined with additives are currently used to provide effective postoperative analgesia. These modalities are best utilized when combined as a multimodal approach to treat acute pain in the perioperative setting. The development of receptor specific drugs that can produce pain relief without the untoward side effects of respiratory depression will hasten the recovery and discharge of children after surgery. This review focuses on the overview of acute pain management in children, with an emphasis on pharmacological and regional anesthesia in achieving this goal.

Pharmacokinetics And Pharmacodynamics Of Fenoldopam Mesylate For Blood Pressure Control In Pediatric Patients.

BACKGROUND: Fenoldopam mesylate, a selective dopamine1-receptor agonist, is used by intravenous infusion to treat hypertension in adults. Fenoldopam is not approved by the FDA for use in children; reports describing its use in pediatrics are limited. In a multi-institutional, placebo controlled, double-blind, multi-dose trial we determined the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) characteristics and side-effect profile of fenoldopam in children. METHODS: Seventy seven (77) children from 3 weeks to 12 years of age scheduled for surgery in which deliberate hypotension would be induced were enrolled. Patients were randomly assigned to one of five, blinded treatment groups (placebo or fenoldopam 0.05, 0.2, 0.8, or 3.2 mcg/kg/min iv) for a 30-minute interval after stabilization of anesthesia and placement of vascular catheters. Following the 30-minute blinded interval, investigators adjusted the fenoldopam dose to achieve a target mean arterial pressure in the open-label period until deliberate hypotension was no longer indicated (e.g., muscle-layer closure). Mean arterial pressure and heart rate were continuously monitored and were the primary endpoints. RESULTS: Seventy-six children completed the trial. Fenoldopam at doses of 0.8 and 3.2 mcg/kg/min significantly reduced blood pressure (p < 0.05) during the blinded interval, and doses of 1.0-1.2 mcg/kg/min resulted in continued control of blood pressure during the open-label interval. Doses greater than 1.2 mcg/kg/min during the open-label period resulted in increasing heart rate without additional reduction in blood pressure. Fenoldopam was well-tolerated; side effects occurred in a minority of patients. The PK/PD relationship of fenoldopam in children was determined. CONCLUSION: Fenoldopam is a rapid-acting, effective agent for intravenous control of blood pressure in children. The effective dose range is significantly higher in children undergoing anesthesia and surgery (0.8-1.2 mcg/kg/min) than as labeled for adults (0.05-0.3 mcg/kg/min). The PK and side-effect profiles for children and adults are similar.

The effect of intranasal administration of remifentanil on intubating conditions and airway response after sevoflurane induction of anesthesia in children.

BACKGROUND: Intubation without the use of muscle relaxants in children is frequently done before IV access is secured. In this randomized controlled trial, we compared intubating conditions and airway response to intubation (coughing and/or movement) after sevoflurane induction in children at 2 and 3 min after the administration of intranasal remifentanil (4 mcg/kg) or saline. METHODS: One hundred eighty-eight children, 1-7-yr old, were studied. Nasal remifentanil (4 mcg/kg) or saline was administered 1 min after an 8% sevoflurane N2O induction. The sevoflurane concentration was then reduced to 5% in oxygen, and ventilation assisted/controlled. An anesthesiologist blinded to treatment assignment used a validated score to evaluate the conditions for laryngoscopy and response to intubation. Blood samples for determination of remifentanil blood concentrations were collected from 17 children at baseline, 2, 3, 4, and 10 min after nasal administration of remifentanil. RESULTS: Good or excellent intubating conditions were achieved at 2 min (after the remifentanil bolus) in 68.2% and at 3 min in 91.7% of the children who received intranasal remifentanil versus 37% and 23% in children who received placebo (P<0.01). The mean remifentanil plasma concentrations (+/-sd) at 2, 3, 4, and 10 min were 1.0 (0.60), 1.47 (0.52), 1.70 (0.46), and 1.16 (0.36) ng/mL, respectively. Peak plasma concentration was observed at 3.47 min. There were no complications associated with the use of nasal remifentanil. CONCLUSIONS: Nasal administration of remifentanil produces good-to-excellent intubating conditions in 2-3 min after sevoflurane induction of anesthesia.

Postoperative pain management in children.

There is increased awareness of the need for effective postoperative analgesia in infants and young children. A multi-modal approach to preventing and treating pain usually is used. Mild analgesics, local and regional analgesia, and opioids when indicated, frequently are combined to minimize adverse effects of individual drugs or techniques.

A randomized controlled trial to evaluate S-Caine patch for reducing pain associated with vascular access in children.

BACKGROUND: A randomized, double-blinded trial was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the S-Caine Patch (ZARS, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT), a eutectic mixture of lidocaine and tetracaine, for pain relief during venipuncture in children. METHODS: With institutional review board approval, parental consent, and patient assent, 64 children who were scheduled for medically indicated vascular access at two centers were randomly assigned (2:1) to receive either an S-Caine Patch or a placebo patch for 20 min before venipuncture procedures. The primary outcome measure was the child's rating of pain during venipuncture using the Oucher pain scale. Additional measures of efficacy included the blinded investigator's and an independent observer's four-point categorical scores. Variables were compared between treatments using Mantel-Haenszel summary chi-square tests or Pearson chi-square tests. RESULTS: The S-Caine Patch produced significantly greater pain relief compared with placebo (median Oucher scores of 0 vs. 60; P < 0.001). Fifty-nine percent of the children in the S-Caine Patch group reported no pain compared with 20% of the children in the placebo patch group. The investigator estimated that 76% of the children in the S-Caine Patch group experienced no pain during venipuncture versus 20% in the placebo patch group (P = 0.001). Independent observer ratings also favored the S-Caine Patchtrade mark (P < 0.001). Mild skin erythema (< 38%) and edema (< 2%) occurred with similar frequencies between the groups. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that a 20-min application of the S-Caine Patch is effective in lessening pain associated with venipuncture procedures. Adverse events after S-Caine Patch application were mild and transient.

Auscultation of bilateral breath sounds does not rule out endobronchial intubation in children.

We performed orotracheal intubation in 153 consecutive pediatric patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. Auscultation of bilateral breath sounds was confirmed. By fluoroscopy, the tip of the endotracheal tube (ETT) was seen in the right mainstem bronchus in 18 patients (11.8%) and in a low position, defined as within 1 cm above the carina, in 29 patients (19.0%). All of the 18 patients with right mainstem intubation were children <120 mo of age, and 7 were infants <12 mo of age (Fisher's exact test; P = 0.013). The age, weight, and ETT size for children who had endobronchial and low tracheal positions were significantly (P < 0.001) less than for those who had midtracheal positions. The failure to diagnose mainstem intubation by auscultation alone may be related to the use of the Murphy eye ETT, which reduces the reliability of chest auscultation in detecting endobronchial intubation. Suggested measures for preventing endobronchial intubation include maintaining increased awareness of the imperfection or lack of accuracy of the auscultatory method, assessing insertion depth by checking the length scale on the tube, and minimizing the patient's head and neck movement after intubation. When extreme flexion or extension of the neck is expected after ETT insertion, the resultant change in ETT final position must be anticipated and taken into consideration when deciding on the depth of ETT insertion. This approach resulted in a decrease in improper tube positioning from 20% when the study was initiated to 7.1% in the last 98 patients.

Prolonged cannulation of the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) for blood pressure monitoring in a child after cardiopulmonary bypass.

Cannulation of the radial artery percutaneously or by cut down is frequently used to monitor blood pressure in infants and children undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. When radial artery cannulation is difficult because of previous cannulation attempts, and/or surgical cut downs, posterior tibial artery cannulation is sometimes undertaken. We describe a child in whom the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) was chosen for monitoring arterial blood pressure because of malfunction of the existing posterior tibial arterial pressure line after cardiopulmonary bypass. This line was used for more than 3 weeks postoperatively in the intensive care unit for monitoring and for sampling. There were no complications with the placement and/or the removal of this arterial line on the 25th postoperative day. When standard arterial monitoring sites are not accessible, internal mammary artery cannulation can provide reliable access for prolonged arterial blood pressure monitoring in the postoperative period in children.

Ketamine and midazolam is an inappropriate preinduction combination in uncooperative children undergoing brief ambulatory procedures.

BACKGROUND: We prospectively studied the effects of intramuscular (i.m.) ketamine alone, or combined with midazolam, on mask acceptance and recovery in young children who were uncooperative during induction of anaesthesia. METHODS: The Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval was obtained to study 80 children, 1-3 years, scheduled for bilateral myringotomies and tube insertion (BMT). Mask induction was attempted in all the children. Those who were uncooperative were randomly assigned to one of the four preinduction treatment groups: group I, ketamine 2 mg.kg(-1); group II, ketamine 2 mg.kg(-1) combined with midazolam 0.1 mg.kg(-1); group III, ketamine 2 mg.kg(-1) with midazolam 0.2 mg.kg(-1); or group IV, ketamine 1 mg.kg(-1) with midazolam 0.2 mg.kg(-1). Anaesthesia was continued with nitrous oxide and halothane by facemask. RESULTS: Children in all treatment groups achieved satisfactory sedation in less than 3 min following the administration of the preinduction drug(s). Compared with patients who received halothane induction (comparison group), the use of ketamine alone did not significantly (P > 0.0167, a Bonferroni corrected significance level) delay recovery and discharge times (18.8 +/- 2.5 and 82.5 +/- 30.7 min vs 12.6 +/- 4.6 and 81.0 +/- 33.8 min, P = 0.030 and P = 0.941, respectively). Patients who received ketamine/midazolam combinations, however, had significantly longer recovery and discharge times vs halothane (32.3 +/- 14.0 and 128.0 +/- 36.6 min, P = 0.001, P = 0.007, respectively). These times were so clinically unacceptable, that the study had to be terminated with only 17 patients receiving study drugs. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that ketamine/midazolam combination is not appropriate for preinduction of anaesthesia in paediatric ambulatory patients because of unacceptably prolonged recovery and delayed discharge times.

Caudal anesthesia in children: effect of volume versus concentration of bupivacaine on blocking spermatic cord traction response during orchidopexy.

UNLABELLED: In this study we compared the intensity and level of caudal blockade when two different volumes and concentrations of a fixed dose of bupivacaine were used. Fifty children, 1-6 yr old, undergoing unilateral orchidopexy received a caudal block with a fixed 2 mg/kg dose of bupivacaine immediately after the induction. Group 1 (n = 23) received 0.8 mL/kg of 0.25% bupivacaine, whereas Group 2 (n = 27) received 1.0 mL/kg of 0.2% bupivacaine. Epinephrine 1:400,000 and 0.1 mL of sodium bicarbonate per 10 mL of local anesthetic solution were added. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in their anesthesia, surgery, recovery, and discharge times. Fifteen patients (65.2%) in Group 1 required an increase in inspired halothane concentration to block hemodynamic and/or ventilatory response during spermatic cord traction, as compared with 8 patients (29.6%) in Group 2 (P = 0.022). In the recovery room, four (17.4%) patients in Group 1 required rescue treatment with fentanyl, versus two (7.4%) in Group 2 (P = 0.372). In children undergoing orchidopexy, a caudal block with a larger volume of dilute bupivacaine is more effective than a smaller volume of the standard 0.25% solution in blocking the peritoneal response during spermatic cord traction, with no change in the quality of postoperative analgesia. IMPLICATIONS: In children undergoing orchidopexy, a caudal block with a larger volume of dilute bupivacaine is more effective than a smaller volume of the more concentrated solution in blocking the peritoneal response during spermatic cord traction, with no change in the quality of postoperative analgesia.

Testing anal sphincter tone predicts the effectiveness of caudal analgesia in children.

UNLABELLED: In this study, we examined the effectiveness of caudal blocks and correlated it with the laxity of the patients' anal sphincter before emergence from anesthesia in 178 children undergoing inguinal and/or penile surgery. Bupivacaine 0.25% in a volume of 0.6-1.25 mL/kg was used in all patients. The presence of a lax anal sphincter at the end of surgery correlated significantly with the reduced administration of narcotics intraoperatively and in the postanesthesia care unit (P < 0.001). The sensitivity of the sphincter tone test was 98.1% with a 95% confidence interval (CI) ranging from 94.3% to 99.6%. The specificity of the test was 94.4% with a 95% CI of 72.0%-100%. The positive predictive value of this test in predicting adequate caudal block was excellent (99.4%) with a 95% CI of 96.1%-100%. The negative predictive value was better than average (85%) with a 95% CI of 62.9%-95.4%. We conclude that a lax anal sphincter can predict the effectiveness of analgesia after pediatric caudal blockade. A tight sphincter may suggest the need to repeat the block before the child awakens, or consider alternate methods of postoperative analgesia. IMPLICATIONS: A lax anal sphincter in children undergoing inguinal and/or penile surgery can predict the effectiveness of analgesia after pediatric caudal blockade.

The effects of the simulated Valsalva maneuver, liver compression, and/or Trendelenburg position on the cross-sectional area of the internal jugular vein in infants and young children.

UNLABELLED: We calculated the effects of the simulated Valsalva (V), liver (L) compression, and Trendelenburg (T) position on the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the right internal jugular vein by using planimetry (Aloka ultrasound machine) in 84 infants and young children. Eight combinations of positions and interventions were studied for each patient, with the patient supine, in the T position, during the simulated V maneuver, with L compression and a combination of maneuvers. Data were analyzed by using Friedman's chi(2) test and Wilcoxon's signed rank test. An increase of >25% in the CSA of the internal jugular vein was considered significant. In infants, the maximal mean increase achieved with the combination of all 3 maneuvers was only 17.4% +/- 16.1%. As a single maneuver, the simulated V was the most effective (11.6% +/- 11.5%). In children, the combination of all 3 maneuvers performed simultaneously produced a mean 65.9% (SD +/- 44.7%) increase in the CSA, which was larger than the increase by all other maneuvers alone or in a single combination (Friedman's test, P < 0.001 and Wilcoxon's test, P < 0.002). As a single maneuver, V produced the most increase (40.4% +/- 32.2%) compared with L compression (14.3% +/- 18.9%) or T position (24.3% +/- 27.1%). IMPLICATIONS: The combinations of simulated Valsalva, liver compression, and Trendelenburg maneuvers produce the maximal mean increase in the size of the internal jugular vein in infants and young children, with the Valsalva maneuver being the most effective single maneuver. This increase is significant in young children, but negligible in infants.