Correlation of clinical and chest radiograph findings in pediatric submersion cases.

BACKGROUND: Submersion injuries are a leading cause of injury death in children in the United States. The clinical course of a submersion patient varies depending on the presence of anoxic brain injury and acute respiratory failure. OBJECTIVE: We studied changes in clinical findings and chest radiograph findings and determined the sensitivity/specificity of the presenting chest radiograph in predicting clinical improvement within the first 24 h in pediatric submersion cases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of pediatric submersion patients through age 18 years treated at a children's hospital from 2010 to 2013. We reviewed demographics, comorbidities, prehospital/hospital course and chest radiographic findings. Clinical improvement occurred when a child demonstrated normal vital signs and mentation. We compared radiographic findings among children based on clinical improvement up to 24 h post submersion. Using odds ratios, we calculated associations between radiographic findings and clinical improvement. We studied the sensitivity/specificity of the presenting chest radiograph in predicting clinical improvement within 24 h. RESULTS: One hundred forty-two of 262 (54%) patients had initial chest radiographs; 41% had follow-up radiographs. The odds of an abnormal initial chest radiograph were 4 times higher in children with respiratory distress or abnormal mentation at emergency department (ED) presentation compared to children without these findings (odds ratio [OR]=4.83; 95% confidence interval [CI]=2.1-10.85; P<0.001). Improvement in radiographic findings occurred in 85% of children within 24 h. Children with an abnormal initial chest radiograph were 87% less likely to improve clinically by 24 h (P<0.001). A presenting chest radiograph that was normal or with mild pulmonary edema/atelectasis predicted clinical improvement within 24 h (sensitivity 95%, specificity 57%). CONCLUSION: Most chest radiographic findings improve in pediatric submersion patients who recover within the first 24 h. An initial chest radiograph that is normal or with mild pulmonary edema/atelectasis satisfactorily predicts clinical improvement by 24 h post submersion.

Can Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Predict the Clinical Outcome in Drowned Children?

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric cerebral hypoxic-ischemic injury frequently results in severe neurological outcome. Imaging with diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWi) demonstrates that the acute cerebral injury and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) allow the assessment of the severity of brain damage. The main objective was to examine if spatial distribution of reductions in ADC values is associated with clinical outcome in drowned children. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 7 children (7 examinations) suffering from a hypoxic-ischemic event who underwent DWi. Seven subjects with normal DWi served as controls. The mean patient age was 4.88 ± 2.93 years and the male-to-female ratio was 5:2. The neurological outcome was divided into 2 categories: 4 children with Apallic syndrome and 3 deaths. We analysed the differences between the drowned children and the control group regarding clinical data, DWi abnormalities, and ADC values. RESULTS: The ADC values in the occipital and parietal grey matter were significantly different between the drowned children (765.14 ± 65.47 vs 920.95 ± 69.62; P = .003) and the control group (670.82 ± 233.99 vs 900.66 ± 92.72; P = .005). The ADC showed low values in the precentral area also (P = .044). CONCLUSION: The ADC reduction may be useful to predict the poor outcome in drowned children and can be a valuable tool for clinical assessment.

Brain injury after moderate drowning: subtle alterations detected by functional magnetic resonance imaging.

To describe cerebral (structural and functional MRI) and neuropsychological long term changes in moderate drowning victim's compared to healthy volunteers in working memory and motor domains. We studied 15 adult drowning victim's in chronic stage (DV - out of 157 eligible cases of sea water rescues with moderate drowning classification) paired to 18 healthy controls (HC). All participants were investigated using intelligence, memory, and attention neuropsychological standard tests and underwent functional (motor and working memory tasks) and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a 3 T system. All images were preprocessed for head movement correction and quantitative analysis was performed using FSL and freesurfer software packages. We found no between group differences in neuropsychological assessments. No MRI brain lesion was observed in patients, neither difference on morphometric parameters in any cortical or subcortical brain structure. In constrast, functional MRI revealed that patients showed increased brain response in the motor (left putamen and insula) and memory (left cuneus and lingual gyrus - not the classical memory network) tasks. Functional brain changes in motor and visual brain regions in victims of moderate drowning may indicate reduced brain reserve, despite the lack of structural and behavior alterations. More attention should be given to investigate ageing effects in this nonfatal drowning group.

Radiologic, Neurologic and Cardiopulmonary Aspects of Submersion Injury.

Many indices and scores are used in critical care medicine to aid management and predict risk of mortality. We report 2 cases of submersion injury and discuss the usefulness and application of common respiratory and critical care indices. The respiratory indices help better understand the pulmonary pathophysiology and characterize the severity of lung injury and ventilation/perfusion mismatch. Severe lung injury resolved after ventilation support with appropriate positive end-expiratory pressure in both cases. The 6-year-old girl survived the near-fatal submersion injury intact despite grossly abnormal initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and high Pediatric Index of Mortality 2 scores, whereas the 5-year-old boy with grossly abnormal GCS and Pediatric Index of Mortality 2 scores died despite resolution of lung injury. These cases illustrate that resuscitation should be promptly instituted at the scene to ensure optimal outcome because initial pulmonology and neurology indices may not reliably predict mortality or intact survival. The GCS score was not initially designed for prognostication. Nevertheless, 2 serial GCS scores of 3, one performed at emergency department and one at the pediatric intensive care unit, were associated with nonsurvival in our second patient.

Utility of lung ultrasound in near-drowning victims.

Drowning and near-drowning are common causes of accidental death worldwide and respiratory complications such as non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema, acute respiratory distress syndrome and pneumonia are often seen. In other settings lung ultrasound can accurately diagnose these conditions; hence lung ultrasound may have a potential role in the evaluation of drowning or near-drowning victims. In this case report the authors describe a 71-year-old man who was brought to hospital with acute respiratory failure after a near-drowning accident. Lung ultrasound showed multiple B-lines on the anterior and lateral surfaces of both lungs, consistent with pulmonary oedema. Focus assessed transthoracic echocardiography showed no pericardial effusion and a normal global left ventricular function. Based on these findings the patient was diagnosed as having non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema. Subsequent chest x-ray showed bilateral infiltrates consistent with pulmonary oedema. The case report emphasises the clinical value of lung ultrasound in the evaluation of a near-drowning victim.

Effect of zolpidem on brain injury and diaschisis as detected by 99mTc HMPAO brain SPECT in humans.

The study investigates the effect of zolpidem (CAS 82626-48-0) on brain injuries and cerebellar diaschisis. Four patients with varied brain injuries, three of them with cerebellar diaschisis, were imaged by 99mTc HMPAO Brain SPECT before and after application of zolpidem. The baseline SPECT before zolpidem showed poor tracer uptake in brain injury areas and cerebellar diaschisis. After zolpidem, cerebral perfusion through brain injury areas improved substantially in three patients and the cerebellar diaschisis was reversed. Observations point to a GABA based phenomenon that occurs in brain injury and diaschisis that is reversible by zolpidem.

Near drowning: thin-section CT findings in six patients.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the thin-section CT findings of near drowning in six patients. METHOD: Thin-section (1 mm collimation) CT scans of six patients who experienced near drowning were retrospectively analyzed. The CT scans were performed 0-5 days (median 1 day) after near drowning. RESULTS: Thin-section CT findings included bilateral patchy or diffuse areas of ground-glass attenuation (n = 6) with geographic pattern (n = 3) and fine intralobular reticular opacities ("crazy-paving" appearance) (n = 3), ill-defined centrilobular nodules (n = 4), and air-space consolidation (n = 1). Distribution of ground-glass attenuation was predominantly central (n = 4) or diffuse (n = 2). Interstitial pulmonary emphysema and pneumomediastinum were present in two patients. CONCLUSION: The thin-section CT findings of near drowning consist of ground-glass opacities with or without associated reticular opacities and centrilobular nodules.

[A case of sea water and sand aspiration during near drowning].

A 46-year-old man who had been pulled under water by a tidal wave when an earthquake occurred on July 12, 1993 was carried to our hospital the next day. He soon needed endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation because he expectorated sputa with sand and because arterial bloodgas analysis revealed severe hypoxemia. Chest X-ray on admission showed diffuse small nodules and areas of consolidation. Chest CT obtained on July 16 showed centrilobular small nodules bilaterally and alveolar opacities in the peribronchial region. After therapy with antibiotics and frequent bronchial lavages, sputum with sand disappeared on the 14 th hospital day and chest X-ray film and laboratory data showed marked improvement. He was discharged on October 1. A chest CT scan obtained on February 17, 1994 showed improvement of the small nodules. The areas of consolidation had also improved, but remained as linear and nodular opacities, which were considered to be organized lesions. There are few reports concerning radiographic findings particularly CT findings, after aspiration of sea water and sand during near drowning.

Nasal-continuous positive airway pressure in the treatment of near-drowning in freshwater.

In patients who have experienced near-drowning, hypoxemia is the major clinical consequence. We report two cases of patients who have experienced near-drowning in freshwater who were successfully treated with nasal-continuous positive airway pressure (N-CPAP) plus oxygen therapy. Both patients presented a radiographic appearance of bilateral pulmonary edema. We suggest the use of N-CPAP as an easier and less costly alternative to tracheal intubation for treating near-drowning in patients who are breathing spontaneously and who have not experienced loss of consciousness.

PET of infant in persistent vegetative state.

This is the first report of cranial positron emission tomography findings of an infant in a persistent vegetative state. Serial positron emission tomography/2-deoxy-2[18F]fluoro-D-glucose studies demonstrated persistent global reduction of cerebral glucose metabolism, results similar to those found in adults in persistent vegetative states. Positron emission tomography may be useful in confirming this clinical diagnosis in infants.

Assessment of pediatric near-drowning victims: is there a role for cranial CT?

Previous studies have suggested that CT examinations of the brain in children soon after near-drowning incidents are not helpful in predicting clinical outcome and are not necessary. The clinical and CT findings of 19 pediatric near-drowning victims were reviewed for correlation with clinical and neurologic outcome. As expected, a normal initial CT scan was poorly predictive of outcome, whereas an abnormal CT scan in the initial 36 h following an immersion incident was associated with a dismal prognosis. Three children with abnormal initial CT examinations were identified and all died within 3 days of admission. A CT scan performed in the immediate near-drowning period, therefore, may be helpful in identifying some patients who have sustained severe neurologic injury.

[Radiologic picture of the thorax in acute asphyxia caused by near drowning. A caseload contribution]. / Il quadro radiologico del torace nell'asfissia acuta da semi-annegamento. Contributo casistico.

One hundred-fifteen drowning and near-drowning patients were hospitalized in Jesolo and Mestre over the last 10 years. A correlation between radiological patterns and clinical features was thoroughly investigated by the authors. A close relationship was found between clinical findings and the X-ray pattern of the first radiography, taken immediately after the rescue. The longer the hospitalization (or when SNC is assessed) the less significant the correlation. According to the author's experience, prognosis is good when the first radiograph does not demonstrate any lesions. On the contrary, when lesions are seen on the first radiograph the patient is to be carefully monitored in order to treat every complication promptly, including ARDS (10% of all cases). Chest radiographs are also useful to explain autopsy findings. No typical radiological pattern was found: however, four signs were observed, which were very frequently associated-i.e., bilateral parenchymal shadows, pneumothorax, pneumopericardium, and gastrectasia. These findings appear to be characteristic of near-drowning.