Lung Ultrasound Reproducibly Outperforms Computed Tomography in the Detection of Extravascular Lung Water in Patients Undergoing Haemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: Lung ultrasound (LUS) is increasingly used as an extension of physical examination, informing clinical diagnosis, and decision making. There is particular interest in the assessment of patients with pulmonary congestion and extravascular lung water, although gaps remain in the evidence base underpinning this practice as a result of the limited evaluation of its inter-rater reliability and comparison with more established radiologic tests. METHODS: 30 patients undergoing haemodialysis were prospectively recruited to an observational cohort study (NCT01949402). Patients underwent standardised LUS assessment before, during and after haemodialysis; their total LUS B-line score was generated, alongside a binary label of whether appearances were consistent with an interstitial syndrome. LUS video clips were recorded and independently scored by two blinded expert clinician sonographers. Low-dose non-contrast thoracic CT, pre- and post dialysis, was used as a "gold standard" radiologic comparison. RESULTS: LUS detected a progressive reduction in B-line scores in almost all patients undergoing haemodialysis, correlating with the volume of fluid removed once individuals with no or minimal B-lines upon pre-dialysis examination were discounted. When comparing CT scans pre- and post dialysis, radiologic evidence of the change in fluid status was only identified in a single patient. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to demonstrate that LUS detects changes in extravascular lung water caused by changing fluid status during haemodialysis using a blinded outcome assessment and that LUS appears to be more sensitive than CT for this purpose. Further research is needed to better understand the role of LUS in this and similar patient populations, with the aim of improving clinical care and outcomes.

Staging by Thoracoscopy in potentially radically treatable Lung Cancer associated with Minimal Pleural Effusion (STRATIFY): protocol of a prospective, multicentre, observational study.

INTRODUCTION: Recurrence rate following radical therapy for lung cancer remains high, potentially reflecting occult metastatic disease, and better staging tools are required. Minimal pleural effusion (mini-PE) is associated with particularly high recurrence risk and is defined as an ipsilateral pleural collection (<1/3 hemithorax on chest radiograph), which is either too small to safely aspirate fluid for cytology using a needle, or from which fluid cytology is negative. Thoracoscopy (local anaesthetic thoracoscopy (LAT) or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)) is the gold-standard diagnostic test for pleural malignancy in patients with larger symptomatic effusions. Staging by Thoracoscopy in potentially radically treatable Lung Cancer associated with Minimal Pleural Effusion (STRATIFY) will prospectively evaluate thoracoscopic staging in lung cancer associated-mini-PE for the first time. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: STRATIFY is a prospective multicentre observational study. Recruitment opened in January 2020. The primary objective is to determine the prevalence of detectable occult pleural metastases (OPM). Secondary objectives include assessment of technical feasibility and safety, and the impact of thoracoscopy results on treatment plans, overall survival and recurrence free survival. Inclusion criteria are (1) suspected/confirmed stages I-III lung cancer, (2) mini-PE, (3) Performance Status 0-2 (4), radical treatment feasible if OPM excluded, (5) ≥16 years old and (6) informed consent. Exclusion criteria are any metastatic disease or contraindication to the chosen thoracoscopy method (LAT/VATS). All patients have LAT or VATS within 7 (±5) days of registration, with results returned to lung cancer teams for treatment planning. Following an interim analysis, the sample size was reduced from 96 to 50, based on a lower-than-expected OPM rate. An MRI substudy was removed in November 2022 due to pandemic-related site setup/recruitment delays. These also necessitated a no-cost recruitment extension until October 2023. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Protocol approved by the West of Scotland Research Ethics Committee (Ref: 19/WS/0093). Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international meetings. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN13584097.

Early Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery or Intrapleural Enzyme Therapy in Pleural Infection: A Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial. The Third Multicenter Intrapleural Sepsis Trial-MIST-3.

Rationale: Assessing the early use of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) or intrapleural enzyme therapy (IET) in pleural infection requires a phase III randomized controlled trial (RCT). Objectives: To establish the feasibility of randomization in a surgery-versus-nonsurgery trial as well as the key outcome measures that are important to identify relevant patient-centered outcomes in a subsequent RCT. Methods: The MIST-3 (third Multicenter Intrapleural Sepsis Trial) was a prospective multicenter RCT involving eight U.K. centers combining on-site and off-site surgical services. The study enrolled all patients with a confirmed diagnosis of pleural infection and randomized those with ongoing pleural sepsis after an initial period (as long as 24 h) of standard care to one of three treatment arms: continued standard care, early IET, or a surgical opinion with regard to early VATS. The primary outcome was feasibility based on >50% of eligible patients being successfully randomized, >95% of randomized participants retained to discharge, and >80% of randomized participants retained to 2 weeks of follow-up. The analysis was performed per intention to treat. Measurements and Main Results: Of 97 eligible patients, 60 (62%) were randomized, with 100% retained to discharge and 84% retained to 2 weeks. Baseline demographic, clinical, and microbiological characteristics of the patients were similar across groups. Median times to intervention were 1.0 and 3.5 days in the IET and surgery groups, respectively (P = 0.02). Despite the difference in time to intervention, length of stay (from randomization to discharge) was similar in both intervention arms (7 d) compared with standard care (10 d) (P = 0.70). There were no significant intergroup differences in 2-month readmission and further intervention, although the study was not adequately powered for this outcome. Compared with VATS, IET demonstrated a larger improvement in mean EuroQol five-dimension health utility index (five-level edition) from baseline (0.35) to 2 months (0.83) (P = 0.023). One serious adverse event was reported in the VATS arm. Conclusions: This is the first multicenter RCT of early IET versus early surgery in pleural infection. Despite the logistical challenges posed by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the study met its predefined feasibility criteria, demonstrated potential shortening of length of stay with early surgery, and signals toward earlier resolution of pain and a shortened recovery with IET. The study findings suggest that a definitive phase III study is feasible but highlights important considerations and significant modifications to the design that would be required to adequately assess optimal initial management in pleural infection.The trial was registered on ISRCTN (number 18,192,121).

Noise exposure exceeded safe limits during neonatal care and road transport but was reduced by active noise cancelling.

AIM: Noise levels above 45 dB in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and 60 dB during neonatal transport are recognised hazards, but protective equipment is not standard. We measured noise levels in both settings, with and without noise protection. METHODS: Peak sound and equivalent continuous sound levels were measured in a NICU and during road transport, at a mannequin's ear and inside and outside the incubator. Recordings were made without protective earwear, with noise protecting earmuffs and with active noise cancelling headphones. RESULTS: In the NICU, the peak levels at the ear, and inside and outside the incubator, were 61, 68 and 76 dB. The equivalent continuous sound levels were 45, 54 and 59 dB. During road transport, the respective levels were 70, 77 and 83 dB and 54, 62 and 68 dB. In the NICU, 80% of environmental peak noise reached the ear and this was reduced to 78% with earmuffs and 75% with active noise cancelling. The respective figures during transport were 87% without protection and 72% with active noise cancelling, with an unexpected increase for ear muffs. CONCLUSION: Noise levels exceeded safe limits in the NICU and during transport, but active noise cancelling reduced exposure.

The Biological Role of Pleural Fluid PAI-1 and Sonographic Septations in Pleural Infection: Analysis of a Prospectively Collected Clinical Outcome Study.

Rationale: Sonographic septations are assumed to be important clinical predictors of outcome in pleural infection, but the evidence for this is sparse. The inflammatory and fibrinolysis-associated intrapleural pathway(s) leading to septation formation have not been studied in a large cohort of pleural fluid (PF) samples with confirmed pleural infection matched with ultrasound and clinical outcome data. Objectives: To assess the presence and severity of septations against baseline PF PAI-1 (Plasminogen-Activator Inhibitor-1) and other inflammatory and fibrinolysis-associated proteins as well as to correlate these with clinically important outcomes. Methods: We analyzed 214 pleural fluid samples from PILOT (Pleural Infection Longitudinal Outcome Study), a prospective observational pleural infection study, for inflammatory and fibrinolysis-associated proteins using the Luminex platform. Multivariate regression analyses were used to assess the association of pleural biological markers with septation presence and severity (on ultrasound) and clinical outcomes. Measurements and Main Results: PF PAI-1 was the only protein independently associated with septation presence (P < 0.001) and septation severity (P = 0.003). PF PAI-1 concentrations were associated with increased length of stay (P = 0.048) and increased 12-month mortality (P = 0.003). Sonographic septations alone had no relation to clinical outcomes. Conclusions: In a large and well-characterized cohort, this is the first study to associate pleural biological parameters with a validated sonographic septation outcome in pleural infection. PF PAI-1 is the first biomarker to demonstrate an independent association with mortality. Although PF PAI-1 plays an integral role in driving septation formation, septations themselves are not associated with clinically important outcomes. These novel findings now require prospective validation.

Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Sampling of Centrally Located Intrapulmonary Tumors Provides Suitable Material for Diagnostic and Molecular Testing.

BACKGROUND: Curvilinear endobronchial ultrasound transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a key diagnostic and staging procedure for patients with suspected lung cancer. However, sampling centrally located intrapulmonary tumors is feasible but less well established. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the diagnostic utility of EBUS-TBNA in patients who underwent sampling of centrally located intrapulmonary tumors. Diagnostic accuracy, sample suitability for molecular testing, and complications were assessed. RESULTS: Between January 2015 and April 2021, 102 EBUS-TBNA procedures sampled centrally located intrapulmonary tumors in 99 patients. The median age was 70 [interquartile range, 63 to 75] years and 51% (51/99) were male. The commonest site was the right upper lobe (n=42/99; 42%). The median tumor size was 29 [interquartile range, 21 to 35] mm. The diagnostic yield was 88/102 (86%) with a false negative rate of 14% (14/102). In addition to intrapulmonary tumor sampling, lymph nodes were sampled in 65/102 procedures and 30/65(46%) were positive for lung cancer. Cancer was diagnosed in 87/99 (88%) cases. When requested, molecular testing was adequate in ≥94% of samples. Complications included minor bleeding in 6/102 (6%) with 2 requiring cold saline instillation, desaturation in 1/102 (1%), and tachycardia in 1/102(1%). One procedure was abandoned due to patient tachycardia. Delayed complications occurred in 1 patient who was hospitalized ≤7 days with pneumonia. CONCLUSION: EBUS-TBNA sampling of centrally located intrapulmonary tumors provides similar diagnostic accuracy to lymph node sampling, provides suitable material for molecular testing, and has a low complication rate.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pleural infection incidence: a UK multicentre retrospective analysis.

There was a significant reduction in pleural infection incidence, by almost a third, in the year following the start of the #COVID19 pandemic. Public health measures enforced during this period are likely to have played a significant role. https://bit.ly/3QAPPR9.

The bacteriology of pleural infection (TORPIDS): an exploratory metagenomics analysis through next generation sequencing.

BACKGROUND: Pleural infection is a common and severe disease with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. The knowledge of pleural infection bacteriology remains incomplete, as pathogen detection methods based on culture have insufficient sensitivity and are biased to selected microbes. We designed a study with the aim to discover and investigate the total microbiome of pleural infection and assess the correlation between bacterial patterns and 1-year survival of patients. METHODS: We assessed 243 pleural fluid samples from the PILOT study, a prospective observational study on pleural infection, with 16S rRNA next generation sequencing. 20 pleural fluid samples from patients with pleural effusion due to a non-infectious cause and ten PCR-grade water samples were used as controls. Downstream analysis was done with the DADA2 pipeline. We applied multivariate Cox regression analyses to investigate the association between bacterial patterns and 1-year survival of patients with pleural infection. FINDINGS: Pleural infection was predominately polymicrobial (192 [79%] of 243 samples), with diverse bacterial frequencies observed in monomicrobial and polymicrobial disease and in both community-acquired and hospital-acquired infection. Mixed anaerobes and other Gram-negative bacteria predominated in community-acquired polymicrobial infection whereas Streptococcus pneumoniae prevailed in monomicrobial cases. The presence of anaerobes (hazard ratio 0·46, 95% CI 0·24-0·86, p=0·015) or bacteria of the Streptococcus anginosus group (0·43, 0·19-0·97, p=0·043) was associated with better patient survival, whereas the presence (5·80, 2·37-14·21, p<0·0001) or dominance (3·97, 1·20-13·08, p=0·024) of Staphylococcus aureus was linked with lower survival. Moreover, dominance of Enterobacteriaceae was associated with higher risk of death (2·26, 1·03-4·93, p=0·041). INTERPRETATION: Pleural infection is a predominantly polymicrobial infection, explaining the requirement for broad spectrum antibiotic cover in most individuals. High mortality infection associated with S aureus and Enterobacteriaceae favours more aggressive, with a narrower spectrum, antibiotic strategies. FUNDING: UK Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Wellcome Trust, Oxfordshire Health Services Research Committee, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and John Fell Fund.

A ‘Pseudochylopneumothorax’ at Presentation of Mesothelioma / Un ‘pseudoquiloneumotórax’ como presentación de un mesotelioma

No disponible

Role of thoracic ultrasonography in pleurodesis pathways for malignant pleural effusions (SIMPLE): an open-label, randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Pleurodesis is done as an in-patient procedure to control symptomatic recurrent malignant pleural effusion (MPE) and has a success rate of 75-80%. Thoracic ultrasonography has been shown in a small study to predict pleurodesis success early by demonstrating cessation of lung sliding (a normal sign seen in healthy patients, lung sliding indicates normal movement of the lung inside the thorax). We aimed to investigate whether the use of thoracic ultrasonography in pleurodesis pathways could shorten hospital stay in patients with MPE undergoing pleurodesis. METHODS: The Efficacy of Sonographic and Biological Pleurodesis Indicators of Malignant Pleural Effusion (SIMPLE) trial was an open-label, randomised controlled trial done in ten respiratory centres in the UK and one respiratory centre in the Netherlands. Adult patients (aged ≥18 years) with confirmed MPE who required talc pleurodesis via either a chest tube or as poudrage during medical thorascopy were eligible. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to thoracic ultrasonography-guided care or standard care via an online platform using a minimisation algorithm. In the intervention group, daily thoracic ultrasonography examination for lung sliding in nine regions was done to derive an adherence score: present (1 point), questionable (2 points), or absent (3 points), with a lowest possible score of 9 (preserved sliding) and a highest possible score of 27 (complete absence of sliding); the chest tube was removed if the score was more than 20. In the standard care group, tube removal was based on daily output volume (per British Thoracic Society Guidelines). The primary outcome was length of hospital stay, and secondary outcomes were pleurodesis failure at 3 months, time to tube removal, all-cause mortality, symptoms and quality-of-life scores, and cost-effectiveness of thoracic ultrasonography-guided care. All outcomes were assessed in the modified intention-to-treat population (patients with missing data excluded), and a non-inferiority analysis of pleurodesis failure was done in the per-protocol population. This trial was registered with ISRCTN, ISRCTN16441661. FINDINGS: Between Dec 31, 2015, and Dec 17, 2019, 778 patients were assessed for eligibility and 313 participants (165 [53%] male) were recruited and randomly assigned to thoracic ultrasonography-guided care (n=159) or standard care (n=154). In the modified intention-to-treat population, the median length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in the intervention group (2 days [IQR 2-4]) than in the standard care group (3 days [2-5]; difference 1 day [95% CI 1-1]; p<0·0001). In the per-protocol analysis, thoracic ultrasonography-guided care was non-inferior to standard care in terms of pleurodesis failure at 3 months, which occurred in 27 (29·7%) of 91 patients in the intervention group versus 34 (31·2%) of 109 patients in the standard care group (risk difference -1·5% [95% CI -10·2% to 7·2%]; non-inferiority margin 15%). Mean time to chest tube removal in the intervention group was 2·4 days (SD 2·5) versus 3·1 days (2·0) in the standard care group (mean difference -0·72 days [95% CI -1·22 to -0·21]; p=0·0057). There were no significant between-group differences in all-cause mortality, symptom scores, or quality-of-life scores, except on the EQ-5D visual analogue scale, which was significantly lower in the standard care group at 3 months. Although costs were similar between the groups, thoracic ultrasonography-guided care was cost-effective compared with standard care. INTERPRETATION: Thoracic ultrasonography-guided care for pleurodesis in patients with MPE results in shorter hospital stay (compared with the British Thoracic Society recommendation for pleurodesis) without reducing the success rate of the procedure at 3 months. The data support consideration of standard use of thoracic ultrasonography in patients undergoing MPE-related pleurodesis. FUNDING: Marie Curie Cancer Care Committee.

Increasing Rates of Prone Positioning in Acute Care Patients with COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Prone positioning improves mortality in patients intubated with acute respiratory distress syndrome and has been proposed as a treatment for nonintubated patients with COVID-19 outside the ICU. However, there are substantial patient and operational barriers to prone positioning on acute floors. The objective of this project was to increase the frequency of prone positioning among acute care patients with COVID-19. METHODS: The researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of all adult patients admitted to the acute care floors with COVID-19 respiratory failure. A run chart was used to quantify the frequency of prone positioning over time. For the subset of patients assisted by a dedicated physical therapy team, oxygen before and after positioning was compared. The initiative consisted of four separate interventions: (1) nursing, physical therapy, physician, and patient education; (2) optimization of supply management and operations; (3) an acute care prone positioning team; and (4) electronic health record optimization. RESULTS: From March 9, 2020, to August 26, 2020, 176/875 (20.1%) patients were placed in prone position. Among these, 43 (24.4%) were placed in the prone position by the physical therapy team. Only 2/94 (2.1%) eligible patients admitted in the first two weeks of the pandemic were ever documented in prone position. After launching the initiative, weekly frequency peaked at 13/28 (46.4%). Mean oxygen saturation was 91% prior to prone positioning vs. 95.2% after (p < 0.001) in those positioned by physical therapy. CONCLUSION: A multidisciplinary quality improvement initiative increased frequency of prone positioning by proactively addressing barriers in knowledge, equipment, training, and information technology.

Early Neurorehabilitation and Recovery from Disorders of Consciousness After Severe COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Early neurorehabilitation improves outcomes in patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC) after brain injury, but its applicability in COVID-19 is unknown. We describe our experience implementing an early neurorehabilitation protocol for patients with COVID-19-associated DoC in the intensive care unit (ICU) and evaluate factors associated with recovery. METHODS: During the initial COVID-19 surge in New York City between March 10 and May 20, 2020, faced with a disproportionately high number of ICU patients with prolonged unresponsiveness, we developed and implemented an early neurorehabilitation protocol, applying standard practices from brain injury rehabilitation care to the ICU setting. Twenty-one patients with delayed recovery of consciousness after severe COVID-19 participated in a pilot early neurorehabilitation program that included serial Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) assessments, multimodal treatment, and access to clinicians specializing in brain injury medicine. We retrospectively compared clinical features of patients who did and did not recover to the minimally conscious state (MCS) or better, defined as a CRS-R total score (TS) ≥ 8, before discharge. We additionally examined factors associated with best CRS-R TS, last CRS-R TS, hospital length of stay, and time on mechanical ventilation. RESULTS: Patients underwent CRS-R assessments a median of six (interquartile range [IQR] 3-10) times before discharge, beginning a median of 48 days (IQR 40-55) from admission. Twelve (57%) patients recovered to MCS after a median of 8 days (IQR 2-14) off continuous sedation; they had lower body mass index (p = 0.009), lower peak serum C-reactive protein levels (p = 0.023), higher minimum arterial partial pressure of oxygen (p = 0.028), and earlier fentanyl discontinuation (p = 0.018). CRS-R scores fluctuated over time, and the best CRS-R TS was significantly higher than the last CRS-R TS (median 8 [IQR 5-23] vs. 5 [IQR 3-18], p = 0.002). Earlier fentanyl (p = 0.001) and neuromuscular blockade (p = 0.015) discontinuation correlated with a higher last CRS-R TS. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of our cohort of patients with prolonged unresponsiveness following severe COVID-19 recovered to MCS or better before hospital discharge, achieving a clinical benchmark known to have relatively favorable long-term prognostic implications in DoC of other etiologies. Hypoxia, systemic inflammation, sedation, and neuromuscular blockade may impact diagnostic assessment and prognosis, and fluctuations in level of consciousness make serial assessments essential. Early neurorehabilitation of these patients in the ICU can be accomplished but is associated with unique challenges. Further research should evaluate factors associated with longer-term neurologic recovery and benefits of early rehabilitation in patients with severe COVID-19.

Time between endobronchial ultrasound needle passes as a metric to monitor progress of trainees.

BACKGROUND: Methods to assess and track progress of new endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) operators and trainees is desirable to ensure training goals and procedural competence are achieved. Relying on the diagnostic yield or on question-based assessments alone is not sufficient. This study examined the longitudinal change in times taken between needle passes (needle pass time; NPT) during EBUS lymph node sampling as a metric to monitor progress. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: :The EBUS database of a tertiary hospital was accessed to extract data on the first 50 EBUS procedures for three trainees. The NPT was derived using PACS images that are stored to document every needle pass during an EBUS procedure and an average NPT was calculated. RESULTS: Between the three trainees, 157 procedures were carried out within the study period with 302 nodal stations sampled. The mean NPT (n = 204 stations) was 2:49 ± 0:49 mins. The mean node short axis diameter was 15.5 ± 8.7 mm. There was a negative correlation between node size and time per pass (r - 0.146, p = 0.045).The average NPT showed a negative correlation with procedure order through the first 50 procedures. Less variation between procedures was noted for the three trainees from the 30th procedure onward. On multivariate regression, NPT was significantly associated with procedure order regardless of station sampled or lymph node diameter. CONCLUSION: NPT is novel, easy, and robust metric that can potentially help ensure EBUS trainees are advancing in a given training program.

Focused Neck Ultrasound and Lymph Node Sampling by Respiratory Physicians in Suspected Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Malignant cervical lymphadenopathy in the setting of lung cancer represents N3 disease, and neck ultrasound (NUS) with sampling is described in the Royal College of Radiologists ultrasound training curriculum for the non-radiologists. This study reviews the incorporation of NUS +/- biopsy in the routine practice of a lung cancer fast-track clinic in the UK. METHODS: We retrospectively assessed 29 months of activity of a lung cancer fast-track clinic. Systematic focused NUS was conducted in suspected thoracic malignancy, sampling nodes with a ≥5-mm short axis, under real-time US using a linear probe (5-12 Mhz). Fine-needle aspirations (FNAs) with or without 18 Ga core biopsies were taken. RESULTS: Between August 2017 and December 2019, of 152 peripheral lymph nodes (LNs)/deposits sampled, 98 (64.5%) were supraclavicular fossa LNs with median [IQR] size 12 [8-18] mm. Core biopsies were performed in 54/98 (55%) patients, while all patients had FNAs. No complications occurred. The representative yield was 90/95 (94.7%) in cases with suspected cancer. No difference was seen between FNA versus core biopsy (p = 0.44). Of the 5 non-diagnostic samples, one was FNA only. The commonest diagnosis was lung cancer in 66/98 (67.3%). PDL-1 was sufficient in 35/36 tested (97.2%). ALK-FISH was successful in 24/25 (96%) cases. EGFR mutation analysis was successful in 28/31 (90.3%) cases. Median time from clinic to initial diagnosis was 7 [5-10] days. Computed tomography (CT) scans reported no significant lymphadenopathy in 18/96 (18.7%) cases, yet 10/18 (55.5%) cases were positive for malignancy. CONCLUSION: Neck nodal sampling by respiratory physicians was safe, timely, with a high diagnostic yield and suitability for molecular testing. Neck US can provide a timely diagnosis in cases that may be missed by CT alone.

A randomised controlled trial of intrapleural balloon intercostal chest drains to prevent drain displacement.

BACKGROUND: Chest drain displacement is a common clinical problem that occurs in 9-42% of cases and results in treatment failure or additional pleural procedures conferring unnecessary risk. A novel chest drain with an integrated intrapleural balloon may reduce the risk of displacement. METHODS: A prospective randomised controlled trial comparing the balloon drain to standard care (12 F chest drain with no balloon) with the primary outcome of objectively defined unintentional or accidental chest drain displacement. RESULTS: 267 patients were randomised (primary outcome data available in 257, 96.2%). Displacement occurred less frequently using the balloon drain (displacement 5 of 128, 3.9%; standard care displacement 13 of 129, 10.1%) but this was not statistically significant (OR for drain displacement 0.36, 95% CI 0.13-1.0, Chi-squared 1 degree of freedom (df)=2.87, p=0.09). Adjusted analysis to account for minimisation factors and use of drain sutures demonstrated balloon drains were independently associated with reduced drain fall-out rate (adjusted OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.08-0.87, p=0.028). Adverse events were higher in the balloon arm than the standard care arm (balloon drain 59 of 131, 45.0%; standard care 18 of 132, 13.6%; Chi-squared 1 df=31.3, p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Balloon drains reduce displacement compared with standard drains independent of the use of sutures but are associated with increased adverse events specifically during drain removal. The potential benefits of the novel drain should be weighed against the risks, but may be considered in practices where sutures are not routinely used.

Recent Insights into the Management of Pleural Infection.

Pleural infection in adults has considerable morbidity and continues to be a life-threatening condition. The term "pleural infection" encompasses complicated parapneumonic effusions and primary pleural infections, and includes but is not limited to empyema, which refers to collection of pus in the pleural cavity. The incidence of pleural infection in adults has been continuously increasing over the past two decades, particularly in older adults, and most of such patients have comorbidities. Management of pleural infection requires prolonged duration of hospitalization (average 14 days). There are recognized differences in microbial etiology of pleural infection depending on whether the infection was acquired in the community or in a health-care setting. Anaerobic bacteria are acknowledged as a major cause of pleural infection, and thus anaerobic coverage in antibiotic regimens for pleural infection is mandatory. The key components of managing pleural infection are appropriate antimicrobial therapy and chest-tube drainage. In patients who fail medical therapy by manifesting persistent sepsis despite standard measures, surgical intervention to clear the infected space or intrapleural fibrinolytic therapy (in poor surgical candidates) are recommended. Recent studies have explored the role of early intrapleural fibrinolytics or first-line surgery, but due to considerable costs of such interventions and the lack of convincing evidence of improved outcomes with early use, early intervention cannot be recommended, and further evidence is awaited from ongoing studies. Other areas of research include the role of routine molecular testing of infected pleural fluid in improving the rate of identification of causative organisms. Other research topics include the benefit of such interventions as medical thoracoscopy, high-volume pleural irrigation with saline/antiseptic solution, and repeated thoracentesis (as opposed to chest-tube drainage) in reducing morbidity and improving outcomes of pleural infection. This review summarizes current knowledge and practice in managing pleural infection and future research directions.