Endotracheal tube cuff position in relation to the cricoid in children: A retrospective computed tomography-based analysis.

BACKGROUND: The use of cuffed endotracheal tubes (ETT) has become the standard of care in pediatric practice. The rationale for the use of a cuffed ETT is to minimize pressure around the cricoid while providing an effective airway seal. However, safe care requires that the cuff lie distal to the cricoid ring following endotracheal intubation. The current study demonstrates the capability of computed tomography (CT) imaging in identifying the position of the cuff of the ETT in intubated patients. METHODS: In this retrospective study, the ETT cuff position was examined on the sagittal plane images of neck and chest CT scans of 44 children. The position of the proximal and the distal aspect of the ETT cuff inside the trachea was recorded in relation to the vertebral levels. The vertebral levels were used to estimate the location of the cricoid ring and its relationship to the cuff. RESULTS: The vertebrae were used as the primary landmarks to define the position of the cricoid and its relationship to the cuff of the ETT. Correlating vertebral levels with the cricoid for different age groups, the proximal (cephalad) edge of the ETT cuff was below the cricoid in 41 of 44 patients (93%). The ETT cuff was deep in 6 patients, below the 1st thoracic vertebra, with 2 ETTs in the right mainstem bronchus. CONCLUSION: This is the first study demonstrating that the cuff of the ETT and its position in the trachea can be identified on CT imaging in children. The ETT cuff was below the level of the cricoid in the majority of patients irrespective of the patient's age as well as the size, make, and type of ETT.

Point-of-care ultrasound to confirm endotracheal tube cuff position in relationship to the cricoid in the pediatric population.

BACKGROUND: Anatomically, the subglottic area and the cricoid ring are the narrowest portions of the larynx. To limit the potential for damage related to mucosal pressure injuries from the presence of an endotracheal tube, the cuff should be placed below the cricoid in children. Previously, no clinical or imaging method has been used in real time to determine the exact location of the endotracheal tube cuff after endotracheal intubation. Point-of-care ultrasound may provide an option as a safe and rapid means of visualizing the endotracheal tube cuff and its relationship to the cricoid ring thereby achieving ideal endotracheal tube cuff positioning-below the cricoid. METHODS: In this prospective, nonrandomized trial, point-of-care ultrasound was used following endotracheal intubation in children to evaluate the position of the endotracheal tube cuff in relationship to the cricoid and tracheal rings. After anesthesia was induced and the trachea was intubated, the endotracheal tube cuff and its position in relation to the cricoid and tracheal rings were identified in the longitudinal plane using point-of-care ultrasound. With the patient's neck in a neutral position, the level of the proximal (cephalad) margin of the saline-filled cuff of the endotracheal tube was identified and recorded in relationship to the cricoid and tracheal rings. The ideal position is defined as the cephalad margin of the endotracheal tube cuff below the level of the cricoid. RESULTS: The study cohort included 80 patients, ranging in age from 1 to 78 months. In all patients, the cuff of the ETT, cricoid, and tracheal rings were identified. The cephalad end of the endotracheal tube cuff was found at the level of the cricoid in 16.3% of patients, at the first tracheal ring in 27.5% of patients, at the second tracheal ring in 23.8% of patients, at the third tracheal ring in 17.5% of patients, and at below the fourth tracheal ring in 15% of patients. Initial endotracheal tube cuff position had no significant association with age, height, weight, endotracheal tube size, and endotracheal tube type. CONCLUSION: Point-of-care ultrasound provides a rapid and effective means of identifying the position of the endotracheal tube cuff in relationship to the cricoid ring. The technique may have applications in the perioperative arena, emergency departments, and intensive care units.

Intraoperative Management of a Child Undergoing Cardiac Surgery With Congenital Methemoglobinemia Detected in the Operating Room: A Case Report.

Congenital methemoglobinemia is a rare disease that is easily overlooked in its mild form. It can lead to tissue hypoxia as methemoglobin does not possess oxygen-carrying capacity. Its management approach depends on the severity of the symptoms, methemoglobin level, and associated medical conditions. The perioperative management of congenital methemoglobinemia is well described in the literature; however, its management in children with congenital heart disease and undergoing cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass has not been reported. We present a case and its management where congenital methemoglobinemia was detected in the operating room in a child scheduled for cardiac surgery.

Mainstem Bronchial Diameters and Dimensions in Infants and Children: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Anatomic measurements of the right (RMB) and left mainstem bronchi (LMB) in infants and children have been accomplished using various modalities. The objective of the present review was to determine whether enough data were available to provide standardized lower airway dimensions in the pediatric population. For the present study, 12 studies with data of the lower pediatric airway dimensions of 1,611 children published from 1923-2020 were reviewed and analyzed. The eligible criteria included studies measuring lower airway dimensions in the pediatric population. Various techniques were used for airway measurement, with computed tomography studies being most abundant. There was a progressive increase in the size of RMB and LMB with age, with a close approximation of the LMB-to-RMB ratio across all studies. In children younger than 1 year old, the RMB and LMB diameters were between 4 and 5 mm and 3 and 5 mm, respectively. Overall, there was significant variation in the methods and modality used to obtain measurements, and therefore it was difficult to establish standardized lower airway dimensions in the pediatric population. Additional homogeneous data with standardized measurement techniques and modalities across different pediatric age groups are needed to define these dimensions further. Such data may be helpful in designing airway equipment, lung isolation devices, and airway stents.

Bilateral diaphragmatic palsy after congenital heart surgery: management options.

Diaphragmatic paralysis following phrenic nerve injury is a major complication following congenital cardiac surgery. In contrast to unilateral paralysis, patients with bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis present a higher risk group, require different management methods, and have poorer prognosis. We retrospectively analysed seven patients who had bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis following congenital heart surgery during the period from July, 2006 to July, 2014. Considerations were given to the time to diagnosis of diaphragm paralysis, total ventilator days, interval after plication, and lengths of ICU and hospital stays. The incidence of bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis was 0.68% with a median age of 2 months (0.6-12 months). There was one neonate and six infants with a median weight of 4 kg (3-7 kg); five patients underwent unilateral plication of the paradoxical diaphragm following recovery of the other side, whereas the remaining two patients who did not demonstrate a paradoxical movement were successfully weaned from the ventilator following recovery of function in one of the diaphragms. The median ventilation time for the whole group was 48 days (20-90 days). The median length of ICU stay was 46 days (24-110 days), and the median length of hospital stay was 50 days (30-116 days). None of the patients required tracheostomy for respiratory support and there were no mortalities, although all the patients except one developed ventilator-associated pneumonia. The outcome of different management options for bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis following surgery for CHD is discussed.

Selective use of superficial temporal artery cannulation in infants undergoing cardiac surgery.

Arterial cannulation is routinely performed in children undergoing cardiac surgery to aid the intraoperative and intensive care management. Most commonly cannulated peripheral site in children is radial artery, and alternatives include posterior tibial, dorsalis pedis, and rarely superficial temporal artery (STA). Two specific situations in cardiac surgery where STA cannulation and monitoring was useful during the surgical procedure are reported. To our knowledge, such selective use of STA pressure monitoring has not been reported in the literature previously. Our experience suggests that STA monitoring can be useful and reliable during repair of coarctation of aorta or administration of anterograde cerebral perfusion in patients having associated aberrant origin of the right subclavian artery.

Use of high-frequency ventilation to wean off cardiopulmonary bypass in a patient with pulmonary hemorrhage after failure of conventional ventilation.

The management of an infant who underwent corrective surgery for a supracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage, which was complicated by the development of pulmonary hemorrhage while separating from cardiopulmonary bypass, is presented. Initiation of high-frequency oscillatory ventilation was effective in weaning the patient off cardiopulmonary bypass.

3D-modelling of transient left bronchial obstruction following bidirectional superior cavopulmonary shunt.

Extrinsic compression of airways is one the most important causes of respiratory insufficiency in the perioperative period in children with congenital heart disease. This is especially true of pathologies that involve surgery of the aortic arch or conduit replacement of the right ventricular outflow tract. However bronchial obstruction is uncommon in the setting of bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt alone. We report the case of an infant with a functionally univentricular heart who had a bidirectional superior cavopulmonary shunt and disconnection of the main pulmonary artery from the ventricular mass with oversewing of pulmonary valve. Post-operatively the patient desaturated due to compression of left main bronchus by the left pulmonary artery anteriorly and the descending aorta posteriorly. This was clearly defined by CT based on 3D-modelling of the airways and great vessels. The child was managed conservatively by ventilator support, selective bronchial suctioning and systemic steroids with a successful outcome.

Urgent hepatic to azygous vein connection for thrombosis of hepatic vein to pulmonary artery conduit.

We report on an emergent use of hepatic-to-azygous vein connection using a 10-mm polytetrafluoroethylene graft in a 6-year-old girl who developed acute thrombosis of an extracardiac graft conduit from the hepatic veins to the pulmonary arteries. She had left atrial isomerism, interrupted inferior vena cava with azygous continuation, and had undergone surgical creation of bilateral superior cavopulmonary connections 5 years earlier. The emergency procedure to create hepatic-to-azygous connection resulted in successful salvage of the patient who was subsequently able to maintain stable oxygen saturations and experienced rapid regression of hepatic congestion and pleural effusions. Six months following the procedure, oxygen saturation was above 90%. Repeated echocardiography and computed tomography angiography showed patency of the hepatic-to-azygous connection.

Anesthetic management of an infant with Joubert syndrome for cardiac surgery.

The anesthetic implications of Joubert syndrome in an infant who required cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is presented. Children with Joubert syndrome present with central apnea due to malformations in the midbrain and cerebellum. These patients have a marked sensitivity to opioids. The use of dexmedetomidine along with remifentanil was effective in this case.

Further insights into the syndrome of prolapsing non-coronary aortic cusp and ventricular septal defect.

Ventricular septal defect (VSD) with prolapse of the right coronary cusp and aortic regurgitation can be managed surgically with the anatomical correction technique. However when the VSD is located underneath the non coronary cusp surgical management differs due to anatomical constraints and secondary pathological changes seen in the non coronary cusp. It is therefore important that the location of the VSD and the morphology of prolapsing cusp be characterised preoperatively in order to plan appropriate surgical repair. We present a case study in which we discuss the salient differences in the surgical management of the prolapsing right and the prolapsing non coronary cusps.

Whole lung lavage: the salvage therapy for pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

A 53-year-old school teacher presented with progressive exertional breathlessness and dry cough of three months duration. His diagnosis was confirmed as pulmonary alveolar proteinosis on open lung biopsy. In about three months, the disease progressed to life threatening respiratory failure. He was subjected to whole lung lavage (WLL) as a salvage therapy. The technical details of WLL performed on this patient are described. At six months follow up, he was clinically and functionally stable and leading a near normal life.