Supraglottic Airway Device to Improve Ventilation Success and Reduce Pulmonary Aspiration during Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation by Basic Life Support Rescuers: A Randomized Cross-over Human Cadaver Study.

OBJECTIVES: Early airway management during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) prevents aspiration of gastric contents. Endotracheal intubation is the gold standard to protect airways, but supraglottic airway devices (SGA) may provide some protection with less training. Bag-mask ventilation (BMV) is the most common method used by rescuers. We hypothesized that SGA use by first rescuers during CPR could increase ventilation success rate and also decrease intragastric pressure and pulmonary aspiration. METHODS: We performed a randomized cross-over experimental trial on human cadavers. Protocol A: we assessed the rate of successful ventilation (chest rise), intragastric pressure, and CPR key time metrics. Protocol B: cadaver stomachs were randomized to be filled with 300 mL of either blue or green serum saline solution through a Foley catheter. Each rescuer was randomly assigned to use SGA or BMV during a 5-minute standard CPR period. Then, in a crossover design, the stomach was filled with the second color solution and another 5-minute CPR period was performed using the other airway method. Pulmonary aspiration, defined as the presence of colored solution below the vocal cords, was assessed by a blinded operator using bronchoscopy. A generalized linear mixed model was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Protocol A: Forty-eight rescuers performed CPR on 11 cadavers. Median ventilation success was higher with SGA than BMV: 75.0% (IQR: 59.8-87.3) vs. 34.7% (IQR: 25.0-50.0), (p = 0.003). Gastric pressure and differential (maximum minus minimum) gastric pressure were lower in the SGA group: 2.21 mmHg (IQR: 1.66; 2.68) vs. 3.02 mmHg (IQR: 2.02; 4.22) (p = 0.02) and 5.70 mmHg (IQR: 4.10; 7.60) vs. 8.05 mmHg (IQR: 5.40; 11.60) (p = 0.05). CPR key times were not different between groups. Protocol B: Ten cadavers were included with 20 CPR periods. Aspiration occurred in 2 (20%) SGA procedures and 5 (50%) BMV procedures (p = 0.44). CONCLUSION: Use of SGA by rescuers improved the ventilation success rate, decreased intragastric pressure, and did not affect key CPR metrics. SGA use by basic life support rescuers appears feasible and efficient.

[Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in children with bacterial tracheitis]. / Laryngotrachéites bactériennes révélées par un arrêt cardiaque en préhospitalier.

UNLABELLED: Bacterial tracheitis is a severe cause of acute infectious upper-airway obstruction. Its characteristics include thick purulent secretions with or without plaques or pseudomembrane formation. Fatal complications are infrequent if an appropriate treatment is conducted. CASE REPORT: We report on 2 cases of bacterial tracheitis revealed by out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. At presentation in winter, both children first had the symptoms of viral croup. However, no response to the appropriate therapy for this disease was observed. A cardiac arrest occurred on the second day. Bronchoscopy allowed diagnosis. Findings on initial examination were erythema, edema and purulent secretions. Bacterial cultures of tracheal secretions were positive with Staphylococcus aureus. Serology with influenza A virus was also positive. Despite antibiotics and mechanical ventilation, both children died in the pediatric intensive care unit, consecutively to irreversible ischemic brain injury. CONCLUSION: Bacterial tracheitis remains a life-threatening upper-airway infection. Prompt recognition and accurate diagnosis could lead to decreased mortality. It is essential to reassess any croup whose outcome is not rapidly favourable. Such patients should be monitored in a pediatric intensive care unit.

[Evaluation of the feasibility of a healthcare network for the management of severely head-injured patients]. / Evaluation de la pertinence d'un projet de réseau de santé prenant en charge les urgences neurotraumatiques graves.

The aim of the study was to realise a strategic analysis of the feasibility of implementing a health care network for the management of severely head-injured patients in the Alpine region. We conducted face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Manual and computerized analysis of interviews was realized. Textual analysis was performed using the ALCESTE software package. A strategic analysis according to Crozier and Friedberg was performed. Eighteen interviews were realised: 13 physicians, 3 hospital directors and 2 head nurses. We identified 5 types of problems in the management of severely head-injured patients: the lack of human and material resources (33.1% of the variance), problems of communication (12.2%) and surgical competence (24.00), trajectory of care influenced by the concurrence between hospitals (18.0%) and relationship between professionals (12.6%). The stabilisation of process of cooperation was expected by all the professionals and a health care network seemed to be adapted as a coordination tool. Its implementation needed to take into account 3 individual representations: the will for collaboration--cooperation (23.3%), the negotiation (48.4%) and the contracts of the cooperation (28.3%). This study confirms that actors noted the need for improving the management of severely head-injured patients in the Alpine region. However, negotiation to express and solve controversies appears being a precondition to prevent from the blocking of the network by resistances to change.

[Acute pulmonary edema during nicardipine and salbutamol therapy for preterm labor in twin pregnancy]. / Oedème aigu du poumon au décours d'une tocolyse par nicardipine et salbutamol lors d'une menace d'accouchement prématuré sur grossesse gémellaire.

We report the case of a 38-year-old parturient at 30 weeks 2 days term of a multiple pregnancy who experienced acute pulmonary edema more than 48 hours after tocolytic treatment with nicardipine and salbutamol. The patient was transferred from a level 1 perinatal center to a level 3 perinatal center by the Grenoble mobile intensive care unit in application of the in utero transfer protocol for preterm labor before 33 weeks with twin pregnancy. This case illustrates the risk of tocolytic treatment and potential adverse effects in the event of preterm labor on twin pregnancy. The question of associating a second tocolytic after failure of the first is also raised.