Tracheotomy in COVID-19 patients: Optimizing patient selection and identifying prognostic indicators.

BACKGROUND: Tracheotomy, through its ability to wean patients off ventilation, can shorten ICU length of stay and in doing so increase ICU bed capacity, crucial for saving lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, there is a paucity of patient selection criteria and prognosticators to facilitate decision making and enhance precious ICU capacity. METHODS: Prospective study of COVID-19 patients undergoing tracheotomy (n = 12) over a 4-week period (March-April 2020). Association between preoperative and postoperative ventilation requirements and outcomes (ICU stay, time to decannulation, and death) were examined. RESULTS: Patients who sustained FiO2 ≤ 50% and PEEP ≤ 8 cm H2 O in the 24 hours pretracheotomy exhibited a favorable outcome. Those whose requirements remained below these thresholds post-tracheotomy could be safely stepped down after 48 hours. CONCLUSION: Sustained FiO2 ≤ 50% and PEEP ≤ 8 cm H2 O in the 48 hours post-tracheotomy are strong predictive factors for a good outcome, raising the potential for these patients to be stepped down early, thus increasing ICU capacity.

Development of a porous poly(DL-lactic acid-co-glycolic acid)-based scaffold for mastoid air-cell regeneration.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To develop a porous, biodegradable scaffold for mastoid air-cell regeneration. STUDY DESIGN: In vitro development of a temperature-sensitive poly(DL-lactic acid-co-glycolic acid)/poly(ethylene glycol) (PLGA/PEG) scaffold tailored for this application. METHODS: Human mastoid bone microstructure and porosity were investigated using micro-computed tomography. PLGA/PEG-alginate scaffolds were developed, and scaffold porosity was assessed. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs) were cultured on the scaffolds in vitro. Scaffolds were loaded with ciprofloxacin, and release of ciprofloxacin over time in vitro was assessed. RESULTS: Porosity of human mastoid bone was measured at 83% with an average pore size of 1.3 mm. PLGA/PEG-alginate scaffold porosity ranged from 43% to 78% depending on the alginate bead content. The hBM-MSCs proliferate on the scaffolds in vitro, and release of ciprofloxacin from the scaffolds was demonstrated over 7 to 10 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The PLGA/PEG-alginate scaffolds developed in this study demonstrate similar structural features to human mastoid bone, support cell growth, and display sustained antibiotic release. These scaffolds may be of potential clinical use in mastoid air-cell regeneration. Further in vivo studies to assess the suitability of PLGA/PEG-alginate scaffolds for this application are required.

Laparoscopic versus open repair of incisional/ventral hernia: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this article is to analyze laparoscopic versus open repair of incisional/ventral hernia (IVH). METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was undertaken to analyze clinical trials on IVH. RESULTS: Five randomized controlled trials involving a total of 366 patients were analyzed. There were 183 patients in each group. Open repair of IVH was associated with significantly higher complication rates and longer hospital stays than laparoscopic repair. There was also some evidence that surgical times may be longer for open repair of IVH. However, statistically there was no difference in wound pain or recurrence rates. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic repair of IVH is safe, with fewer complications and shorter hospital stays, and possibly a shorter surgical time. However, postoperative pain and recurrence rates are similar for both techniques. Hence, the laparoscopic approach may be considered for IVH repair if technically feasible, but more trials with longer follow-up evaluations are required to strengthen the evidence.