Moti Klein

Survival of critically ill patients hospitalized in and out of intensive care units under paucity of intensive care unit beds

Objective:The demand for intensive care beds far exceeds their availability in many European countries. Consequently, many critically ill patients occupy hospital beds outside intensive care units, throughout the hospital. The outcome of patients who fit intensive care unit admission criteria but are hospitalized in regular wards needs to be assessed for policy implications. The object was to screen entire hospital patient populations for critically ill patients and compare their 30-day survival in and out of the intensive care unit. Design:Screening teams visited every hospital ward on four selected days in five acute care Israeli hospitals. The teams listed all patients fitting a priori developed study criteria. One-month data for each patient were abstracted from the medical records. Setting:Five acute care Israeli hospitals. Patients:All patients fitting a priori developed study criteria. Interventions:None. Measurements and Main Results:Survival in and out of the intensive care unit was compared for screened patients from the day a patient first met study criteria. Cox multivariate models were constructed to adjust survival comparisons for various confounding factors. The effect of intensive care unit vs. other departments was estimated separately for the first 3 days after deterioration and for the remaining follow-up time. Results showed that 5.5% of adult hospitalized patients were critically ill (736 of 13,415). Of these, 27% were admitted to intensive care units, 24% to specialized care units, and 49% to regular departments. Admission to an intensive care unit was associated with better survival during the first 3 days of deterioration, after we adjusted for age and severity of illness (p = .018). There was no additional survival advantage for intensive care unit patients (p = .9) during the remaining follow-up time. Conclusions:The early survival advantage in the intensive care unit suggests a window of critical opportunity for these patients. Under economic constraints and dearth of intensive care unit beds, increasing the turnover of patients in the intensive care unit, thus exposing more needy patients to the early benefit of treatment in the intensive care unit, may be advantageous.

Insertion of the endotracheal tube, laryngeal mask airway and oesophageal–tracheal Combitube ® . A 6-month comparative prospective study of acquisition and retention skills by medical students

Objective: To assess the ability of medical students to learn and retain skills of airway manipulation for insertion of the endotracheal tube, the laryngeal mask airway (Laryngeal Mask Company, Henley‐on‐Thames, UK) and the oesophageal‐tracheal Combitube® (Kendall‐Sheridan Catheter Corp., Argyle, NY, USA). Methods: A 6‐month prospective study was conducted among fifth‐year medical students attending a 3‐week clerkship in the Division of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine in the Soroka Medical Center. All the students viewed a demonstration of insertion technique for the endotracheal tube, the laryngeal mask airway and the Combitube®, followed by formal teaching in a mannikin. At the end of the program, the insertion skills were demonstrated in the mannikin, the success rate on the first attempt was registered and the students were requested to assess (by questionnaire) their ability to execute airway manipulation (phase 1). Six months later, the students were requested to repeat the insertion technique, and a similar re‐evaluation applied (phase 2). Results: The success rate, during the first phase, at first attempts was 100% for the laryngeal mask airway and the Combitube®, compared to 57.4% for the endotracheal tube (P < 0.02), and 92.6%, 96.2% and 62.9% (P < 0.02) respectively for the second phase of the study. Conclusion: Learning and retention skills of medical students, in a mannikin, are more accentuated with the laryngeal mask airway and the Combitube® than seen with an endotracheal tube.

The anaesthetic management of patients with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis

Background : Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA, or hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type IV) is a rare, autosomal recessive disease, related to a mutation in the TrkA gene, characterized by inability to sweat, insensitivity to pain and recurrent episodes of hyperpyrexia. There are two Bedouin tribes in Israel with different mutations of the TrkA gene: one in the southern region and the other in the northern region. The Soroka University Medical Center is the referral centre for the entire southern region of Israel. One in 4500 anaesthesia cases involves a patient with CIPA.

Cell-free DNA--a marker to predict ischemic brain damage in a rat stroke experimental model.

BackgroundThe animal model of stroke that is most frequently used is a rat model of focal brain ischemia caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Several studies have reported a link between levels of cell-free DNA (CFD) and neurologic outcome in human stroke. The purpose of this study was to assess brain injury and measure CFD levels in 2 models of MCAO in rats, and to determine whether brain injury correlates with CFD. MethodsA total of 60 rats were used for this study. Twenty rats underwent a sham procedure, 20 rats had MCAO using a monofilament, and 20 rats had MCAO with a silicon-coated filament. Groups were further divided into 2 subgroups. In 1 subgroup of 10 rats, neurologic performance [measured as a neurologic severity score, (NSS)] was measured at 1 and 24 hours after the procedure, and brain edema and infarct volume were determined at 24 hours. In the second subgroup of 10 rats, CFD was measured at 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours and at 2, 3, 4, and 5 days. Neurologic performance (measured as a NSS) was measured at 1 and 24 hours after the procedure. ResultsThe main finding was a significant increase in CFD levels observed 24 hours after the onset of MCAO. The correlation between the total infarct volume and CFD levels of the 3 groups was R=0.78, P<0.0001. Brain edema and NSS also were strongly correlated with CFD levels at 24 hours after MCAO (R=0.91, P<0.0001 and R=0.73, P<0.0001, respectively). ConclusionsWe found that CFD levels correlate well with the extent of ischemic injury, brain edema, and neurologic outcome in rats 24 hours post-MCAO. We have also shown that CFD correlates well with the expected temporal progression of ischemic injury. These findings place CFD in a unique place as a biomarker for stroke, both experimentally and possibly clinically.

FAILURE OF CIPROFLOXACIN PROPHYLAXIS FOR ULTRASOUND GUIDED TRANSRECTAL PROSTATIC BIOPSY IN THE ERA OF MULTIRESISTANT ENTEROBACTERIACEAE

A 69-year-old man with prostatism requiring urinary catheterization underwent elective transrectal biopsy of the prostate due to a prostatic mass. Preoperatively 2 prophylactic doses of 500 mg. ciprofloxacin were administered orally. The patient had a history of multiple antibiotic courses given for recurrent urinary tract infections. Ten days after the procedure the patient was admitted to the hospital with respiratory distress and hemoptysis. At hospitalization he was hernodynamically stable and afebrile. Physical examination demonstrated a purulent urethral discharge. Laboratory evaluation revealed leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, acute renal failure and severe hypoxemia with metabolic acidosis. Shortly afterward patient condition suddenly deteriorated and he was transferred to the intensive care unit. Severe sepsis was suspected. Multiple cultures were obtained, and treatment with intravenous fluids and piperacillin-tazobactam was initiated. The next day we noted multiple erythematous cutaneous nodules consistent with the diagnosis of ecthyma gangrenosum (see figure). Emergency explorative laparotomy showed no abscess or fluid collection.

Retrograde tracheal intubation: beyond fibreoptic endotracheal intubation.

Background:  Flexible fibreoptic laryngoscopy is the method of choice for coping with difficult tracheal intubations, a leading cause of catastrophic outcomes in anaesthesia. However, this technique is not always available or feasible. Retrograde intubation is a minimally invasive airway management technique with a flat learning curve and a high level of skill retention.

Is penile block better than caudal epidural block for postcircumcision analgesia

PurposeTo compare caudal and penile block for post-operative analgesia in children undergoing circumcision with respect to efficacy, complication rates, and parental satisfaction.MethodsThe study population consisted of 100 ASA 1 and 2 boys aged 3 to 8 years who were undergoing circumcision for religious reasons. In all participants, inhalation anesthesia was administered with oxygen : nitrous oxide (1 : 2) and halothane. The participants were allocated randomly into two groups of 50 children each. Group 1 received penile block and Group 2 caudal block. The penile block was achieved by injecting bupivacaine into the two compartments of the subpubic space, with an additional ventral infiltration of a small volume of bupivacaine along the raphe of the penis. For caudal block, 1 ml·kg−1 body weight of 0.25% bupivacaine was administered.ResultsPenile block shortened the induction-incision time and enabled earlier discharge home compared with caudal block. One patient undergoing penile block and nine patients undergoing caudal block vomited.ConclusionsPenile and caudal block are equally effective for postcircumcision analgesia and neither is associated with serious complications. Anesthesiologist preference should be the deciding factor in choosing one technique over the other.

Admission Cell Free DNA Levels Predict 28-Day Mortality in Patients with Severe Sepsis in Intensive Care

Aim The aim of the current study is to assess the mortality prediction accuracy of circulating cell-free DNA (CFD) level at admission measured by a new simplified method. Materials and Methods CFD levels were measured by a direct fluorescence assay in severe sepsis patients on intensive care unit (ICU) admission. In-hospital and/or twenty eight day all-cause mortality was the primary outcome. Results Out of 108 patients with median APACHE II of 20, 32.4% have died in hospital/or at 28-day. CFD levels were higher in decedents: median 3469.0 vs. 1659 ng/ml, p<0.001. In multivariable model APACHE II score and CFD (quartiles) were significantly associated with the mortality: odds ratio of 1.05, p = 0.049 and 2.57, p<0.001 per quartile respectively. C-statistics for the models was 0.79 for CFD and 0.68 for APACHE II. Integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) analyses showed that CFD and CFD+APACHE II score models had better discriminatory ability than APACHE II score alone. Conclusions CFD level assessed by a new, simple fluorometric-assay is an accurate predictor of acute mortality among ICU patients with severe sepsis. Comparison of CFD to APACHE II score and Procalcitonin (PCT), suggests that CFD has the potential to improve clinical decision making.

Neuroprotection by Estrogen and Progesterone in Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury

In recent years there has been a growing body of clinical and laboratory evidence demonstrating the neuroprotective effects of estrogen and progesterone after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI). In humans, women have been shown to have a lower incidence of morbidity and mortality after TBI compared with age-matched men. Similarly, numerous laboratory studies have demonstrated that estrogen and progesterone administration is associated with a mortality reduction, improvement in neurological outcomes, and a reduction in neuronal apoptosis after TBI and SCI. Here, we review the evidence that supports hormone-related neuroprotection and discuss possible underlying mechanisms. Estrogen and progesterone-mediated neuroprotection are thought to be related to their effects on hormone receptors, signaling systems, direct antioxidant effects, effects on astrocytes and microglia, modulation of the inflammatory response, effects on cerebral blood flow and metabolism, and effects on mediating glutamate excitotoxicity. Future laboratory research is needed to better determine the mechanisms underlying the hormones’ neuroprotective effects, which will allow for more clinical studies. Furthermore, large randomized clinical control trials are needed to better assess their role in human neurodegenerative conditions.

Emergency percutaneous tracheostomy is feasable in experienced hands

One of most stressful situations for a physician occurs when a patient is unable to breathe and endotracheal intubation is not possible. The establishment of an open airway by surgery is indicated only if the physician is unable to do so with an endotracheal tube. Surgical tracheostomy is not indicated in emergency situations because it takes a long time and can result in death if respiratory support cannot be provided during the procedure. Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy in experienced hands takes only a few minutes. We describe six patients, including two trauma patients, in whom emergency percutaneous tracheostomy was rapidly and successfully performed under conditions of the imminent loss of airway and inability to intubate the patient. As this procedure is safe and can be performed easily by experienced personnel, we propose its addition to the armamentarium of emergency airway management.