Complications Associated With Removal of Airway Devices Under Deep Anesthesia In Children: An Analysis of The Wake Up Safe Database

Background: Previous studies examining removal of endotracheal tubes and supraglottic devices under deep anesthesia were underpowered to identify rare complications. This study sought to report all adverse events associated with this practice found in a large national database of pediatric anesthesia adverse events.Methods: An extract of an adverse events database created by the Wake Up Safe database, a multi-institutional pediatric anesthesia quality improvement initiative, was performed for this study. It was screened to identify anesthetics with variables indicating removal of airway devices under deep anesthesia. Three anesthesiologists screened the data to identify events where this practice possibly contributed to the event. Event data was extracted and collated. Results: 102 events met screening criteria and 66 met inclusion criteria. Two cardiac etiology events were identified, one of which resulted in the patient’s demise. The remaining 97% of events were respiratory in nature (64 events), including airway obstruction, laryngospasm, bronchospasm and aspiration. Some respiratory events consisted of multiple distinct events in series. Nineteen respiratory events resulted in cardiac arrest (29.7%) of which 15 (78.9%) were deemed preventable by local anesthesiologists performing independent review. Respiratory events resulted in intensive care unit admission (37.5%), prolonged intubation and temporary neurologic injury but no permanent harm. Provider and patient factors were root causes in most events. Upon investigation, areas for improvement identified included improving patient selection, ensuring monitoring, availability of intravenous access, and access to emergency drugs and equipment until emergence.Conclusions: Serious adverse events have been associated with this practice, but no respiratory events were associated with long-term harm.

Abstract 13071: Supraglottic Airway Devices Are Associated With Asphyxial Physiology Upon Arrival for ECPR in Patients With Refractory OHCA Treated With Prolonged CPR

Introduction: Multiple clinical trials have failed to show significant differences in survival between use of endotracheal intubation (ETI) and supraglottic airway devices (SGA) in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). However, treatment in these trials was limited to standard ACLS, which favors short duration of CPR. We sought to compare the physiological effect of ETI versus SGA use in patients treated with prolonged CPR and extracorporeal pulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) for refractory ventricular fibrillation/ventricular tachycardia (VT/VF) by the Minnesota Mobile Resuscitation Consortium (MMRC). Methods: Consecutive refractory VT/VF OHCA patients transported by the MMRC to the University of Minnesota for ECPR between 2015 and 2021 were included in this retrospective analysis. Patients were considered ineligible for ECPR if they failed specific arterial blood gas metabolic criteria (lactic acid >18 mmol/L, PaO2 <50 mmHg, and ETCO2 <10 mmHg). Metabolic parameters at presentation and survival were compared between patients receiving ETI and SGA. Results: Among 260 patients (58.0±11.8 years), 46.5% received ETI and 53.5% received SGA. During the index hospitalization, 78/260 (30%) achieved neurologically favorable survival. Compared to those receiving ETI, patients receiving SGA had lower PaO2 (116.8±118.7 versus 135.8±128.3 mmHg, p=0.03), higher PaCO2 (69.7±28.9 versus 60.7±25.6 mmHg, p=0.01), and lower pH (7.00±0.19 versus 7.06±0.21, p=0.008). Significantly more patients who received SGA had PaO2 <50mmHg (29.1% versus 16.9%, respectively; p=0.02) and ≥1 ECPR exclusion criteria (33.1% versus 20.7%, respectively; p=0.03). Among patients excluded for PaO2 <50 mmHg, the presenting PaO2 was 35.5±11.0 mmHg and the presenting PaCO2 was 94.5±26.2 mmHg, suggestive of absence of effective ventilation (asphyxia) at presentation. Survival with CPC 1-2 was 34.7% versus 25.9% for ETI versus SGA, respectively (p=0.12). Conclusion: Use of SGA, during prolonged CPR in refractory VT/VF OHCA, was associated with a significant increase in the proportion of patients presenting with significant hypoxemia and asphyxial physiology, thus increasing ineligibility for ECPR.

Getting started

This chapter provides a basic overview of anaesthetic equipment and its safe use. Topics include the provision of anaesthetic gases, the basic components of the anaesthetic machine, breathing systems, positive-pressure ventilation, and airway equipment including laryngoscopes, endotracheal tubes and supraglottic airway devices. Methods of long-term venous access are discussed.

Comparative evaluation of sevoflurane and propofol to facilitate insertion of supra glottic airway device

: Propofol has been used since ages as induction agent to aid in insertion of Supraglottic airway devices however its side effects like hypotension, apnea and pain on injection do coexist. To avoid these side effects sevoflurane has been studied and well recognized because of its sweet smelling property. We conducted this study with primary aim to compare the insertion conditions such as no. of attempts for insertion, hemodynamic variations and awakening after surgery. The secondary aim was to note the adverse effects associated with Sevoflurane and propofol. We included sixty female patients of age 18-65 years graded as ASA I and II undergoing short gynecological procedures. Patients were induced with Sevoflurane 8% or IV Propofol 2mg/kg. Attempts for I-gel insertion, jaw relaxation, biting, coughing, gagging, laryngospasm and hemodynamic pressor response and awakening after surgery were noted.Induction time with Propofol is less compared to Sevoflurane. I-Gel insertion time with Sevoflurane and Propofol is insignificant (p value= 0.93). 25 patients in Group S and 27 patients in group P had very easy insertion of I-gel. 23 patients in Group S and 27 patients in Group P had relaxed jaw. None of the patients in both groups experienced laryngospasm. Propofol provided better conditions for I-gel insertion with manageable hypotension while the patients induced with Sevoflurane were hemodynamically more stable but the jaw relaxation was less as compared to that provided by propofol. Induction with 8% Sevoflurane by Vital Capacity Breath (VCB) technique can be an alternative for induction in high risk patients. Also the awakening from anaesthesia is faster with sevoflurane and is more suitable for patients demanding early discharge after day care surgeries.

LMA PROSEAL: AN ALTERNATIVE TO ENDOTRACHEAL IN- TUBATION IN OPEN APPENDECTOMY OPERATION.' IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ANESTHESIOLOGY, MEDICAL COLLEGE, KOLKATA

INTRODUCTION One of the important responsibilities of an Anaesthesiologist is to maintain a patent airway during any surgical procedure. Since the early days of Anaesthesia, various efforts have been made to dispel the problem of airway maintenance. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The study entitled “LMAProSeal: An alternative to endotracheal intubation in open appendicectomy operation” was conducted with the aims to compare the efcacy of LMA ProSeal and Endotracheal Tube in patients undergoing Open Appendectomy under General Anaesthesia. MATERIALAND METHODS Study Area: This study was conducted in Medical College, Kolkata (West Bengal), under the department of Anaesthesiology in General Surgery Operation Theatre (C. B. Top OT/ Green OTComplex), after clearance from the Hospital ethical committee, during the period from 1st may 2013 to 31st January 2014. Awritten informed consent was taken from all patients included in the study. StudyPopulation:Patients postedforopenAppendicectomyoperationwithBMIbetween18.50–24.99kg/m2andbodyweightbetween30—60kg. Sample Size: 100 RESULTS AND OBSERVATIONS The effects were observed by monitoring heart rate, blood pressure and SPO2 preoperatively (as baseline), after intubation or placement of LMAProSeal at 1 min, 3 mins, 5mins and every 5 mins thereafter till the reading at removal of the device. For both the groups baseline ETCO2 was taken from connection of ETCO2 cable following placement of airway devices. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION The study revealed that both the airway devices (ET tube and LMA ProSeal) were successful in operative procedure (open appendicectomy) in all the patients without any signicant complication. In experienced hands and following a strict protocol of insertion, the LMA ProSeal can prove to be an efcient and safe alternative to endotracheal tube for airway management of elective patients undergoing laparotomy procedure like open appendicectomy.

I-Gel and LMA classic in the hands of novice: A comparative study

Background: Supraglottic airway devices (SADs) such as LMA classic (cLMA), I-Gel, etc. are indispensable tool for the anaesthesiologists experienced in airway management. But studies evaluating the performance of these devices in the hands of unskilled personnel are scarce. Aims and Objective: To determine the procedure time and the proportion of patients having successful placement of I-gel and LMA classic by first-year Post Graduate Trainees (PGTs) of Anaesthesiology who tried insertion of those devices after a short training in mannequins without any hands-on training regarding placement of the devices in human. Materials and Methods: After getting Institute’s Ethics Committee’s approval for this interventional study, forty adult patients, posted for short surgical or gynaecological surgery, were randomly allocated in to two groups to have placement of either I-Gel (group ‘I’, n=20) or cLMA (group ‘C’, n=20) by first-year PGTs. The procedure time (Primary outcome) i.e. the time taken for successful placement of either device was determined and compared. A standard technique of anaesthesia was followed in every patient. Any adverse event such as sore throat, odynophagia, blood stain on the device, etc. was also recorded. Results: All patients were comparable with respect to demographic data and Mallampati scores. The mean procedure time (seconds) was considerably lower in I-Gel group compared with cLMA (63.3 ± 57.2 versus 163.0 ± 158.3, respectively, P value <0.001). The incidence of successful placement at first attempt was significantly higher for I-Gel group. The incidence of adverse events was comparable. Conclusion: Procedure time for I-Gel insertion is significantly shorter than with LMA Classic along with a higher success rate with first attempt for the former. I-Gel may be a better alternative as airway device for the unskilled anaesthesiologist.

Current practice of German anesthesiologists in airway management

Background There is a worldwide consensus among experts that guidelines and algorithms on airway management contribute to improved patient safety in anesthesia. The present study aimed to determine the current practice of airway management of German anesthesiologists and assess the safety gap, defined as the difference between observed and recommended practice, amongst these practitioners. Objective To determine the effect of implementing the guidelines on airway management practice in Germany amongst anesthesiologists and identify potential safety gaps. Methods A survey was conducted in September 2019 by contacting all registered members of the German Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (DGAI) via email. The participants were asked about their personal and institutional background, adherence to recommendations of the current German S1 guidelines and availability of airway devices. Results A total of 1862 DGAI members completed the questionnaire (response rate 17%). The main outcome was that anesthesiologists mostly adhered to the guidelines, yet certain recommendations, particularly pertaining to specifics of preoxygenation and training, showed a safety gap. More than 90% of participants had a video laryngoscope and half had performed more than 25 awake intubations using a flexible endoscope; however, only 81% had a video laryngoscope with a hyperangulated blade. An estimated 16% of all intubations were performed with a video laryngoscope, and 1 in 4 participants had performed awake intubation with it. Nearly all participants had cared for patients with suspected difficult airways. Half of the participants had already faced a “cannot intubate, cannot oxygenate” (CICO) situation and one in five had to perform an emergency front of neck access (eFONA) at least once. In this case, almost two thirds used puncture-based techniques and one third scalpel-based techniques. Conclusion Current practice of airway management showed overall adherence to the current German guidelines on airway management, yet certain areas need to be improved.

Should positive end-expiratory pressure be used during elective general anaesthesia with supraglottic airway devices?

Anaesthetists' use of positive end-expiratory pressure during elective general anaesthesia via supraglottic airway devices varies. Positive end-expiratory pressure may help to maintain oxygenation and prevent atelectasis, but could worsen the risk of air leak, gastric insufflation and catastrophic aspiration.