Use of a disposable vascular pressure device to guide balloon inflation of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta: a bench study

Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) for rapid hemorrhage control is increasingly being used in trauma management. Its beneficial hemodynamic effects on unstable patients beyond temporal hemostasis has led to growing interest in its use in other patient populations, such as during cardiac arrest from nontraumatic causes. The ability to insert the catheters without fluoroscopic guidance makes the technique available in the prehospital setting. However, in addition to correct positioning, challenges include reliably achieving aortic occlusion while minimizing the risk of balloon rupture. Without fluoroscopic control, inflation of the balloon relies on estimated aortic diameters and on the disappearing pulse in the contralateral femoral artery. In the case of cardiac arrest or absent palpable pulses, balloon inflation is associated with excess risk of overinflation and adverse events (vessel damage, balloon rupture). In this bench study, we examined how the pressure in the balloon is related to the surrounding blood pressure and the balloon's contact with the vessel wall in two sets of experiments, including a pulsatile circulation model. With this data, we developed a rule of thumb to guide balloon inflation of the ER-REBOA catheter with a simple disposable pressure-reading device (COMPASS). We recommend slowly filling the balloon with saline until the measured balloon pressure is 160 mmHg, or 16 mL of saline have been used. If after 16 mL the balloon pressure is still below 160 mmHg, saline should be added in 1-mL increments, which increases the pressure target about 10 mmHg at each step, until the maximum balloon pressure is reached at 240 mmHg (= 24 mL inflation volume). A balloon pressure greater than 250 mmHg indicates overinflation. With this rule and a disposable pressure-reading device (COMPASS), ER-REBOA balloons can be safely filled in austere environments where fluoroscopy is unavailable. Pressure monitoring of the balloon allows for recognition of unintended deflation or rupture of the balloon

Bilateral phrenic nerve block to reduce hazardous respiratory drive in a mechanically ventilated patient with COVID-19—A case report

Key Clinical Message Forced inspiration during mechanical ventilation risks self‐inflicted lung injury. However, controlling it with sedation or paralysis may cause polyneuropathy and myopathy. We tested bilateral phrenic nerve paralysis with local anesthetic in a patient, showing reduced inspiratory force. This offers an alternative to drug‐induced muscle paralysis.Mechanical ventilation, although a life‐saving measure, can also pose a risk of causing lung injury known as “ventilator‐induced lung injury” or VILI. Patients undergoing mechanical ventilation sometimes exhibit heightened inspiratory efforts, wherein the negative pressure generated by the respiratory muscles adds to the positive pressure generated by the ventilator. This combination of high pressures can lead to a syndrome similar to VILI, referred to as “patient self‐inflicted lung injury” or P‐SILI. Prevention of P‐SILI requires the administration of deep sedation and muscle paralysis to the patients, but both these measures can have undesired effects on their health. In this case report, we demonstrate the effect of a bilateral phrenic nerve block aiming to reduce excessive inspiratory respiratory efforts in a patient suffering from COVID‐19 pneumonitis

Association of Preoperative Copeptin Levels with Risk of All-Cause Mortality in a Prospective Cohort of Adult Cardiac Surgery Patients.

We aimed to investigate the association of preoperative copeptin, a new cardiovascular biomarker, with short- and long-term mortality in a cohort of adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery, including its potential as a prognostic marker for clinical outcome. Preoperative blood samples of the Bern Perioperative Biobank, a prospective cohort of adults undergoing cardiac surgery during 2019, were analyzed. The primary and secondary outcome measures were 30-day and 1-year all-cause mortality. Optimal copeptin thresholds were calculated with the Youden Index. Associations of copeptin levels with the two outcomes were examined with multivariable logistic regression models; their discriminatory capacity was assessed with the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC). A total of 519 patients (78.4% male, median age 67 y (IQR: 60-73 y)) were included, with a median preoperative copeptin level of 7.6 pmol/L (IQR: 4.7-13.2 pmol/L). We identified an optimal threshold of 15.9 pmol/l (95%-CI: 7.7 to 46.5 pmol/L) for 30-day mortality and 15.9 pmol/L (95%-CI: 9.0 to 21.3 pmol/L) for 1-year all-cause mortality. Regression models featured an AUROC of 0.79 (95%-CI: 0.56 to 0.95) for adjusted log-transformed preoperative copeptin for 30-day mortality and an AUROC of 0.76 (95%-CI: 0.64 to 0.88) for 1-year mortality. In patients undergoing cardiac surgery, the baseline levels of copeptin emerged as a strong marker for 1-year all-cause death. Preoperative copeptin levels might possibly identify patients at risk for a complicated, long-term postoperative course, and therefore requiring a more rigorous postoperative observation and follow-up

Effects of Hypothermia vs Normothermia on Societal Participation and Cognitive Function at 6 Months in Survivors After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

ImportanceThe Targeted Hypothermia vs Targeted Normothermia After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (TTM2) trial reported no difference in mortality or poor functional outcome at 6 months after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). This predefined exploratory analysis provides more detailed estimation of brain dysfunction for the comparison of the 2 intervention regimens.ObjectivesTo investigate the effects of targeted hypothermia vs targeted normothermia on functional outcome with focus on societal participation and cognitive function in survivors 6 months after OHCA.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis study is a predefined analysis of an international multicenter, randomized clinical trial that took place from November 2017 to January 2020 and included participants at 61 hospitals in 14 countries. A structured follow-up for survivors performed at 6 months was by masked outcome assessors. The last follow-up took place in October 2020. Participants included 1861 adult (older than 18 years) patients with OHCA who were comatose at hospital admission. At 6 months, 939 of 1861 were alive and invited to a follow-up, of which 103 of 939 declined or were missing.InterventionsRandomization 1:1 to temperature control with targeted hypothermia at 33 °C or targeted normothermia and early treatment of fever (37.8 °C or higher).Main outcomes and measuresFunctional outcome focusing on societal participation assessed by the Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended ([GOSE] 1 to 8) and cognitive function assessed by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment ([MoCA] 0 to 30) and the Symbol Digit Modalities Test ([SDMT] z scores). Higher scores represent better outcomes.ResultsAt 6 months, 836 of 939 survivors with a mean age of 60 (SD, 13) (range, 18 to 88) years (700 of 836 male [84%]) participated in the follow-up. There were no differences between the 2 intervention groups in functional outcome focusing on societal participation (GOSE score, odds ratio, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.71-1.17; P = .46) or in cognitive function by MoCA (mean difference, 0.36; 95% CI,−0.33 to 1.05; P = .37) and SDMT (mean difference, 0.06; 95% CI,−0.16 to 0.27; P = .62). Limitations in societal participation (GOSE score less than 7) were common regardless of intervention (hypothermia, 178 of 415 [43%]; normothermia, 168 of 419 [40%]). Cognitive impairment was identified in 353 of 599 survivors (59%).ConclusionsIn this predefined analysis of comatose patients after OHCA, hypothermia did not lead to better functional outcome assessed with a focus on societal participation and cognitive function than management with normothermia. At 6 months, many survivors had not regained their pre-arrest activities and roles, and mild cognitive dysfunction was common.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0290830

Value of the TTM risk score for early prognostication of comatose patients after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in a Swiss university hospital.

Comatose patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest frequently die after withdrawal of life support. Guidelines recommend scheduling prognostication no sooner than 96 hours after cardiac arrest, and strict withdrawal criteria leave many patients waiting for improvement for days without ever reaching a favourable outcome. In clinical practice, physicians are frequently confronted with vague living wills expressed by next of kin or an imprecise advance care directive soon after cardiac arrest. Often a decision to admit a patient to an ICU or limiting ICU treatment in terms of time or intensity is made early, based on the patient’s preferences. The Target Temperature Management (TTM) risk score is an imperfect measure that predicts outcome early, at the time of ICU admission. It was developed on a data set of 939 patients included in the TTM Trial, a study in which unconscious patients after cardiac arrest were randomised into two temperature management arms. Patient selection in that trial might impede generalisability. We aimed to validate the TTM risk score with 100 consecutive patients treated in our ICU. Although we had different survival rates, reflecting a different patient population, we were able to confirm the score’s albeit imperfect ability to predict outcome early after cardiac arrest. The suggested cut-off values of 10 and 16 can be used as a basis for discussion with the family; in particular, a risk score value below 10 predicts a favourable outcome and might guide early discussion. As in the original study, the outcome of an individual patient cannot be predicted. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02722460)

Value of the TTM risk score for early prognostication of comatose patients after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in a Swiss university hospital

Comatose patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest frequently die after withdrawal of life support. Guidelines recommend scheduling prognostication no sooner than 96 hours after cardiac arrest, and strict withdrawal criteria leave many patients waiting for improvement for days without ever reaching a favourable outcome. In clinical practice, physicians are frequently confronted with vague living wills expressed by next of kin or an imprecise advance care directive soon after cardiac arrest. Often a decision to admit a patient to an ICU or limiting ICU treatment in terms of time or intensity is made early, based on the patient’s preferences. The Target Temperature Management (TTM) risk score is an imperfect measure that predicts outcome early, at the time of ICU admission. It was developed on a data set of 939 patients included in the TTM Trial, a study in which unconscious patients after cardiac arrest were randomised into two temperature management arms. Patient selection in that trial might impede generalisability. We aimed to validate the TTM risk score with 100 consecutive patients treated in our ICU. Although we had different survival rates, reflecting a different patient population, we were able to confirm the score’s albeit imperfect ability to predict outcome early after cardiac arrest. The suggested cut-off values of 10 and 16 can be used as a basis for discussion with the family; in particular, a risk score value below 10 predicts a favourable outcome and might guide early discussion. As in the original study, the outcome of an individual patient cannot be predicted. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02722460)</jats:p