Journal of clinical monitoring and computing
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J Clin Monit Comput · Apr 2019
Assessing the correct inflation of the endotracheal tube cuff: a larger pilot balloon increases the sensitivity of the 'finger-pressure' technique, but it remains poorly reliable in clinical practice.
The pilot balloon palpation (or 'finger-pressure') method is still widely used to assess the endotracheal tube cuff inflation, despite consistent evidence of its poor sensitivity in recognizing cuff overinflation. It was recently speculated that this may be related to the lower wall tension (due to the smaller radius) of the pilot balloon as compared with the cuff, according to Laplace's law. To verify this hypothesis and, secondarily, to assess whether the use of a 'large' pilot balloon (identical to the cuff) increases the reliability of this technique, 62 anesthetists (41 experienced anesthesiologists and 21 residents) were asked to estimate the pressure of a cuff inflated to 88 mmHg into a simulated trachea by feeling both a usual and a modified 'large' pilot balloon. ⋯ Moreover, 89% of participants (85% of experienced anesthesiologists and 95% of residents) believed that pressure was higher in the 'large' balloon than in the normal one. However, only 32% of participants (51% of experienced anesthesiologists and none of residents) recognized slight overinflation (40 mmHg) after feeling the 'large' balloon. The pilot balloon size affects the sensitivity of the 'finger-pressure' technique, but it remains poorly reliable with a larger pilot balloon.
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J Clin Monit Comput · Apr 2019
Letter Case ReportsA novel cause of rebreathing carbon dioxide related to removed CLIC-seal on the Dräger Apollo© anesthesia machine.
We present a case report involving two sequential, surgically uneventful, laparoscopic cholecystectomies using the same anesthesia machine (Drager Apollo©) for which the level of inspired carbon dioxide was noted to be elevated following various diagnostic interventions including replacing the sodalime, increasing fresh gas flows, and a full inspection of equipment for malfunction. Eventually it was discovered that a rubber ring seal connecting the Dragersorb CLIC system© to the sodalime canister was inadvertently removed during the initial canister exchange resulting in an apparent bypassing of the absorbent and thus an inability of the exhaled gas to contact the sodalime. To our knowledge this is the first such description of this potential cause of elevated inspired carbon dioxide and should warrant consideration when other conventional interventions have failed.
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J Clin Monit Comput · Apr 2019
Influence of tetanic stimulation on the staircase phenomenon and the acceleromyographic time-course of neuromuscular block: a randomized controlled trial.
During neuromuscular monitoring, repeated electrical stimulation evokes muscle responses of increasing magnitude ('staircase phenomenon', SP). We aimed to evaluate whether SP affects time course and twitches' values of an acceleromyographic assessed neuromuscular block with or without previous tetanic stimulation. Fifty adult patients were randomized to receive a 50 Hz tetanic stimulus (S group) or not (C group) before monitor calibration. ⋯ TOFr showed no differences between groups at any time point. T1 at maximum recovery showed a stronger correlation with post-stabilization T1 compared to baseline. (ρ = 0.80 and ρ = 0.85, for C and S groups.) Standard calibration does not ensure twitch baseline stabilization and prolongs onset time of neuromuscular block. TOF ratio is not influenced by SP.
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J Clin Monit Comput · Apr 2019
Comment LetterResponse to: Is the new ASNM intraoperative neuromonitoring supervision "guideline" a trustworthy guideline? A commentary.
Abstract
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J Clin Monit Comput · Apr 2019
Comment LetterIn response: Blood CO2 exchange monitoring, Haldane effect and other calculations in sepsis and critical illness.
Abstract