Effect of Endotracheal Suctioning on Infants Born through Meconium-Stained Amniotic Fluid: A Meta-Analysis

Objective Meconium is a common finding in amniotic fluid and placental specimens, particularly in term and post-term pregnancies. The objective of this paper was to perform a meta-analysis to examine the impact of endotracheal suctioning on the occurrence of meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS), mortality, and complications. Study Design PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane library were systematically searched for comparative studies. Odds ratios (ORs), weighted mean differences (WMDs), and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to compare the outcomes. Results Twelve studies were included in the meta-analysis. There were no significant impacts of endotracheal suctioning on the occurrence of MAS (OR = 3.05, 95% CI: 0.48–19.56), mortality (OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 0.35–4.44), the need for mechanical ventilation (OR = 4.20, 95% CI: 0.32–54.72), the occurrence of pneumothorax (OR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.34–2.85), persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), (OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 0.58–2.98), hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) (OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.52–1.30), and length of stay (WMD = −0.11, 95% CI: −0.99–0.77). Conclusion Routine endotracheal suctioning at birth is not useful in preventing MAS, mortality, mechanical ventilation, PPHN, HIE, and prolonged length of stay in neonates born through MSAF. Key Points

Effects on Lung Gas Volume, Respiratory Mechanics and Gas Exchange of a Closed-Circuit Suctioning System during Volume- and Pressure-Controlled Ventilation in ARDS Patients

Mechanically ventilated patients periodically require endotracheal suctioning. There are conflicting data regarding the loss of lung gas volume caused by the application of a negative pressure by closed-circuit suctioning. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of suctioning performed by a closed-circuit system in ARDS patients during volume- or pressure-controlled ventilation. In this prospective crossover-design study, 18 ARDS patients were ventilated under volume and pressure control applied in random order. Gas exchange, respiratory mechanics and EIT-derived end-expiratory lung volume (EELV) before the suctioning manoeuvre and after 5, 15 and 30 min were recorded. The tidal volume and respiratory rate were similar in both ventilation modes; in volume control, the EELV decreased by 31 ± 23 mL, 5 min after the suctioning, but it remained similar after 15 and 30 min; the oxygenation, PaCO2 and respiratory system elastance did not change. In the pressure control, 5 min after suctioning, EELV decreased by 35 (26–46) mL, the PaO2/FiO2 did not change, while PaCO2 increased by 5 and 30 min after suctioning (45 (40–51) vs. 48 (43–52) and 47 (42–54) mmHg, respectively). Our results suggest minimal clinical advantages when a closed system is used in volume-controlled compared to pressure-controlled ventilation.

Does mother scented simulated hand promote comfort, reduce pain, and distress among mechanically ventilated preterm neonates during invasive procedures?

Introduction: Breakthrough technologies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) revolutionized neonates’ quality of care. Mother scented simulated hand (MSSH) is an ergonomically designed supportive hand that uses the power of touch to simulate the feeling of being held and cuddled. This study aimed to determine the effect of MSSH on promoting comfort among mechanically ventilated preterm neonates during invasive procedures.Methods: A quasi-experimental, pre-posttest two groups study was carried out in NICU in Smouha, Alexandria. A sample of 62 mechanically ventilated neonates was randomly assigned to two equal groups; the study group wrapped with a warm MSSH during the invasive procedures while the control group received standard care of NICU. Two observers independently rated the neonates’ level of comfort, distress, and pain during endotracheal suctioning (ETS) and heel prick using COMFORTneo scale.Results: It is revealed that the mechanically ventilated neonates had a significantly higher comfort level with MSSH than the standard care during and after both ETS and heal break (p < 0.001 for each). The neonates had significantly lower distress and pain scores when encircled by MSSH during invasive procedures than standard care (p < 0.001 for NRS distress and p < 0.001 for NRS distress).Conclusion: Wrapping the preterm neonates with a warm MSSH promotes comfort and reduces their pain and distress during invasive procedures, especially when their mothers are not physically available.

Predictors of post-extubation stridor in patients on mechanical ventilation: a prospective observational study

The cuff leak test (CLT) has been widely accepted as a simple and noninvasive method for predicting post-extubation stridor (PES). However, its accuracy and clinical impact remain uncertain. We aimed to evaluate the reliability of CLT and to assess the impact of pre-extubation variables on the incidence of PES. A prospective observational study was performed on adult critically ill patients who required mechanical ventilation for more than 24 h. Patients were extubated after the successful spontaneous breathing trial, and CLT was conducted before extubation. Of the 191 patients studied, 26 (13.6%) were deemed positive through CLT. PES developed in 19 patients (9.9%) and resulted in a higher reintubation rate (8.1% vs. 52.6%, p < 0.001) and longer intensive care unit stay (8 [4.5–14] vs. 12 [8–30.5] days, p = 0.01) than patients without PES. The incidence of PES and post-extubation outcomes were similar in patients with both positive and negative CLT results. Compared with patients without PES, patients with PES had longer durations of endotracheal intubation and required endotracheal suctioning more frequently during the 24-h period prior to extubation. After adjusting for confounding factors, frequent endotracheal suctioning more than 15 times per day was associated with an adjusted odds ratio of 2.97 (95% confidence interval, 1.01–8.77) for PES. In conclusion, frequent endotracheal suctioning before extubation was a significant PES predictor in critically ill patients. Further investigations of its impact on the incidence of PES and patient outcomes are warranted.

Intensive care nurses’ knowledge and practice of evidence-based recommendations for endotracheal suctioning: a multisite cross-sectional study in Changsha, China

Background Endotracheal suctioning is one of the most frequently performed invasive procedures by intensive care nurses. Nurses should have adequate knowledge and skills to perform endotracheal suctioning based on the best evidence. Little is known about intensive care nurses’ knowledge and practice of evidence-based endotracheal suctioning in Chinese hospitals. The purpose of this study was to investigate intensive care nurses’ knowledge and practice of evidence-based recommendations regarding endotracheal suctioning. Specifically, the study aimed to examine (1) intensive care nurses’ awareness of and adherence to endotracheal suctioning guidelines and (2) factors influencing their level of awareness and adherence. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 310 staff nurses working in intensive care units was carried out at Changsha, China. Data on participants’ characteristics, awareness of, and adherence to the endotracheal suctioning guidelines were collected through online questionnaires. Following univariate descriptive statistics, the Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis H test were performed using Software Package Statistical Analysis Version 23.0. Results A total of 281 nurses completed and returned the survey (response rate = 90.6 %). One-half to three-quarters of the nurses knew 21 of the 26 evidence-based practices and believed their practices followed the guidelines. Over half of them were unaware of the difference between open and close suctions and the pros and cons of using hyperinflation. Almost 50 % of nurses believed some of their clinical practices did not follow the evidence-based recommendations, such as not routinely using normal saline and using 80–120 mmHg suction pressure during endotracheal suctioning. Nurses with endotracheal suctioning training demonstrated significantly higher awareness of endotracheal suctioning recommendations and higher adherence levels than untrained nurses. Conclusions The study findings revealed that Chinese intensive care nurses lacked awareness of several essential evidence-based endotracheal suctioning practices, and there were gaps between their current practice and the guideline recommendations. Further research should emphasize revealing barriers and facilitators of implementing evidence-based endotracheal suctioning practices as well as developing context-suitable interventions for guideline implementation.

Effectiveness of Teaching Program on Critical Care Nurses’ Performance during Endotracheal Suctioning in the Intensive Care Units in Syria

Background: The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a unit in the hospital which provides intensive care for critically ill or injured patients and is staffed with specially trained medical personnel and has equipment that allows for continuous monitoring and life support. Moreover, critical care nurses (CCNs) should have strong analytical, interpersonal, and decision-making skills. Also they need to continuously improve their knowledge, skills, and safe practice to deliver safe and effective care to their patients. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effect of the teaching program on CCNs performance during endotracheal suctioning. Design: The quasi-experimental design was used in this study. Methods: The study was conducted from June to September 2020. This study was conducted to assess the effect of the teaching program on nurse’s performance during endotracheal suctioning in the critical care units at Al-Assad University Hospital, Damascus. All available registered nurses (48 nurses) who were working in the previous ICUs during the period of data collection were included in this study. An observational checklist sheet was developed by the researcher after reviewing the related literature. The duration of data collection was about three months, and each nurse was observed once for each procedure during different shifts. Based on the nurses’ need according to their performance during the initial assessment, the researcher developed and designed the teaching program. This program continued for two weeks consisting of four phases and contains workshop-practices (8hours) per day and educational pamphlet handout. The workshop practice consists of lectures, group discussion, and training scenarios. Every nurse must attend the training sessions daily, at least one hour. Results: The results showed that the level of knowledge and practice of the studied nurses in endotracheal suction was average and poor before the teaching program and the nurse’s level improved after the program. There was a variation of improvement regarding the nurses age, qualification, and experience. The best performance was for nurses with age group between 20-24 years, nurses with a master degree, and nurses with less than five years of experience. Overall, this study found a statistically significant relationship before and after the implementation of the educational program (p<0.001). Conclusion: There has been an obvious improvement of nurses’ knowledge and performance after the teaching program in relation to age, qualifications, and experience in all selective procedures. It is essential to help the nurses to expand their knowledge and practices to provide a high quality of care and promote patient safety.

Impact of Propofol Bolus Administration on the Nociceptive Flexion Reflex Threshold and Bispectral Index in Children—A Case Series

We analyzed the impact of propofol administration during continuous sedation and analgesia on the nociceptive flexion reflex threshold (NFRT) and Bispectral Index (BIS) in ventilated children. We examined patients who received propofol before planned endotracheal suctioning. Patients were clinically assessed using the modified Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (mFLACC) scale and COMFORT-B (Comfort Behavior) scale. We continuously recorded the NFRT and BIS. We recorded 23 propofol administrations in eight patients with an average age of 8.6 ± 3.5 years. The median (minimum-maximum) scores for the mFLACC scale and COMFORT-B scale were 0 (0–5) and 6 (6–17), respectively, before the bolus. The administration of a weight-adjusted propofol bolus of 1.03 ± 0.31 mg/kg resulted in an increase in NFRT and burst-suppression ratio; BIS and electromyogram values decreased. Changes from baseline (95% CI) after propofol bolus administration were BIS −23.9 (−30.8 to −17.1), EMG -10.5 dB (−13.3 to −7.7), SR 14.8 % (5.6 to 24.0) and NFRT 13.6 mA (5.5 to 21.7). Further studies are needed to determine whether sedated children may benefit from objective pain and sedation monitoring with BIS and NFRT.

Closed Endotracheal Suctioning Impact on Ventilator-Related Parameters in Obstructive and Restrictive Respiratory Systems: A Bench Study

A closed suctioning system (CSS) in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevents spraying respiratory secretions into the environment during suction. However, it is not clear whether ventilation is maintained during the suction procedure, especially in patients with compromised pulmonary mechanics. This paper determines the effects of endotracheal tube (ETT) size, suction catheter size, and two lung mechanics (resistance and compliance) on ventilator-related parameters measured during suction. Suction was performed on an adult training lung, ventilated with either volume-controlled (VC-CMV) or pressure-controlled mandatory ventilation (PC-CMV), using ETT sizes of 6.5–8.0 mm paired with suction catheter sizes of 8–14 French (Fr). Peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) increased by 50% when the ETT’s ventilation area was less than 25 mm2 in size, especially in patients with high airway resistance ventilated with VC-CMV. Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) levels significantly decreased when using 14 Fr SC during VC-CMV and fewer effects during PC-CMV. Change of expiratory minute volume increased with higher outer diameter of suction catheters and decreased with severe lung compliance during PC-CMV. The change in ventilator-related parameters were intently monitored in the patient whose pulmonary mechanic was compromised through the CSS endotracheal tube suctioning procedures in clinical airway management.