THE IDEAL PROFILE (INCREASE IN B-LINES/DELTA B-LINES) ON LUNG ULTRASOUND FOR DIAGNOSING WEANING INDUCED PULMONARY EDEMA IN VENTILATED PATIENTS

Objective: To ascertain the ideal number of B-lines on lung ultrasound for the diagnosis of weaning induced pulmonary edema in ventilated patients. Study Design: Prospective observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medicine, Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, from Jan to Aug 2020. Methodology: All the patients over the age of 18 years who were on mechanical ventilation in a medical intensive care unit were included in the study. The patients were given spontaneous breathing trials as a protocol for weaning from mechanical ventilation. Lung ultrasound was performed on 4 points of anterior chest wall before and after spontaneous breathing trials. Before and after spontaneous breathing trials counting of B lines was done on ultrasound of lung and comparison of increase in B lines (Delta-B-lines) was done with reference diagnosis of weaning induced pulmonary edema diagnosed by intensivist who was blinded to the results of lung ultrasound. Results: The study included 42 patients including 23 (54.8%) men and 19 (45.2%) women. 14 cases failed spontaneous breathing trials. Seven cases (16.7%) had weaning induced pulmonary edema. Delta-B-lines ≥6 diagnosed weaning induced pulmonary edema with 100% accuracy. Out of the remaining seven patients with weaning failure but without weaning induced pulmonary edema, 6 (28.6%) had Delta-B-lines ≥6. The ultrasound lung technique had a 100% sensitivity profile to detect weaning induced pulmonary edema and a specificity of 77.78%. Conclusion: The study indicates that Delta-B-lines ≥6 diagnosed the weaning induced pulmonary edema with the best accuracy.

Pressure Support Versus T-Piece Trial For Weaning From Mechanical Ventilation

Aim: To compare pressure support versus T-piece trial for weaning from mechanical ventilation Methodology: Randomized clinical trial in Surgical ICU, Khyber Teaching hospital Peshawar. 48 patients who had been mechanically ventilated for at least 24 hours and were deemed suitable for weaning took part in the study. SBT with pressure support ventilation of 8cm of H2O was performed on one group of patients for two hours while the other group received a 30-minute SBT with pressure support ventilation. It was successful when extubation process is completed, (being able to go 72 hours without mechanical ventilation after the first SBT). Results: Extubation was successful in 83.3% who received pressure support ventilation and in 75% who employed a T-piece. The patients who required reintubation were 12% with support pressure and 16.7% with T piece ventilation. Mortality rate in support pressure group is 16.7% while 25% in T piece ventilation group. Conclusion: Pressure support ventilation for 30 minutes had a much higher success rate when it came to extubation. For spontaneous breathing trials, a shorter, less taxing ventilation approach should be used rather than the traditional one. Keywords: Extubation, Support pressure, T piece

The Fundamental Need for Sleep in Neurocritical Care Units: Time for a Paradigm Shift

Intensive neurological assessments in neurocritical care settings for unduly prolonged period result in profound sleep deprivation in those patients that confounds the true neurological status of these patients, and the mounting apprehension in providers can beget a vicious cycle of even more intensive neurological assessments resulting in further sleep deprivation from being constantly woken up to be “assessed.” This iatrogenic state drives these patients into deep sleep stages that impact spontaneous breathing trials, weaken immunity, and lead to unwarranted investigations and interventions. There is dwindling value of prolonged frequent neurochecks beyond the initial 24–48 h of an intracranial event. We insist that sleep must be considered on at least an equal par to other functions that are routinely assessed. We reason that therapeutic sleep must be allowed to these patients in suitable amounts especially beyond the first 36–48 h to achieve ideal and swift recovery. This merits a paradigm shift.

Early extubation strategy after congenital heart surgery: 1-year single-centre experience

Introduction: Our aim was to present the initial experience with a protocol-driven early extubation strategy and to identify risk factors associated with failed spontaneous breathing trials within 12 hours after surgery. Methods: A single institutional retrospective study of children up to 18 years of age was conducted in post-operative cardiac surgical patients over a 1-year period. A daily spontaneous breathing trial protocol was used to assess patients’ readiness for extubation. The study population (n = 129) was stratified into two age groups: infants (n = 84) and children (n = 45), and further stratified according to ventilation time: early extubation (ventilation time less than 12 h, n = 86) and deferred extubation (ventilation time more than 12 h, n = 43). Mann–Whitney U-test and binomial logistic regression were used for statistical analysis. Results: Early extubated infants had shorter ICU (4 versus 6 days, p = 0.003) and hospital length of stays (16 versus 19 days, p = 0.006), lower re-intubation rates (1 versus 7 patients, p = 0.003), and lower mortality (0 versus. 4 patients, p = 0.01) than deferred extubated infants. There was no significant difference in the studied outcomes in the children group. Malnourished infants and longer cardiopulmonary bypass times were independently associated with failed spontaneous breathing trials within 12 hours after cardiac surgery. Conclusions: Early extubated infants after cardiac surgery had shorter ICU and hospital length of stay, without an increase in morbidity and mortality, compared to infants who deferred extubation. Nutritional status and longer cardiopulmonary bypass times were risk factors for failed spontaneous breathing trial.