Prevalence of major vessels anterior to the trachea at sites of potential front-of-neck emergency airway access in adults.

BACKGROUND: Several case reports have described anatomical variations that can cause difficulty with front-of-neck airway access, such as major vessels anterior to the trachea. The prevalence of these anomalies is unknown. METHODS: We screened 500 consecutive thoracic computed tomography (CT) scans in adult patients performed independently in any public hospital in Western Australia. The prevalence of major vessels anterior to the trachea in the anterior triangle of the neck was determined. RESULTS: In the suprasternal notch, 264 CT scans (53%) demonstrated part of a major vessel anterior to the trachea, most commonly the brachiocephalic artery. At 10, 20, and 30 mm above the suprasternal notch, respectively, 126 (25%), 48 (9%), and 5 (1%) CT scans showed a major vessel anterior to the trachea. None showed a major vessel anterior to the cricothyroid membrane. In the suprasternal notch, a major vessel was anterior to the trachea in 10 of 120 CT scans (8%) that had a manubrio-cricoid distance <25 mm, and 108 of 116 CT scans (93%) that had a manubrio-cricoid distance >50 mm. In a logistic-regression model, increased length of trachea above the manubrium was a strong predictor of major vessels anterior to the trachea in the suprasternal notch, whilst sex, age, thoracic kyphosis, tracheal diameter, and the origin of the brachiocephalic artery were not strong predictors. CONCLUSIONS: It is common for patients to have some portion of a major vessel anterior to the trachea at sites where an emergency tracheostomy might be performed.

Measuring the quality of anaesthesia from a patient's perspective: development, validation, and implementation of a short questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: The primary aim of this study was to develop and validate a short psychometric instrument to assess the patient's perception of the quality of anaesthesia. METHODS: In Part 1, the Perception of Quality in Anaesthesia (PQA) questionnaire was developed, pilot tested, and validated. Attributes of high-quality anaesthesia were identified using a process that restricted input to patients and members of the public. In Part 2, patient cohorts completed the PQA before, and after, a 6 month period where anaesthetists were given individualized performance data using questions from the PQA. RESULTS: In Part 1, items in the PQA were identified and ranked by 120 patients and members of the public. Validity and reliability of the PQA was assessed by 714 patients. Principal component analysis showed that the PQA comprised five factors: attention/gentleness; pain management; information/confidence; postoperative nausea or vomiting (PONV); and concerns addressed. In Part 2, there were 2046 patient participants in the pre-feedback cohort, 4251 in the feedback cohort, and 1421 in the post-feedback cohort. Unsatisfactory experience in at least one PQA factor was described by 45.2% [95% confidence interval (CI) 43.1-47.4%] during the pre-feedback period, and 35.0% (95% CI 32.6-37.6%) during the post-feedback period. CONCLUSIONS: We developed and validated a patient-derived questionnaire to measure the patient's perception of anaesthesia quality. PONV, postoperative pain management, and communication with the anaesthetist are the most important features of the patient's experience. Feedback of PQA performance scores to anaesthetists can lead to improved patient experience.

Laryngoscopy force in the sniffing position compared to the extension-extension position.

Laryngoscopy is sometimes easier with the patient's head and neck in the extension-extension position (head extension with the neck extended by the head section of the table bent down at 30 degrees) rather than the classical 'sniffing the morning air' position. We therefore tested the hypothesis that the axial force required for laryngoscopy is less in the extension-extension than the sniffing position. We measured the force axial to the handle of a Macintosh 3 laryngoscope in 20 subjects under general anaesthesia who had been given neuromuscular blocking drugs. Measurement of force was made in the sniffing position and the extension-extension position. The mean (SD) axial force required in the extension-extension position was lower than in the sniffing position (19.6 (7.8) N versus 23.6 (8.6) N, p = 0.04). In the setting of routine tracheal intubation, less force is required when the patient is in the extension-extension position than in the sniffing position.

An audit of the diagnostic accuracy of rotational thromboelastometry for the identification of hypofibrinogenaemia and thrombocytopenia during cardiopulmonary bypass.

We audited the diagnostic accuracy of ROTEM® (TEM Innovations, GmbH, Munich, Germany) measurements of hypofibrinogenaemia (fibrinogen <1.5 g/l) and thrombocytopenia (platelet count <100 x 109/l) in 200 adult non-transplant patients during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Blood samples were obtained for FIBTEM (assay for the fibrin part of the clot), PLTEM (calculated platelet-specific component), and laboratory measurements simultaneously. Our thresholds for FIBTEM and PLTEM were A10 (clot firmness 10 minutes after clotting time) ≤8 mm, and <35 mm respectively. We also calculated the accuracy of smaller thresholds and earlier indices. We found that FIBTEM A10 ≤8 mm had low sensitivity (0.62) for hypofibrinogenaemia. With the 13% hypofibrinogenaemia prevalence in our sample, the positive predictive value (PPV) was 0.47. In contrast, FIBTEM A10 ≤8 mm had higher specificity (0.90) (negative predictive value [NPV] 0.94). Of the other FIBTEM values analysed, only A5 ≤6 mm had similar or superior accuracy. The PLTEM results were less encouraging (sensitivity 0.81, specificity 0.62). With our prevalence of thrombocytopenia (also 13%), the PPV was only 0.24. However, the NPV was high (0.96). Of the other PLTEM values analysed, only A5 <25 mm had similar or superior accuracy. These findings indicate that during CPB FIBTEM A10 ≤8 mm and PLTEM A10 <35 mm have greater accuracy in identifying the absence of hypofibrinogenaemia and thrombocytopenia respectively than their presence. On the basis of these results we would be reassured by FIBTEM A10 values >8 mm and PLTEM A10 values ≥35 mm, but would continue to use laboratory measurements for confirmation. We would not use FIBTEM A10 ≤8 mm or PLTEM A10 <35 mm values alone to guide replacement therapy unless clinical conditions warranted an immediate decision before laboratory measurements were available.

A comparison of photodynamic therapy using topical methyl aminolevulinate (Metvix) with single cycle cryotherapy in patients with actinic keratosis: a prospective, randomized study.

BACKGROUND: Actinic keratosis (AK) is a very common condition, which has the potential of progressing to squamous cell carcinoma. The present study is a prospective, randomized study comparing the lesion response, cosmetic outcome, patient satisfaction and tolerability of a new treatment modality, photodynamic therapy (PDT), using topical methyl aminolevulinate (Metvix), with the most commonly used standard therapy for AK, cryotherapy. METHODS: A total of 204 patients with clinically diagnosed AK were randomized to either cryotherapy or PDT. The PDT patients were further assigned to an active or placebo group in a random, double-blind manner. Cryotherapy was performed using liquid nitrogen spray in a single freeze-thaw cycle. PDT was performed using 160 mg/g methyl aminolevulinate cream or placebo, a 3-hour application time, red light (570-670 nm) and a total light dose of 75 J/cm(2). PDT was repeated after 7 days. Two sessions of PDT were undertaken, as a previous study had shown a single session had similar efficacy to cryotherapy. Lesion response was assessed clinically after 3 months (complete response or non-complete response). RESULTS: The lesion response rate was 91% in the methyl aminolevulinate PDT group, 68% in the cryotherapy group and 30% in the placebo PDT group. Methyl aminolevulinate PDT was statistically significantly better than both cryotherapy and placebo PDT in terms of response rates and cosmetic outcome. Most patients preferred PDT to other treatments. CONCLUSIONS: PDT with methyl aminolevulinate is an excellent treatment option, particularly for patients with widespread damage or AK lesions in cosmetically sensitive areas.

An audit of the statistical validity of conclusions of clinical superiority in anaesthesia journals.

Making a statistically valid conclusion of the superiority of a clinical intervention in a clinical trial requires not only a statistically significant P value, but also adequate a priori power and an observed effect size larger than the clinically important value specified in the sample size calculation. We scrutinised the five most highly cited clinical trials reporting one or more conclusions of clinical superiority published in Anesthesiology, the British Journal of Anaesthesia, Anaesthesia, Anesthesia and Analgesia and Anaesthesia and Intensive Care in 2011 or 2012 to determine how many met all three requisite criteria. In the 25 articles, there were a total of 36 unconditional conclusions of the superiority of a clinical intervention. All were supported by a statistically significant P value. However, only 15 (41.6%) met all three requisite statistical criteria to support clinical superiority. The remainder included secondary outcomes without specific reference to their observational nature, and primary outcomes whose observed effect size was smaller than the clinically important value specified in the sample size calculation. These findings indicate that clinicians should closely scrutinise conclusions of clinical superiority in anaesthesia journals. Many will be 'hypothesis-generating observations' without adequate statistical support for a conclusion of clinical superiority in their own right.

Comparison of the Pentax Airway Scope and McGrath Videolaryngoscope with the Macintosh laryngoscope in tracheal intubation by anaesthetists unfamiliar with videolaryngoscopes: a manikin study.

Videolaryngoscopes are becoming widely available and have been suggested as a replacement for the Macintosh in cases of cervical instability or even for use in the first instance. There is limited existing data on the use of videoscopes by experienced anaesthetists who are inexperienced in the use of videoscopes. We used a manikin model to compare time to intubation between the Macintosh blade, Pentax Airway Scope and the McGrath videolaryngoscope in a simulated urgent intubation by 23 experienced anaesthetists with no prior experience in the use of these videoscopes. We also measured the number of attempts and success of intubation within three minutes. Ease of device use and laryngoscopic view obtained were also recorded. We found that all participants could intubate the manikin within three minutes, with a median of one attempt using the Pentax Airway Scope. Only 48% of participants (n=11) could intubate within three minutes using the McGrath videolaryngoscope and required a median of three attempts. This difference occurred despite the majority of anaesthetists obtaining a Grade 1 Cormack and Lehane view with both videoscopes. We demonstrated that anaesthetists who were naive to these videoscopes can successfully intubate the trachea using the Pentax Airway Scope but not the McGrath videolaryngoscope.

Multicentre intraindividual randomized trial of topical methyl aminolaevulinate-photodynamic therapy vs. cryotherapy for multiple actinic keratoses on the extremities.

BACKGROUND: Methyl aminolaevulinate-photodynamic therapy (MAL-PDT) is an effective treatment in facial/scalp actinic keratosis (AK). OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to compare efficacy, safety, cosmetic outcome and patient preference of MAL-PDT vs. cryotherapy in patients with AK at other locations. METHODS: A multicentre, controlled, randomized, open, intraindividual, right-left comparison was performed. Patients with nonhyperkeratotic AK were treated once with MAL-PDT and cryotherapy on either side of the body. At week 12, lesions showing noncomplete response were retreated. The primary efficacy variable was the lesion response at week 24. Investigator's assessment of cosmetic outcome, patient's preference in terms of cosmetic outcome and a patient preference questionnaire were also analysed at week 24. RESULTS: In total, of 121 patients with 1343 lesions (98% located on the extremities and the remainder on the trunk and neck) were included. Both treatments provided a high mean percentage reduction in lesion count at week 24 with significantly higher efficacy for cryotherapy: 78% for MAL-PDT and 88% for cryotherapy (P=0.002, per protocol population). Investigator's assessment of cosmetic outcome was significantly better for MAL-PDT than cryotherapy (P<0.001), 79% of lesions having an excellent cosmetic outcome with MAL-PDT vs. 56% with cryotherapy at week 24. The cosmetic outcome achieved by MAL-PDT compared with cryotherapy was also preferred by patients (50% vs. 22%, respectively, P<0.001), and 59% of patients would prefer to have any new lesions treated with MAL-PDT compared with 25% with cryotherapy (P<0.001). Both treatment regimens were safe and well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: MAL-PDT showed inferior efficacy for treatment of non-face/scalp AK compared with cryotherapy. However, both treatments showed high efficacy, and MAL-PDT conveyed the advantages of better cosmesis and higher patient preference.

Effect of open-chest surgery in the lateral position on blood propofol concentration during target-controlled infusion of propofol.

Our research hypothesis was that single lung ventilation during thoracic surgery in the lateral position increases the blood concentration of propofol during target-controlled infusion. Thirty adult patients in two tertiary referral hospitals undergoing open-chest surgery were studied. Anaesthesia was induced and maintained with propofol using a Diprifusor (Graseby 3500) computer-controlled pump set to deliver a blood concentration of 4 tg.ml(-1). Blood samples were taken with the patient positioned in (1) the supine position 20 minutes after induction (supine); (2) the lateral position just prior to one-lung ventilation (lateral); (3) the lateral position five minutes after commencing one-lung ventilation (OLV5) and (4) the lateral position 20 minutes after commencing one-lung ventilation (OLV20). Propofol concentrations were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The target-controlled infusion target level was maintained at 4 microg.ml(-1) during the study period for all cases. The mean (SD) propofol blood concentration (microg.ml(-1)) at each stage was 5.5 (1.5) supine, 5.3 (1.1) lateral, 5.3 (1.2) OLV5 and 5.1 (1.2) OLV20. Repeated measures ANOVA showed an F value 1.9, lambda 5.5 and P value 0.15. Post hoc analysis did not identify a significant difference between the sample times. During target-controlled infusion of propofol, mean blood propofol concentrations did not change significantly from those obtained with the patient supine after up to 50 minutes in the lateral position during thoracic surgery, or 20 minutes after commencing one-lung ventilation.

Systemic anticoagulant effect of low-dose subcutaneous unfractionated heparin as determined using thrombelastography.

In an observational study using heparinase-modified thrombelastography, we investigated the percentage of elective cardiothoracic surgical patients receiving low-dose unfractionated heparin (5000 IU 12 hourly subcutaneously) who had a demonstrable systemic heparin effect. Blood samples were obtained at induction from 40 adult elective cardiothoracic surgical patients who had received 5000 IU unfractionated heparin subcutaneously within six hours. Simultaneous kaolin and heparinase-modified thrombelastographies were run on all samples. Fourteen patients (35%; 95% CI: 20 to 50%) had a demonstrable heparin effect (defined as a kaolin thrombelastography R time >25% longer than the heparinase-modified control). Their mean +/- SD kaolin thrombelastography R time was 13.6 +/- 5.9 minutes (normal range 4 to 8 minutes) vs. 7.1 +/- 2.0 minutes for the heparinase-modified controls. In 10 patients the thrombelastography R times were >50% longer and in four patients >100% longer than their respective heparinase-modified controls. In a post hoc analysis, there was little correlation between the extent of the prolongation and patient age (r = 0.02), weight (r = -0.31), preoperative creatinine (r = -0.17), or time since administration of heparin (r = 0.14). These results indicate that about one third of patients who have received low-dose unfractionated heparin subcutaneously within six hours have a demonstrable heparin effect. The potential for this effect should be considered if central neural blockade is planned.

The effect of excess protamine on thrombelastography in vitro.

The aim of the current study was to assess the direct effect of protamine on conventional thrombelastography in vitro. Protamine was added to blood samples collected from 25 adult cardiac surgical patients prior to the induction of anaesthesia and after separation from cardiopulmonary bypass. The final protamine concentrations were 0 (control), 0.05 mg/ml, 0.1 mg/ml and 0.2 mg/ml (i.e. sufficient to reverse heparin 0, 5, 10 and 20 IU/ml respectively, assuming a 1:1 reversal ratio). In the pre-induction samples, protamine was associated with increases in r time and reductions in maximum amplitude (P<0.01). After bypass, the control samples demonstrated a heparin effect as expected, which was corrected by the addition of protamine 0.05 mg/ml. However, the higher concentrations of protamine were again associated with increases in r time and reductions in maximum amplitude (P<0.01). The results indicate that protamine has a direct anticoagulant effect on conventional thrombelastography in vitro. This effect occurs whether protamine is present alone, or whether protamine is present in excess after neutralization of heparin. Unless this effect is taken into account, excess protamine may confound the interpretation of conventional thrombelastography in cardiac surgical patients.