The prevalence of early- and late-onset bacterial, viral, and fungal respiratory superinfections in invasively ventilated COVID-19 patients.

The role of respiratory superinfections in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia remains unclear. We investigated the prevalence of early- and late-onset superinfections in invasively ventilated patients with COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to our department of intensive care medicine between March 2020 and November 2020. Of the 102 cases, 74 (72.5%) received invasive ventilation and were tested for viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens on Days 0-7, 8-14, and 15-21 after the initiation of mechanical ventilation. Approximately 45% developed one or more respiratory superinfections. There was a clear correlation between the duration of invasive ventilation and the prevalence of coinfecting pathogens. Male patients with obesity and those suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and/or diabetes mellitus had a significantly higher probability to develop a respiratory superinfection. The prevalence of viral coinfections was high, with a predominance of the herpes simplex virus (HSV), followed by cytomegalovirus. No respiratory viruses or intracellular bacteria were detected in our cohort. We observed a high coincidence between Aspergillus fumigatus and HSV infection. Gram-negative bacteria were the most frequent pathogen group. Klebsiella aerogenes was detected early after intubation, while Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were related to a prolonged respiratory weaning.

Surgical correction of a percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy: A case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) has become a routine procedure in intensive care, because of its multiple advantages over surgical tracheostomy (ST). CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 72-year-old patient with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, who received a PDT in the 6th tracheal ring with a lateral puncture of the trachea. This atypical placement of tracheostomy was due to a massive left-pronounced goiter, causing a tracheal shift to the right. To avoid dislocation of the tracheal cannula and prevent recurrent bleeding, surgical revision was decided. After left hemithyroidectomy, oral intubation was temporarily necessary, in order to remove the old tracheostomy. Then suturing of the left lateral tracheal defect and standard ST in the 2nd tracheal cartilage was performed. The patient was successfully weaned and decannulated and his swallowing function remained intact. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: In our case left hemithyroidectomy was necessary, in order to enable an optimal surgical tracheostomy in the 2nd tracheal cartilage. Because mechanical ventilation was carried out proximal to the large tracheal defect after PCT, a secondary closing approach was not an option. The endotracheal cuff was placed above the defect, in order to prevent acute or chronic intraluminal pressure trauma. Postoperative x-ray and bronchoscopy insured the sufficient sealing of the tracheal suturing. CONCLUSION: We describe an unusual placement of percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy through a thyroid goiter and our approach to perform a correction surgical tracheostomy.

Bilateral Lung Artery Embolization Mimicking an Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Electrocardiographic abnormalities in patients with massive pulmonary embolism are common and unspecific. An 80-year-old woman was admitted to our department with severe respiratory insufficiency and hemodynamic instability. Abnormal high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I and ST-segmental elevation in II, III, aVF, and V3-V6 were present on admission. Segmental motion abnormalities of the left ventricular wall were not detectable in echocardiography. Instead, the presence of a right ventricular strain raised the suspicion of a lung artery embolization. The diagnosis was confirmed by a computed tomography of the chest, and a thrombolytic therapy with 100 mg recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) was administered. Though respiratory and hemodynamic stability were established, electromechanical disassociation suddenly occurred 30 hours later and the patient died. Electrocardiographic changes mimicking a myocardial infarction may occur after a massive pulmonary embolism and constitute a diagnostic challenge for clinicians being active in the field of emergency medicine and intensive care.