In situ simulation improves perceived self-efficacy of OR nurses and anaesthesiologists during COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: Self-efficacy is defined as people's internal beliefs about their ability to have an impact on events that affect their lives. As part of the COVID-19 pandemic, we carried out in situ simulation for anaesthesiologists and operating room (OR) nurses. Simulation was focused on the recommendations on the use of specific personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as on airway management and intubation. We hypothesised that in situ procedural simulation should increase their perceived self-efficacy. Methods: Between 16 March and 20 March 2020, 208 healthcare workers took part in in situ procedural simulation. A questionnaire was sent to participants on 21 April 2020. Six self-efficacy items related to PPE and airway manoeuvres were assessed before and after training on a Numeric Rating Scale from 0 to 10. Results: Sixty-seven participants (32%) replied to the questionnaire. The before-after comparison of the six items revealed an increase in perceived self-efficacy for each of them. A before training difference was observed between nurses, board-certified anaesthetists and trainees in anaesthesia in perceived self-efficacy for putting on (6 (3-8) vs 4.5 (2.25-6) vs 2 (0-6), p=0.007) and remove PPE (8 (5-8) vs 4.5 (3.25-6) vs 4 (1-6), p=0.009). No difference in perceived self-efficacy after training was observed between nurses, board-certified anaesthetists and trainees in anaesthesia. Conclusions: In situ simulation improves the perceived self-efficacy of OR nurses and anaesthesiologists on specific skills related to the care of patients with COVID-19.

Novel method of transpulmonary pressure measurement with an air-filled esophageal catheter.

BACKGROUND: There is a strong rationale for proposing transpulmonary pressure-guided protective ventilation in acute respiratory distress syndrome. The reference esophageal balloon catheter method requires complex in vivo calibration, expertise and specific material order. A simple, inexpensive, accurate and reproducible method of measuring esophageal pressure would greatly facilitate the measure of transpulmonary pressure to individualize protective ventilation in the intensive care unit. RESULTS: We propose an air-filled esophageal catheter method without balloon, using a disposable catheter that allows reproducible esophageal pressure measurements. We use a 49-cm-long 10 Fr thin suction catheter, positioned in the lower-third of the esophagus and connected to an air-filled disposable blood pressure transducer bound to the monitor and pressurized by an air-filled infusion bag. Only simple calibration by zeroing the transducer to atmospheric pressure and unit conversion from mmHg to cmH2O are required. We compared our method with the reference balloon catheter both ex vivo, using pressure chambers, and in vivo, in 15 consecutive mechanically ventilated patients. Esophageal-to-airway pressure change ratios during the dynamic occlusion test were close to one (1.03 ± 0.19 and 1.00 ± 0.16 in the controlled and assisted modes, respectively), validating the proper esophageal positioning. The Bland-Altman analysis revealed no bias of our method compared with the reference and good precision for inspiratory, expiratory and delta esophageal pressure measurements in both the controlled (largest bias -0.5 cmH2O [95% confidence interval: -0.9; -0.1] cmH2O; largest limits of agreement -3.5 to 2.5 cmH2O) and assisted modes (largest bias -0.3 [-2.6; 2.0] cmH2O). We observed a good repeatability (intra-observer, intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC: 0.89 [0.79; 0.96]) and reproducibility (inter-observer ICC: 0.89 [0.76; 0.96]) of esophageal measurements. The direct comparison with pleural pressure in two patients and spectral analysis by Fourier transform confirmed the reliability of the air-filled catheter-derived esophageal pressure as an accurate surrogate of pleural pressure. A calculator for transpulmonary pressures is available online. CONCLUSIONS: We propose a simple, minimally invasive, inexpensive and reproducible method for esophageal pressure monitoring with an air-filled esophageal catheter without balloon. It holds the promise of widespread bedside use of transpulmonary pressure-guided protective ventilation in ICU patients.

Anesthetic Management of a Child With Rapid-Onset Dystonia-Parkinsonism (DYT12-ATP1A3): A Case Report.

Rapid-onset dystonia-parkinsonism also known as DYT12-ATP1A3 is an extremely rare neurological disease. Patients develop dystonia, bradykinesia, postural instability, dysarthria, and dysphagia. Injection of botulinum toxin is the first-choice treatment for focal dystonia. We report the case of a 14-year-old patient diagnosed with rapid-onset dystonia-parkinsonism who was scheduled for injection of botulinum toxin in his upper limbs under general anesthesia. To our knowledge, there is no previous report about the anesthetic management of patients with rapid-onset dystonia-parkinsonism.