A Blueprint for Success: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Clinical Operations Within a Bronchoscopy Suite.

Building an efficient facility for advanced bronchoscopic procedures involves many considerations. This review places particular emphasis on anesthesiology services, based on experience at a tertiary/quaternary care referral academic medical center. Topics include equipment requirements, applicable clinical standards, and multidisciplinary collaboration. Patient flow arrangements for both outpatients and inpatients, from preoperative care to discharge/disposition, are highlighted. The importance of effective business planning, personnel training, leadership, communication, team building, quality of care, and patient safety are also discussed.

Updates and controversies in anesthesia for advanced interventional pulmonology procedures.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Advanced bronchoscopic procedures continues to grow, and are now commonly used to diagnose and/or treat a variety of pulmonary conditions that required formal thoracic surgery in past decades. Pharmacologic developments have provided new therapeutic options, as have technical advances in both anesthesia and interventional pulmonology. This review discusses technical and clinical issues and advances in providing anesthesia for advanced bronchoscopic procedures. It also discusses some controversial issues that have yet to be fully resolved. RECENT FINDINGS: We discuss anesthetic considerations for new procedures such as the new technology used in electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy, and bronchoscopic cryotherapy. We also review new ventilation strategies as well as pharmacologic advances and recent trends in the utilization of anesthetic adjuvants, and the use of short-acting opioids like remifentanil, and alpha agonist sedatives such as dexmedetomidine. SUMMARY: The anesthetic framework and the discussions presented here should help forge effective communication between the interventional pulmonologist and the anesthesiologist In the Bronchoscopy Suite nonoperating room anesthesia with the goal of enhancing patient safety.

Recent trends in airway management.

Clinical airway management continues to advance at a fast pace. To help update busy anesthesiologists, this abbreviated review summarizes notable airway management advances over the past few years. We briefly discuss advances in video laryngoscopy, in flexible intubation scopes, in jet ventilation, and in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). We also discuss noninvasive ventilation in the forms of high-flow nasal cannula apneic oxygenation and ventilation and nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) masks. Emerging concepts related to airway management, including the physiologically difficult airway and lower airway management, new clinical subspecialties and related professional organizations such as Anesthesia for Bronchoscopy, the Society for Head and Neck Anesthesia, and fellowship training programs related to advanced airway management are also reviewed. Finally, we discuss the use of checklists and guidelines to enhance patient safety and the value of large databases in airway management research.

Combined Use of a Fiberscope and Fuji Uniblocker for Removal of Retained Bronchial Tissue Glue After Repair of a Disrupted Left Main Bronchus.

We describe the novel combined use of a fiberoptic bronchoscope and a Fuji Uniblocker placed outside the endotracheal tube (ETT) for removal of a retained BioGlue polymerized tissue fragment (2.8 × 0.8 cm) from the right main bronchus (RMB). The patient was a trauma victim who presented with a diffuse axonal injury, cervical spine and maxillofacial injuries, and a flail chest, and the procedure we describe took place following the surgical repair of a disrupted left main bronchus. Endoscopic retrieval using different sizes of grasping forceps and a Dormia basket failed to remove the foreign body (FB). Under combined GlideScope videolaryngoscopic and bronchoscopic guidance, a 9.0 F Uniblocker was introduced outside the ETT, placed into the RMB beyond the FB, initially inflated, and then gradually increased in volume during withdrawal from the RMB into the trachea so as to trap the FB between the tip of the ETT and the blocker balloon. The ETT, bronchoscope, blocker catheter, and the FB were then removed from the glottis as a single unit. The FB was then removed using Magill forceps with the aid of a GlideScope. We conclude that the combined use of a GlideScope, bronchoscope, and an Uniblocker placed outside the ETT can be an effective method for removal of a retained FB.

The association between preinduction arterial blood pressure and postoperative cardiovascular, renal, and neurologic morbidity, and in-hospital mortality in elective noncardiac surgery: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: The association between preinduction blood pressure (BP) and postoperative outcomes after noncardiac surgery is poorly understood. Whether this association depends on the presence of risk factors for poor cardiovascular outcomes remains unclear. Accordingly, we evaluated the association between preinduction BP and its different components; isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) and wide pulse pressure (WPP), and postoperative complications in patients with and without revised cardiac risk index (RCRI) components. METHODS: We analysed consecutive patients undergoing elective noncardiac surgery at Cleveland Clinic. Separate analyses were undertaken for patients with and without any RCRI components. Preinduction BP was assessed both continuously and according to hypertension stages. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between the BP values and composite of in-hospital mortality as well as cardiovascular, renal, and neurologic morbidity. We considered the following potential confounding factors in our analysis; year of surgery, age, sex, race, BMI, and American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association surgical procedure risk classification. RESULTS: Of 58 276 patients, 10 512 had one or more RCRI components. For those with no RCRI, no significant relationship was found between preinduction BP and outcome after adjustment for confounders. For patients with RCRI, the adjusted incidence was the greatest among those with normal preinduction SBP and DBP of less than 70 mmHg. Among patients with preinduction DBP greater than 75 mmHg, risk rose slightly with increasing SBP. However, we found no association between preinduction hypertension stages, ISH, or WPP and the composite outcome in patients with and without RCRI. CONCLUSION: Preinduction low DBP less than 70 mmHg or SBP greater than 160 mmHg and not ISH, nor WPP were associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications in noncardiac surgery patients with one or more RCRI components.

Analysis of central venous pressure (CVP) signals using mathematical methods.

Central venous pressure (CVP) is an important clinical parameter for physicians but only the absolute CVP value is typically monitored in the intensive care unit (ICU). In this study, we propose a novel mathematical method to present and analyze CVP signals. A total of 44 suitable samples were chosen from a total of 65 collected in an ICU. Pre-processing of the samples included rate reduction and digital filtering. The statistical features of time and frequency domain, wavelet, and empirical mode decomposition of these signals were extracted. We found no significant difference among the CVP signals regarding sex, smoking, coronary disease, and respiration mode of the samples.

A multi-channel acoustics monitor for perioperative respiratory monitoring: preliminary data.

This study pertains to a six-channel acoustic monitoring system for use in patient monitoring during or after surgery. The base hardware consists of a USB data acquisition system, a custom-built six-channel amplification system, and a series of microphones of various designs. The software is based on the MATLAB platform with data acquisition drivers installed. The displayed information includes: time domain signals, frequency domain signals, and tools to aid in the detection of endobronchial intubation. We hypothesize that the above mentioned arrangement may be helpful to the anesthesiologist in recognizing clinical conditions like wheezing, bronchospasm, endobronchial intubation, and apnea. The study also evaluated various types of microphone designs used to transduce breath sounds. The system also features selectable band-pass filtering using MATLAB algorithms as well as a collection of recordings obtained with the system to establish what respiratory acoustic signals look like under various conditions.

Tips and Troubleshooting for Use of the GlideScope Video Laryngoscope for Emergency Endotracheal Intubation.

Video laryngoscopy (VL) is still a relatively novel advancement in airway management that offers many potential benefits over direct laryngoscopy. These advantages include decreased time to intubation in difficulty airways, unique opportunities in teaching as the video screen allows for real time teaching points, increased first pass success, particularly with novice operators, and decreased cervical spine motion during intubation. Despite the advantages, the intubation procedure itself has some subtle but significant differences from direct laryngoscopy that change the expected motion as well as troubleshooting techniques, which might discourage the use of the GlideScope by practitioners less familiar with the product. With the hope of generating confidence in the video laryngoscopy procedure, we have compiled some basic tips that we have found helpful when intubating with the GlideScope. These tips include inserting the blade to the left of midline to improve space allowed for the endotracheal tube itself, backing the scope up a small amount to improve the view, holding the tube close to the connector to improve maneuverability, and withdrawing the tube with your thumb to improve advancement through the cords. We hope that, with these tips, in conjunction with ample practice, clinicians can gain comfort and experience with all the tools at our disposal in an effort to provide the best possible care for our patients.

High-frequency jet ventilation using the Arndt bronchial blocker for refractory hypoxemia during one-lung ventilation in a myasthenic patient with asthma.

A novel method in the management of refractory severe hypoxemia during one-lung ventilation (OLV) in a patient who presented with myasthenia gravis, asthma, a symptomatic mediastinal mass, hiatal hernia, and a moderate pericardial effusion is presented. The patient was scheduled for excision of a large anterior mediastinal mass and creation of a pericardial window through a left thoracotomy. One-lung ventilation was achieved using an Arndt bronchial blocker. High-frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) was applied to the surgical nondependent lung through the lumen of the Arndt endobronchial blocker with titration of positive end-expiratory pressure to the dependent lung. Oxygenation improved significantly. The use of HFJV through the Arndt blocker offers an effective method for treatment of refractory hypoxemia during OLV.

Case Report: Double lumen tube insertion in a morbidly obese patient through the non-channelled blade of the King Vision (™) videolaryngoscope.

We describe the insertion of the double lumen endobronchial tube (DLT) using a non-channeled standard blade of the King Vision (TM) videolaryngoscope for one lung ventilation (OLV) in a morbidly obese patient with a predicted difficult airway, severe restrictive pulmonary function, asthma, and hypertension. The patient was scheduled for a video-assisted thoracoscopic lung biopsy. The stylet of the DLT was bent to fit the natural curve of the #3 non-channeled blade of the King Vision (™) videolaryngoscope. We conclude that the use of King Vision (™) videolaryngoscope could offer an effective method of DLT placement for OLV.

Anesthesia for bronchoscopy.

Bronchoscopic procedures are at times intricate and the patients often very ill. These factors and an airway shared with the pulmonologist present a clear challenge to anesthesiologists. The key to success lies in the understanding of both the underlying pathology and procedure being performed combined with frequent two-way communication between the anesthesiologist and the pulmonologist. Above all, vigilance and preparedness are paramount. Topics discussed in this review include anesthesia for advanced diagnostic procedures as well as for interventional/ therapeutic procedures. The latter includes bronchoscopic tracheal balloon dilation, tracheobronchial stenting, endobronchial electrocautery, bronchoscopic cryotherapy and other techniques. Special situations, such as tracheoesophageal fistula and mediastinal masses, are also considered.

The use of dexmedetomidine in anesthesia and intensive care: a review.

The alpha-2 agonist dexmedetomidine is being increasingly used for sedation and as an adjunctive agent during general and regional anesthesia. It is used in a number of procedures and clinical settings including neuroanesthesia, vascular surgery, gastrointestinal endoscopy, fiberoptic intubation, and pediatric anesthesia. The drug is also considered a nearly ideal sedative agent in the intensive care setting. However, the drug frequently produces hypotension and bradycardia, and also decreases cerebral blood flow without concomitantly decreasing the cerebral metabolic rate for oxygen. This review discusses recent advances in the use of dexmedetomidine in anesthesia and intensive care settings, as well as discuss potential problems with its use.

Comparison of the Magill forceps and the Boedeker (curved) intubation forceps for removal of a foreign body in a Manikin.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare the straight Magill and the curved Boedeker Intubation Forceps in foreign body removal in a manikin with a difficult airway using the videolaryngoscope. DESIGN: Prospective comparative study. SETTING: University Medical Center. SUBJECTS: 17 medical providers, 16 anesthesia staff, and one respiratory therapist. MEASUREMENTS: The observed Cormack-Lehane (CL) glottic view and success/failure of the removal attempts were recorded. MAIN RESULTS: The CL scores obtained using the Magill and Boedeker forceps were not significantly different (P = 0.3984). However, the differences in success rates for removal of the foreign object using standard (0 = success, 17 = failure) and Boedeker forceps (0 = failure, 17 = success) were strongly significant (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The curve of the Boedeker Intubation Forceps allows both the tip of the forceps and the glottic opening to be simultaneously visible in the field of view during videolaryngoscopy, making removal of glottic foreign bodies easier.

Standard clinical risk factors for difficult laryngoscopy are not independent predictors of intubation success with the GlideScope.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the first-attempt tracheal intubation incidence using the GlideScope videolaryngoscope is higher in patients with predicted increased risk of difficult laryngoscopy, and to assess the ability of other a priori defined standard risk factors to predict first-attempt intubation success, in aggregate and by forming scores. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Operating room in a tertiary-care academic center. PATIENTS: 357 patients intubated with the GlideScope for nonemergent general anesthesia. INTERVENTIONS AND MEASUREMENTS: Mallampati airway class was used to create two groups of patients, one with higher and the other, lower, potential difficult laryngoscopy (Mallampati classes 3-4 and 1-2, respectively). Intubation success on the first attempt with the GlideScope videolaryngoscope in patients with a Mallampati class 3 or 4 airway versus those with Mallampati class 1 or 2 airway was tested. We also evaluated the predictive ability of the Mallampati airway class (1 and 2 vs 3 and 4) along with 9 other possible predictors of difficult intubation on first-attempt intubation success: gender, age, body mass index, level of training within our anesthesia residency program (Clinical Anesthesia Resident years 1, 2, and 3), ASA physical status, mouth opening, thyromental distance, neck flexion, and neck extension. MAIN RESULTS: None of the standard predictors of difficult intubation was significantly associated with outcome after adjusting for other predictors. A multivariable model containing the aggregate set of variables predicted outcome significantly better than a risk score formed as the sum of 10 predictors ("Risk 10"; P = 0.0176). CONCLUSIONS: With GlideScope-assisted tracheal intubation, Mallampati airway class is not an independent risk factor for difficult intubation. Other standard clinical risk factors of difficulty with direct laryngoscopy also do not appear to be individually predictive of first-attempt success of tracheal intubation.

A mannequin study of intubation with the AP advance and GlideScope Ranger videolaryngoscopes and the Macintosh laryngoscope.

BACKGROUND: The AP Advance (APA) is a videolaryngoscope with interchangeable blades: intubators can choose standard Macintosh blades or a difficult-airway blade with increased curvature and a channel to guide the tube to the larynx. The APA may therefore be comparably effective in both normal and difficult airways. We tested the hypotheses that intubation with the APA is no slower than Macintosh laryngoscopy for normal mannequin airways, and that it is no slower than videolaryngoscopy using a GlideScope Ranger in difficult mannequin airways. METHODS: Medical professionals whose roles potentially include tracheal intubation were trained with each device. Participants intubated simulated (Laerdal SimMan) normal and difficult airways with the APA, GlideScope, and a conventional Macintosh blade. Speed of intubation was compared using Cox proportional hazards regression, with a hazard ratio >0.8 considered noninferior. We also compared laryngeal visualization, failures, and participant preferences. RESULTS: Unadjusted intubation times in the normal airway with the APA and Macintosh were virtually identical (median, 22 vs 23 seconds); after adjustment for effects of experience, order, and period, the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) comparing APA with Macintosh laryngoscopy was 0.87 (0.65, 1.17), which was not significantly more than our predefined noninferiority boundary of 0.8 (P = 0.26). Intubation with the APA was faster than with the GlideScope in difficult airways (hazard ratio = 7.6 [5.0, 11.3], P < 0.001; median, 20 vs 59 seconds). All participants intubated the difficult airway mannequin with the APA, whereas 33% and 37% failed with the GlideScope and Macintosh, respectively. In the difficult airway, 99% of participants achieved a Cormack and Lehane grade I to II view with the APA, versus 85% and 33% with the GlideScope and Macintosh, respectively. When asked to choose 1 device overall, 82% chose the APA. CONCLUSIONS: Intubation times were similar with the APA and Macintosh laryngoscopes in mannequins with normal airways. However, intubation with the APA was significantly faster than with the GlideScope in the difficult mannequin simulation.

A randomized comparison between the Pentax AWS video laryngoscope and the Macintosh laryngoscope in morbidly obese patients.

BACKGROUND: The Pentax AWS is a novel video laryngoscope designed to facilitate tracheal intubation by providing indirect visualization of the laryngeal inlet. We sought to compare the intubation success rate and time to intubation for the Pentax AWS and the classic Macintosh laryngoscope. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that intubation with the Pentax AWS would be easier and faster than with a standard Macintosh #4 blade in obese patients. METHODS: One hundred five obese patients (body mass index between 30 and 50 kg/m2) requiring orotracheal intubation for elective surgery were allocated randomly to tracheal intubation with either the Macintosh (using a #4 blade) or the Pentax AWS laryngoscope. Two experienced anesthesiologists served as laryngoscopists. Intubation success rate, time to intubation, ease of intubation, and occurrence of complications were recorded. RESULTS: Intubations using the Macintosh laryngoscope and #4 blade were significantly faster than with the Pentax AWS device: half of the patients' tracheas were intubated successfully within 26 seconds with the Macintosh #4 blade, whereas the same fraction required 38 seconds with the AWS. The first-attempt success rate with the Pentax AWS was 86%; the rate increased to 90% with a second attempt. In contrast, all patients' tracheas were intubated successfully with the Macintosh #4 blade, with a first-attempt success rate of 92%, which increased to 100% by the second attempt. CONCLUSION: The time required for tracheal intubation using the Pentax AWS was longer than for the Macintosh laryngoscope and #4 blade. The AWS should not routinely be substituted for a conventional Macintosh #4 blade in morbidly obese patients.