[Bacterial load of the surroundings during rigid diagnostic bronchoscopy under high frequency jet-ventilation]. / Mikrobielle Belastung der Umgebung während der Anwendung der Hochfrequenz-Jetventilation in der Bronchoskopie.

BACKGROUND: High-frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) is used in pneumological endoscopy for rigid, diagnostic, and therapeutic bronchoscopies. It is unclear to what extent the unobstructed flow of respiratory gas from the patient's lungs causes microbial contamination of the surrounding air. MATERIAL AND METHODS: After the start of the HFJV (15 min) in 16 rigid bronchoscopies, airborne pathogen measurements were taken directly at the distal endoscope outlet, at examiner height (40 cm above the endoscope outlet), at a 2 m distance from the endoscope in the room and at the supply air outlet of the examination room using an RCS air sampler. The number and type of pathogens isolated in the air samples were then determined, as well as germs in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from the patient's lungs. RESULTS: An increased bacterial density (136 and 114 CFU/m3) was detected directly at the distal end of the endoscope and at examiner height at a distance of 40 cm, which decreased significantly with increasing distance from the bronchoscope (98 CFU/m3 at a distance of 2 m and 82 CFU/m3 at the supply air outlet). The most frequently detected bacteria were Staphylococcus spp., Micrococcus spp. and Bacillus spp. In the BALF, pathogens could only be cultivated in four of 16 samples, but the same pathogens were detected in the BALF and the ambient air. CONCLUSION: When performing a rigid bronchoscopy, in which patients are mechanically ventilated in a controlled manner using an open HFJV system, there is an increased pathogen load in the ambient air and therefore a potential risk for the examiner.

[Anesthesia for thoracic surgery in a female patient with Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy]. / Anästhesie bei einer thoraxchirurgischen Patientin mit kongenitaler Muskeldystrophie Typ Ullrich.

Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy (UCMD) is a rare disease caused by mutations in the COL6A1, COL6A2 or COL6A3 genes leading to deficiency of collagen VI in extracellular matrices (ECM). Patients present with generalized muscle weakness, predominantly in the trunk and proximal limbs, hyperlaxity of distal joints, spinal rigidity, scoliosis and various proximal joint contractures, loss of ambulation by 9-11 years of age and progressive respiratory dysfunction. About 50% of the patients require noninvasive ventilation (NIV) by the age of 11-12 years. We report about a female patient (age 21 years) with severe UCMD. After decompression of spontaneous pneumothorax, a major subpleural hematoma of the left lower lobe emerged necessitating video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Anesthesiological aspects, including underlying disease, comorbidities, airway management for one-lung ventilation and choice of anesthetics for patients with muscular dystrophy are discussed. The clinical course during anesthesia, surgery and postoperatively was uneventful and the patient was discharged 7 days after VATS.

Early and late effects of remote ischemic preconditioning on spirometry and gas exchange in healthy volunteers.

PURPOSE: Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIP) may protect remote organs from ischemia-reperfusion-injury (IRI) in surgical and non-surgical patients. There are few data available on RIP and lung function, especially not in healthy volunteers. The null-hypothesis was tested that RIP does not have an effect on pulmonary function when applied on healthy volunteers that were breathing spontaneously and did not experience any intervention. After approval of the Ethics Committee and informed consent of the study subjects, 28 healthy non-smoking volunteers were included and randomized in either the RIP group (n = 13) or the control group (n = 15). In the RIP group, lower limb ischemia was induced by inflation of a blood pressure cuff to a pressure 20 mmHg above the systolic blood pressure. After five minutes the blood pressure cuff was released for five minutes rest. The procedure was repeated three times resulting in 40 min ischemia and reperfusion. Capillary blood samples were taken, and lung function tests were performed at baseline (T1) and 60 min (T2) and 24 h (T3) after RIP. The control group was treated in the same fashion, but the RIP procedure was replaced by a sham protocol. RESULTS: 60 min after RIP capillary pO2 decreased significantly and returned to baseline level after 24 h in the RIP group. This did not occur in the control group. Capillary pCO2, variables of lung function tests and pulmonary capillary blood volume remained unchanged throughout the experiment in both groups. CONCLUSION: Oxygenation is impaired early after RIP which is possibly induced by transient ventilation-perfusion inequality. No late effects of RIP were observed. The null hypothesis has to be rejected that RIP has no effect on respiratory variables in healthy volunteers.

Improve hip fracture outcome in the elderly patient (iHOPE): a study protocol for a pragmatic, multicentre randomised controlled trial to test the efficacy of spinal versus general anaesthesia.

INTRODUCTION: Hip fracture surgery is associated with high in-hospital and 30-day mortality rates and serious adverse patient outcomes. Evidence from randomised controlled trials regarding effectiveness of spinal versus general anaesthesia on patient-centred outcomes after hip fracture surgery is sparse. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The iHOPE study is a pragmatic national, multicentre, randomised controlled, open-label clinical trial with a two-arm parallel group design. In total, 1032 patients with hip fracture (>65 years) will be randomised in an intended 1:1 allocation ratio to receive spinal anaesthesia (n=516) or general anaesthesia (n=516). Outcome assessment will occur in a blinded manner after hospital discharge and inhospital. The primary endpoint will be assessed by telephone interview and comprises the time to the first occurring event of the binary composite outcome of all-cause mortality or new-onset serious cardiac and pulmonary complications within 30 postoperative days. In-hospital secondary endpoints, assessed via in-person interviews and medical record review, include mortality, perioperative adverse events, delirium, satisfaction, walking independently, length of hospital stay and discharge destination. Telephone interviews will be performed for long-term endpoints (all-cause mortality, independence in walking, chronic pain, ability to return home cognitive function and overall health and disability) at postoperative day 30±3, 180±45 and 365±60. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: iHOPE has been approved by the leading Ethics Committee of the Medical Faculty of the RWTH Aachen University on 14 March 2018 (EK 022/18). Approval from all other involved local Ethical Committees was subsequently requested and obtained. Study started in April 2018 with a total recruitment period of 24 months. iHOPE will be disseminated via presentations at national and international scientific meetings or conferences and publication in peer-reviewed international scientific journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: DRKS00013644; Pre-results.

Independent Predictors for Higher Postoperative Pain Intensity During Recovery After Open Thoracic Surgery: A Retrospective Analysis in 621 Patients.

Objective: To evaluate two standard procedure-specific pain regimens and to assess independent predictors for higher pain intensity after thoracic surgery. Methods: Patients received either oral opioid analgesia (Opioid Group) or epidural analgesia and were then bridged to systemic opioid analgesia (EDA + O Group) in this retrospective observational study. Medical history, discharge letters, anesthetic protocols, and pain protocols were evaluated in 621 patients after open thoracotomy and assessed with a stepward back elimination in a multivariate logistic regression model. Results: Data of 621 thoracotomies in 2014 were analyzed, 309 patients in the Opioid Group and 312 patients in the EDA + O Group. Pain scores at rest and on coughing were significantly lower in the EDA + O Group on postoperative days (PODs) 1-4 (P < 0.001). Stepwise backward elimination in multivariate logistic regression identified preexisting pain disease (P = 0.034), no epidural analgesia (P < 0.001), opioids in preoperative pain therapy (P < 0.001), and antidepressant medication (P = 0.003) as independent risk factors for higher pain intensity at rest on PODs 1-4. Same on PODs 5-8 with regard to opioids in preoperative pain therapy (P < 0.001) and antidepressant medication (P = 0.018). Moreover, on PODs 5-8, male gender had a lower risk (P < 0.003) for pain, and preexisting musculosceletal disease had a lower risk for more postoperative pain (P = 0.009). On coughing, male gender and younger age proved to have a lower risk for postoperative pain on PODs 1-8 and on PODs 1-4, respectively. Opioids in preexisting pain therapy and antidepressant medication were identified as risk factors for pain on PODs 1-8 on coughing, and pain disease was identified as a risk factor for more pain on PODs 1-4 (P = 0.041). Moreover, preexisting cardiac disease indicated more pain on PODs 1-4 (P = 0.05), and musculoskeletal disease and neurological disease indicated more pain on PODs 5-8 (P = 0.041, and P = 0.023). Conclusions: We present data on independent risk factors for higher pain intensity during recovery after thoracotomy. The lack of postoperative epidural analgesia, female gender, preexisting opioid pain therapy, and chronic pain are the strongest risk factors for higher pain intensity. Antidepressant medication was identified as an independent risk factor at rest and on coughing on all PODs. Study limitations: The study design is retrospective.

[Use of Bronchial Blockers for Lung Isolation]. / Atemwegsmanagement in der Thoraxanästhesie mit dem Bronchusblocker.

Traditionally the double-lumen-tube (DLT) is considered the gold standard for lung separation. Despite being equally feasible for standard situations, there are special populations and circumstances requiring the use of a bronchial blocker (BB) to establish one-lung ventilation. Children under 8 years of age and patients without a patent orotracheal airway necessitate the use of a bronchial blocker in most cases, as well as those requiring selective lobar blockade or a rapid sequence induction. Surgery with predicted postoperative mechanical ventilation or in tracheotomized patients at least favors their use by avoiding the complications of a tube exchange. Bronchial blocker models currently in clinical use include the wire-guided Arndt-Blocker, the Flexitip Cohen-Blocker, the Fuji Uniblocker, the Y-shaped EZ-Blocker and the tracheoscopy-guided VivaSight-EB. Their common concept is the occlusion of the operative lung by the inflation of their distal balloon, with the deflation of that lung occurring through their inner lumen. They mainly differ in their mode of placement. Bronchial blockers offer a clinical performance comparable to the DLT. Placement times for lung isolation devices and surgical exposure may depend more on the experience of the anaesthetist than the device itself. Bronchial blockers won't replace the DLT as gold standard at least due to their cost of acquisition, but provided adequate training outside of the emergency situation, their utilisation offers equal operative conditions at comparable placement times, dislocation rates and ease of use. A modern bronchial blocker should be available in institutions managing complex thoracic cases.

Effect of Bronchoconstriction-induced Ventilation-Perfusion Mismatch on Uptake and Elimination of Isoflurane and Desflurane.

BACKGROUND: Increasing numbers of patients with obstructive lung diseases need anesthesia for surgery. These conditions are associated with pulmonary ventilation/perfusion (VA/Q) mismatch affecting kinetics of volatile anesthetics. Pure shunt might delay uptake of less soluble anesthetic agents but other forms of VA/Q scatter have not yet been examined. Volatile anesthetics with higher blood solubility would be less affected by VA/Q mismatch. We therefore compared uptake and elimination of higher soluble isoflurane and less soluble desflurane in a piglet model. METHODS: Juvenile piglets (26.7 ± 1.5 kg) received either isoflurane (n = 7) or desflurane (n = 7). Arterial and mixed venous blood samples were obtained during wash-in and wash-out of volatile anesthetics before and during bronchoconstriction by methacholine inhalation (100 µg/ml). Total uptake and elimination were calculated based on partial pressure measurements by micropore membrane inlet mass spectrometry and literature-derived partition coefficients and assumed end-expired to arterial gradients to be negligible. VA/Q distribution was assessed by the multiple inert gas elimination technique. RESULTS: Before methacholine inhalation, isoflurane arterial partial pressures reached 90% of final plateau within 16 min and decreased to 10% after 28 min. By methacholine nebulization, arterial uptake and elimination delayed to 35 and 44 min. Desflurane needed 4 min during wash-in and 6 min during wash-out, but with bronchoconstriction 90% of both uptake and elimination was reached within 15 min. CONCLUSIONS: Inhaled methacholine induced bronchoconstriction and inhomogeneous VA/Q distribution. Solubility of inhalational anesthetics significantly influenced pharmacokinetics: higher soluble isoflurane is less affected than fairly insoluble desflurane, indicating different uptake and elimination during bronchoconstriction.

Impact of thoracic surgery on esophageal motor function-Evaluation by high resolution manometry.

BACKGROUND: Alteration of esophageal function is a potential risk factor for postoperative complications in thoracic surgery. This prospective study investigates esophageal motility and function during and after thoracic procedures via high resolution manometry (HRM) and impedance technology with spatiotemporal representation of pressure data. METHODS: Twelve consecutive patients eligible for elective thoracic surgery underwent preoperative and postoperative (48 hours and 7 days) esophageal HRM. Swallowing acts were carried out with 5 mL of water, 10 mL of water and 1 cm3 bread in physiological posture to evaluate distal contraction integral (DCI). Length and location of contractile integrity breaks were measured by investigators blinded to the form of surgical intervention. The impact of surgical procedures on esophageal motility was quantified according to current Chicago Classification (CC) criteria. Pre-, intra- and postoperative 24-hour multi-channel impedance pH-metry (MII-pH) was performed to further analyze gastroesophageal reflux patterns. RESULTS: All patients were investigated 48 hours prior to and 7 days after thoracic procedures, with a total of n=675 swallowing acts being included in our study. Increased motility patterns of the tubular esophagus occurred temporally 48 hours postoperatively. DCI 48 hours after surgery increased significantly (5 mL, P=0.049; solid, P=0.014) and returned to baseline values after seven days (5 mL, P=0.039; solid, P=0.039). Break length was significantly reduced 48 hours postoperatively, especially in the proximal esophageal segment (transition zone). Follow-up measurements after another week were comparable to preoperative baseline findings. The perioperative MII-pH measurement showed numerous artifacts caused by intubation and ventilation during surgery also with increasing short and frequent acidic reflux episodes. CONCLUSIONS: Thoracic procedures cause a transient modulation of esophageal peristalsis with postoperative increased contractility of the tubular esophagus, presumably without affecting intraesophageal reflex arcs. Although limited by the number of patients, we can conclude on our data that postoperative esophageal hypomotility is unlikely to promote secondary pulmonary complications.

Robotic thoracic surgery results in shorter hospital stay and lower postoperative pain compared to open thoracotomy: a matched pairs analysis.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate postoperative pain intensity and length of hospital stay after open or robotic thoracic surgery in a standardized postoperative pain therapy setting. METHODS: In the present retrospective (oberservation period: January 2015 until January 2016) study we matched data of 38 patients with robotic thoracic surgery ("robotic patients"; age: 62.2 years, male gender: 42.1%) with 38 patients with open thoracic surgery ("open patients"; age: 62.5 years, male gender: 42.1%). Power analysis indicated that 36 patients per group would be required. RESULTS: 68% of all patients received an epidural catheter, and 32% a systemic opioid based analgesia. Postoperative pain intensity in "robotic patients" was lower at rest on postoperative day 3-5 compared to "open patients" (NRS POD 3 robotic surgery 0.5±1.0 vs. open surgery 1.0±1.6, p = 0.04; NRS POD 4 robotic surgery 0,5 ± 1.0 vs. open surgery 1.1±1.3, p=0.04; NRS POD 5 robotic surgery 0.7 ± 1.0 vs. open surgery 1.5±1.5, p=0.003). Chest tube duration was shorter in "robotic patients" (2.9 ± 2.0 days vs. 4.9 ± 2.2 days; p < 0.001). Moreover, length of hospital stay was shorter in "robotic patients" than in "open patients" (6.9 days vs. 8.0 days; p = 0.02). There was no significant difference in postoperative opioid consumption between the groups. Nearly 95% of patients were discharged home with an oral opioid in both groups. CONCLUSION: Patients after robotic pulmonary resection experience lower postoperative pain and are discharged earlier from hospital than patients after open thoracic surgery. STUDY LIMITATIONS: The study design is retrospectively.

Airway Management via Laryngeal Mask in Laryngotracheal Resection.

We present a case of impassable subglottic stenosis scheduled for tracheal resection and reconstruction managed by establishing a supraglottic airway. Despite careful preoperative evaluation, the stenosis was localized higher than anticipated, rendering conventional intubation impossible. Laryngeal mask bridging to cross-field ventilation was feasible and jet ventilation and cardiopulmonary bypass were available as emergency strategies. Surgery and emergence went uneventful. Perioperative considerations are discussed in this report.

[Anesthetic management in bronchial asthma]. / Asthma bronchiale - Anästhesiologisches Management.

In daily practice, acute and chronic pulmonary diseases are common issues presenting to the anesthetist. Respiratory physiology in general is affected by both general and regional anesthesia, which results in an increased number of perioperative complications in pulmonary risk patients. Therefore, anesthetic management of patients with bronchial asthma needs to address different clinical topics: the physical appearance of pulmonary disease, type and extent of surgical intervention as well as effects of therapeutic drugs, anesthetics and mechanical ventilation on respiratory function. The present work describes important precautions in preoperative scheduling of the asthmatic patient. In the operative course, airway manipulation and a number of anesthetics are able to trigger intraoperative bronchial spasm with possibly fatal outcome. It is essential to avoid these substances to prevent asthma attack. If asthmatic status occurs, appropriate procedures according to therapeutic standards have to be applied to the patient. Postoperatively, sufficient pain therapy avoids pulmonary complications and improves outcome.

[Legal characteristics of expert opinions of anaesthetic cases of the North German Arbitration Board]. / Gutachtenfälle - Juristische Besonderheiten bei der Begutachtung anästhesiologischer Fälle der Norddeutschen Schlichtungsstelle.

The Arbitration Board for Medical Liability Issues of the State Medical Councils of Northern Germany in Hannover (North German Arbitration Board, NGAB) settles about 100 cases in the area of anaesthesiology per year. In these proceedings the patient carries the burden of proof. I. e. the patient has to prove that its health damage was caused by a medical error. Nevertheless, for individual cases the NGAB examines also whether facilitation of the burden of proof can be granted to the patient. This article exemplifies cases, for which the NGAB recognized such facilitation of the burden of proof. In each of these cases, the NGAB asserted the damage claim.

Post-thoracotomy dysrhythmia.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This article reviews and summarizes the pathophysiology, risk factors, and the management of arrhythmias in patients undergoing noncardiac thoracic surgery. RECENT FINDINGS: Cardiac arrhythmias are common findings in the perioperative period, particularly with increasing age. They often complicate the course of the patient's recovery after operation. The most common postoperative arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation. It requires either a rate or rhythm control strategy, and the need for anticoagulation has to be assessed depending on the duration of the arrhythmia and risk factors. Fortunately, malign sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias (ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation) are rare. Acute treatment and, in the absence of a reversible cause, a long-term preventive strategy may be warranted. Transient bradyarrhythmias can be managed by atropine or with temporary pacing. SUMMARY: Arrhythmias are common after thoracotomy. Physicians treating patients with postoperative arrhythmias should bear in mind that arrhythmia management does not only comprise a specific therapy for the arrhythmia itself, but also includes the correction of transient and correctable predisposing and causative factors.

Effects of methacholine infusion on desflurane pharmacokinetics in piglets.

The data of a corresponding animal experiment demonstrates that nebulized methacholine (MCh) induced severe bronchoconstriction and significant inhomogeneous ventilation and pulmonary perfusion (V̇A/Q̇) distribution in pigs, which is similar to findings in human asthma. The inhalation of MCh induced bronchoconstriction and delayed both uptake and elimination of desflurane (Kretzschmar et al., 2015) [1]. The objective of the present data is to determine V̇A/Q̇ matching by Multiple Inert Gas Elimination Technique (MIGET) in piglets before and during methacholine- (MCh-) induced bronchoconstriction, induced by MCh infusion, and to assess the blood concentration profiles for desflurane (DES) by Micropore Membrane Inlet Mass Spectrometry (MMIMS). Healthy piglets (n=4) under general anesthesia were instrumented with arterial, central venous, and pulmonary artery lines. The airway was secured via median tracheostomy with an endotracheal tube, and animals were mechanically ventilated with intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) with a FiO2 of 0.4, tidal volume (V T)=10 ml/kg and PEEP of 5cmH2O using an open system. The determination of V.A/Q. was done by MIGET: before desflurane application and at plateau in both healthy state and during MCh infusion. Arterial blood was sampled at 0, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 30 min during wash-in and washout, respectively. Bronchoconstriction was established by MCH infusion aiming at doubling the peak airway pressure, after which wash-in and washout of the anesthetic gas was repeated. Anesthesia gas concentrations were measured by MMIMS. Data were analyzed by ANOVA, paired t-test, and by nonparametric Friedman׳s test and Wilcoxon׳s matched pairs test. We measured airway pressures, pulmonary resistance, and mean paO2 as well as hemodynamic variables in all pigs before desflurane application and at plateau in both healthy state and during methacholine administration by infusion. By MIGET, fractional alveolar ventilation and pulmonary perfusion in relation to the V.A/Q. compartments, data of logSDQ̇ and logSDV̇ (the second moments describing global dispersion, i.e. heterogeneity of distribution) were estimated prior to and after MCh infusion. The uptake and elimination of desflurane was determined by MMIMS.

Controlled-Release Oxycodone as "Gold Standard" for Postoperative Pain Therapy in Patients Undergoing Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery or Thoracoscopy: A Retrospective Evaluation of 788 Cases.

BACKGROUND: To assess the clinical efficacy of controlled-release oxycodone for postoperative analgesia after video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) or thoracoscopy. METHODS: Pain therapy is standardized in our thoracic center throughout the complete postoperative stay. Patients receive immediately postoperative standardized oral analgesic protocol with controlled-released oxycodone (Oxy Group) or oxycodone with naloxone (Targin Group) and nonopioid every 6 h. We switched the opioid protocol from controlled-release oxycodone to Targin in January 2012. All patients are visited daily by a pain specialist throughout the whole stay. RESULTS: Data of 788 patients undergoing VATS (n = 367) or thoracoscopy (n = 421) during January 2011 until March 2013 were analyzed. In VATS, patients with Targin had higher pain scores at rest (p < 0.02) and on coughing (p < 0.001) than patients with oxycodone alone and more patients with Targin were dismissed with oral opioid dose than patients with oxycodone alone (p < 0.001). No differences in pain scores on POD 5 and 6, or in length of hospital stay, incidence of nausea, time to first dejection or opioid dose after dismission were found between controlled-release oxycodone and Targin. After conventional thoracoscopy, 209 patients received controlled-release oxycodone and 212 Targin. Patients with Targin had higher pain scores at rest (p < 0.004) and on coughing (p < 0.01) than patients with oxycodone alone and more patients with Targin were dismissed with oral opioid dose than patients with oxycodone alone (p < 0.004). There were no differences in pain scores on POD 5 and 6, or in length of hospital stay, incidence of nausea, time to first dejection or opioid dose after dismission. CONCLUSION: Oral opioid analgesia with controlled-release oxycodone is an effective postoperative regimen after VATS and thoracoscopies. Our retrospective data indicate that Targin might be less effective analgesic than oxycodone after VATS and thoracoscopies with no improvement in bowel function in the immediate postoperative period. STUDY LIMITATIONS: The study design is retrospective in nature.