The impact of a multidisciplinary safety checklist on adverse procedural events during bedside bronchoscopy-guided percutaneous tracheostomy.

BACKGROUND: Bedside procedures are seldom subject to the same safety precautions as operating room (OR) procedures. Since July 2013, we have performed a multidisciplinary checklist before all bedside bronchoscopy-guided percutaneous tracheostomy insertions (BPTIs). We hypothesized that the implementation of this checklist before BPTI would decrease adverse procedural events. METHODS: A prospective study of all patients who underwent BPTI after checklist implementation (PostCL, 2013-2014, n = 63) at our Level I trauma center were compared to all patients (retrospectively reviewed historical controls) who underwent BPTI without the checklist (PreCL, 2010-2013, n = 184). Exclusion criteria included age less than 16 years, OR, and open tracheostomy. The checklist included both a procedural and timeout component with the trauma technician, respiratory therapist, nurse, and surgeon. Demographics and variables focusing on BPTI risk factors were compared. Variables associated with the primary end point, adverse procedural events, during univariate analysis were used in the multiple variable logistic regression model. A p ≤ 0.05 was significant. RESULTS: Of 247 study sample patients, no difference existed in body mass index, baseline mean arterial pressure, duration or mode of mechanical ventilation, cervical spine or maxillofacial injury, or previous neck surgery between PreCL and PostCL BPTI patients. PreCL patients were younger (48 [20] years vs. 57 [21] years, p < 0.01) but more often had adverse procedural events compared with PostCL patients (PreCL,14.1% vs. PostCL,3.2%, p = 0.020). After adjusting for age, vitals, BPTI risk factors, and intensive care unit duration after BPTI, multiple variable logistic regression determined that performing the safety checklist alone was independently associated with a 580% reduction in adverse procedural events (odds ratio, 5.8; p = 0.022). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the implementation of a multidisciplinary safety checklist similar to those used in the OR would benefit patients during invasive bedside procedures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic/care management study, level IV.

Comparison of atriocaval shunting with perihepatic packing versus perihepatic packing alone for retrohepatic vena cava injuries in a swine model.

BACKGROUND: Retrohepatic vena cava (RVC) injuries are technically challenging and often lethal. Atriocaval shunting has been promoted as a modality to control haemorrhage from these injuries, but evidence from controlled studies supporting its benefit is lacking. We hypothesised that addition of an atriocaval shunt to perihepatic packing would improve outcomes in our penetrating RVC injury swine model. METHODS: After a survivable atriocaval shunting model was refined in 4 swine without an injury, 13 additional female Yorkshire swine were randomised into either perihepatic packing and atriocaval shunt (PPAS, n=7) or perihepatic packing alone (PP, n=6) treatment arms prior to creating a standardised, 1.5 cm stab wound to the RVC. Haemodynamic parameters, intravenous fluid, and blood loss were recorded until mortality or euthanisation after 4h. Statistical tests used to test differences include the Wilcoxon rank sums test, Fisher exact test and analysis of covariance. A p-value ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Immediately before and after RVC injury, no difference in temperature, cardiac output, heart rate, mean arterial pressure or mean pulmonary artery pressure was detected (all p>0.05) between the two groups. While the RVC injury did affect measures parameters in PPAS swine over time, haemodynamic compromise and blood loss were not significantly greater in PPAS than PP swine. Survival time was significantly different with all PPAS swine dying within 2h (mean survival duration 39 (SD 58)min) while all 6 PP swine survived the entire 4h study period. CONCLUSIONS: While perihepatic packing alone slowed haemorrhage to survivable rates during the 4h study period, atriocaval shunt placement led to rapid physiologic decline and death in our standardised, penetrating RVC model.

Blunt abdominal aortic injury: a Western Trauma Association multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Blunt abdominal aortic injury (BAAI) is a rare injury. The objective of the current study was to examine the presentation and management of BAAI at a multi-institutional level. METHODS: The Western Trauma Association Multi-Center Trials conducted a study of BAAI from 1996 to 2011. Data collected included demographics, injury mechanism, associated injuries, interventions, and complications. RESULTS: Of 392,315 blunt trauma patients, 113 (0.03%) presented with BAAI at 12 major trauma centers (67% male; median age, 38 years; range, 6-88; median Injury Severity Score [ISS], 34; range, 16-75). The leading cause of injury was motor vehicle collisions (60%). Hypotension was documented in 47% of the cases. The most commonly associated injuries were spine fractures (44%) and pneumothorax/hemothorax (42%). Solid organ, small bowel, and large bowel injuries occurred in 38%, 35%, and 28% respectively. BAAI presented as free aortic rupture (32%), pseudoaneurysm (16%), and injuries without aortic external contour abnormality on computed tomography such as large intimal flaps (34%) or intimal tears (18%). Open and endovascular repairs were undertaken as first-choice therapy in 43% and 15% of cases, respectively. Choice of management varied by type of BAAI: 89% of intimal tears were managed nonoperatively, and 96% of aortic ruptures were treated with open repair. Overall mortality was 39%, the majority (68%) occurring in the first 24 hours because of hemorrhage or cardiac arrest. The highest mortality was associated with Zone II aortic ruptures (92%). Follow-up was documented in 38% of live discharges. CONCLUSION: This is the largest BAAI series reported to date. BAAI presents as a spectrum of injury ranging from minimal aortic injury to aortic rupture. Nonoperative management is successful in uncomplicated cases without external aortic contour abnormality on computed tomography. Highest mortality occurred in free aortic ruptures, suggesting that alternative measures of early noncompressible torso hemorrhage control are warranted. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Epidemiologic study, level III; therapeutic study, level IV.

Topical anesthetic cream is associated with spontaneous cutaneous abscess drainage in children.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to determine whether use of topical anesthetic cream increases spontaneous drainage of skin abscesses and reduces the need for procedural sedation. METHODS: A retrospective multicenter cohort study from 3 academic pediatric emergency departments was conducted for randomly selected children with a cutaneous abscess in 2007. Children up to 18 years of age were eligible if they had a skin abscess at presentation. Demographics, abscess characteristics, and use of a topical analgesic were obtained from medical records. RESULTS: Of 300 subjects, 58% were female and the median age was 7.8 years (interquartile range, 2-15 years). Mean abscess size was 3.5 ± 2.4 cm, most commonly located on the lower extremity (30%), buttocks (24%), and face (12%). A drainage procedure was required in 178 children, of whom 9 underwent drainage in the operating room. Of the remaining 169 children who underwent emergency department-based drainage, 110 (65%) had a topical anesthetic agent with an occlusive dressing placed on their abscess before drainage. Use of a topical anesthetic resulted in spontaneous abscess drainage in 26 patients, of whom 3 no longer required any further intervention. In the 166 patients who underwent additional manipulation, procedural sedation was required in 26 (24%) of those who had application of a topical anesthetic and in 24 (41%) of those who had no topical anesthetic (odds ratio, 0.45; 95% confidence interval, 0.23-0.89). CONCLUSIONS: Topical anesthetic cream application before drainage procedures promotes spontaneous drainage and decreases the need for procedural sedation for pediatric cutaneous abscess patients.

Management of pediatric skin abscesses in pediatric, general academic and community emergency departments.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the evaluation and management of pediatric cutaneous abscess patients at three different emergency department (ED) settings. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective cohort study at two academic pediatric hospital EDs, a general academic ED and a community ED in 2007, with random sampling of 100 patients at the three academic EDs and inclusion of 92 patients from the community ED. Eligible patients were ≤18 years who had a cutaneous abscess. We recorded demographics, predisposing conditions, physical exam findings, incision and drainage procedures, therapeutics and final disposition. Laboratory data were reviewed for culture results and antimicrobial sensitivities. For subjects managed as outpatients from the ED, we determined where patients were instructed to follow up and, using electronic medical records, ascertained the proportion of patients who returned to the ED for further management. RESULT: Of 392 subjects, 59% were female and the median age was 7.7 years. Children at academic sites had larger abscesses compared to community patients, (3.5 versus 2.5 cm, p=0.02). Abscess incision and drainage occurred in 225 (57%) children, with the lowest rate at the academic pediatric hospital EDs (51%) despite the relatively larger abscess size. Procedural sedation and the collection of wound cultures were more frequent at the academic pediatric hospital and the general academic EDs. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) prevalence did not differ among sites; however, practitioners at the academic pediatric hospital EDs (92%) and the general academic ED (86%) were more likely to initiate empiric MRSA antibiotic therapy than the community site (71%), (p<0.0001). At discharge, children who received care at the community ED were more likely to be given a prescription for a narcotic (23%) and told to return to the ED for ongoing wound care (65%). Of all sites, the community ED also had the highest percentage of follow-up visits (37%). CONCLUSION: Abscess management varied among the three settings, with more conservative antibiotic selection and greater implementation of procedural sedation at academic centers and higher prescription rates for narcotics, self-referrals for ongoing care and patient follow-up visits at the community ED.