Outcomes of COVID-19-Related ARDS Patients Hospitalized in a Military Field Intensive Care Unit.

INTRODUCTION: Little evidence of outcome is available on critically ill Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients hospitalized in a field hospital. Our purpose was to report outcomes of critically ill COVID-19 patients after hospitalization in a field intensive care unit (ICU), established under military tents in a civil-military collaboration. METHODS: All patients with COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) admitted to the Military Health Service Field Intensive Care Unit in Mulhouse (France) between March 24, 2020, and May 7, 2020, were included in the study. Medical history and clinical and laboratory data were collected prospectively. The institutional review board of the French Society Anesthesia and Intensive Care approved the study. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients were hospitalized (37 men, median age 62 [54-67] years, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score 7 [6-10] points, and Simplified Acute Physiology Score II score 39 [28-50] points) during the 45-day deployment of the field ICU. Median length of stay was 11 [6-15] days and median length of ventilation was 13 [7.5-21] days. At the end of the deployment, 25 (53%) patients went back home, 17 (37%) were still hospitalized, and 4 (9%) died. At hospital discharge, 40 (85%) patients were alive. CONCLUSION: In this study, a military field ICU joined a regional civil hospital to manage a large cluster of COVID-19-related ARDS patients in Mulhouse, France. This report illustrates how military teams can support civil authorities in the provision of advanced critical care. Outcomes of patient suggest that this field hospital deployment was an effective adaptation during pandemic conditions.

A beat-by-beat cardiovascular index, CARDEAN, to titrate opioid administration in the setting of orthopaedic surgery: a prospective randomized trial.

To determine whether a beat-by-beat cardiovascular index (CARDEAN: cardiovascular depth of analgesia, Alpha-2 Ltd, Lyon, France) reduces the incidence of tachycardia in ASA I-III patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery. A total of 76 patients were prospectively randomized into (1) a control group or (2) the CARDEAN group, in which the nurse anaesthetist was blinded to CARDEAN application. In addition to conventional signs, an external observer instructed the nurse anaesthetist to administer sufentanil 0.1 µg kg-1 when the CARDEAN crossed a threshold (≥ 60). The primary outcome was the incidence of tachycardia (> 120% of reference heart rate, HR). Non-invasive blood pressure (BP), electrocardiogram (ECG), O2 saturation-photoplethysmography and the bispectral index (40 < BIS < 60) were monitored. HR and an estimation of beat-by-beat BP changes acquired from photoplethysmography and ECG were combined in an algorithm that detected hypertension followed by tachycardia (index scaled 0-100). Sufentanil 0.1 µg kg-1 was administered when tachycardia, hypertension or movement ("conventional signs") was observed. Data for 66 patients (27 with known hypertension) were analysed. In the CARDEAN group, (a) the dose of sufentanil was higher (control: 0.46 µg kg-1 100 min-1, CARDEAN: 0.57 µg kg-1 100 min-1, p = 0.016), (b) the incidence rates of tachycardia and untoward events were lower (respectively: - 44%; control: 2.52 events 100 min-1 [1.98-3.22]; CARDEAN: 1.42 [1.03-1.96], p = 0.005, hazard ratio: 0.56; movement, muscular contraction, or coughing: control: 0.74 events 100 min-1 [0.47-1.16]; CARDEAN: 0.31 [0.15-0.62], p = 0.038), and (c) extubation occurred more often in the operating room (control: 76.5%, CARDEAN: 97%, p = 0.016). CARDEAN-titrated opioid administration was associated with a higher dose of sufentanil, a reduction in tachycardia and earlier emergence in ASA I-III patients undergoing major orthopaedic surgery.

Predeployment training for forward medicalisation in a combat zone: the specific policy of the French Military Health Service.

INTRODUCTION: To improve the mortality rate on the battlefield, and especially the potentially survivable pre-Medical Treatment Facility deaths, Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) is now considered as a reference for management of combat casualty from the point of injury to the first medical treatment facility. TCCC comprises of a set of trauma management guidelines designed for use on the battlefield. The French Military Health Service also standardised a dedicated training programme, entitled "Sauvetage au Combat" (SC) ("forward combat casualty care"), with the characteristic of forward medicalisation on the battlefield, the medical team being projected as close as possible to the casualty at the point of injury. The aim of our article is to describe the process and the result of the SC training. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Records from the French Military Health Service Academy - École du Val-de-Grâce administration, head of the SC teaching programme, defining its guidelines, and supporting its structure and its execution, were examined and analyzed, since the standardisation of the SC training programme in 2008. The total number of trainees was listed following the different courses (SC1, SC2, SC3). RESULTS: At the end of 2013, every deployed combatant underwent SC1 courses (confidential data), 785 health-qualified combatants were graduated for SC2 courses and 672 Role 1 physician-nurse pairs for SC3 courses. CONCLUSION: The SC concept and programmes were defined in France in 2007 and are now completely integrated into the predeployment training of all combatants but also of French Military Health Service providers. Finally, SC teaching programmes enhance the importance of teamwork in forward combat medicalisation settings.

A beat-by-beat cardiovascular index, CARDEAN: a prospective randomized assessment of its utility for the reduction of movement during colonoscopy.

BACKGROUND: We sought to determine whether online use of a beat-by-beat cardiovascular index, CARDEAN (Alpha-2, Lyon, France), modifies the incidence of patient movement during colonoscopy under anesthesia. METHODS: Monitoring included an electrocardiogram, oscillometric and noninvasive beat-by-beat arterial blood pressure, O2 saturation, bispectral index (BIS), and CARDEAN. CARDEAN consists of beat-by-beat Finapres (Ohmeda, Madison, WI) combined with an algorithm that detects hypertension followed by tachycardia and produces an index scaled 0 to 100. The anesthesiologist was denied access to Finapres and CARDEAN. Propofol was adjusted to keep 4060. The primary outcome was the number of observed movements. RESULTS: Data were analyzed in 146 patients (control: 75; CARDEAN: 71). The doses of propofol and alfentanil were similar in both groups. When BIS was <60, movements were less frequent in the CARDEAN group (3.3 movements/100 min [2.3-4.8]) than in the control group (6.7 [5.3-8.5]) (odds ratio: 0.5 [0.32; 0.76], P = 0.001). During the first 10 minutes of the procedure, the incidence of movements was 38% and 59% in the CARDEAN and control groups, respectively (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: With BIS <60, CARDEAN-guided opioid administration is associated with a reduction of 51% of clinically unpredictable movements in unparalyzed patients undergoing colonoscopy. More studies are required to refine the role of CARDEAN in surgical settings.

Laryngeal dyspnea in relation to an interaction between acenocoumarol and topical econazole lotion.

BACKGROUND: Bleeding is the most serious complication of oral anticoagulant therapy used for the prevention of thromboembolic complications. Drug-drug interactions are an important concern, as they may increase drug toxicity and, in the case of anticoagulant therapies, increase the risk of hemorrhage. CASE SUMMARY: An 84-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with a bilateral cervical hematoma and symptoms of upper-airway obstruction that had been increasing for 72 hours, with dyspnea and difficulty speaking developing in the previous 24 hours. Transnasal fiberoptic laryngoscopy revealed a significant laryngeal hematoma, as well as a hematoma on the floor of the mouth and in the tonsil area. Laboratory abnormalities included a prothrombin time < 10%, an international normalized ratio exceeding the laboratory limits, and an activated partial thromboplastin time >120 seconds. The patient had been receiving acenocoumarol 4 mg/d for 10 years for episodes of atrial fibrillation and recurrent deep venous thrombosis. Seventeen days earlier, she had received a prescription for topical econazole lotion 1% to be applied 3 times daily for 1 month to treat a dermatitis affecting 12% of the body surface. The patient was admitted to the intensive care unit for treatment of respiratory failure, where oxygen was delivered by face mask. The coagulation disorders were treated with prothrombin complex concentrate 30 IU/kg IV and vitamin K1 10 mg IV, and values normalized within 36 hours. Surgical evacuation of the laryngeal hematoma was not necessary. After 48 hours, improvement in the patient's respiratory symptoms allowed transfer to the ear, nose, and throat unit, where daily endoscopic examination was performed. Aspirin was substituted for acenocoumarol, and the patient returned home after 10 days without sequelae. Based on a Naranjo score of 7, this episode was probably related to an interaction between acenocoumarol and econazole. CONCLUSION: This report describes a case of a probable interaction between topical econazole lotion 1% and acenocoumarol that resulted in overanticoagulation and a life-threatening laryngeal hematoma in this elderly patient.

Immediate postoperative refeeding in orthopedic surgery is safe.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the morbidity of immediate postoperative refeeding after orthopedic surgery. We included all the 1077 patients who underwent orthopedic surgery between January and December 2003 at our military teaching hospital. General anesthesia was performed in 37% of the patients (n = 398), 24% (n = 259) had combined general and regional anesthesia, and 39% (n = 420) had isolated regional anesthesia (spinal anesthesia and/or peripheral regional anesthesia). After surgery, each patient was allowed free access to solid and liquid food immediately after discharge from the postanesthetic care unit. Although no systematic nausea and vomiting prophylaxis was performed, only 7% (n = 75) of the patients had postoperative nausea and vomiting during the first 48 h. Moreover, neither deglutition trouble nor aspiration syndrome was observed during that period. Our results suggest that immediate postoperative refeeding after orthopedic surgery is safe, does not increase postoperative nausea and vomiting, and probably increases the comfort of patients.