Knowledge and Skills in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Effect of Simulation Training on it among Healthcare Workers in a Tertiary Care Center in India.

Aim and background: High-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is associated with improved patient outcomes, but healthcare workers (HCWs) may be frequently undertrained. This study aimed to assess baseline knowledge and skills among HCWs about basic and advanced life support and the effect of simulation-based training on it. Methods: It was a single-center prospective quasi-interventional study among resident doctors and nurses at a Tertiary Center in New Delhi, India. A questionnaire-based assessment was done to assess baseline knowledge. The participants then underwent simulation-based training followed by questionnaire-based knowledge assessment and skill assessment. A repeat questionnaire-based assessment was done 6 months post-training to assess knowledge retention. Results: A total of 82 HCWs (54 doctors and 28 nurses) were enrolled. The participants scored 22.28 ± 6.06 out of 35 (63.65%) in the pre-training knowledge assessment, with low scores in post-cardiac arrest care, advanced life support, and defibrillation. After the training, there was a significant rise in scores to 28.32 ± 4.08 out of 35 (80.9%) (p < 0.01). The retention of knowledge at 6 months was 68.87% (p < 0.01). The participants scored 92.61 ± 4.75% marks in skill assessment with lower scores in chest compressions and team leadership roles. There was a positive correlation (r = 0.35) between knowledge and skills scores (p < 0.01). Conclusion: There is a progressive decrease in baseline knowledge of HCWs with the further steps in the adult chain of survival. The simulation training program had a positive impact on the knowledge of HCWs. The training programs should focus on defibrillation, advanced life support, post-cardiac arrest care, and leadership roles. How to cite this article: Agarwal A, Baitha U, Ranjan P, Swarnkar NK, Singh GP, Baidya DK, et al. Knowledge and Skills in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Effect of Simulation Training on it among Healthcare Workers in a Tertiary Care Center in India. Indian J Crit Care Med 2024;28(4):336-342.

Correlation Between Invasive and Noninvasive Technique of Intracranial Pressure Measurement in Children With Traumatic Brain Injury: An Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Direct measurement of intracranial pressure (ICP) is an invasive technique with potential complications, which has prompted the development of alternative, noninvasive, methods of ICP assessment. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between noninvasive ultrasound-based measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), transcranial Doppler-derived pulsatility index (PI), and invasive ICP measurements in children with traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHODS: Children aged 1 to 18 years undergoing invasive ICP monitoring following TBI were included in the study. Noninvasive ONSD and PI measurements were compared with simultaneous invasive ICP. RESULTS: In all, 406 measurements of ONSD and PI were obtained in 18 patients. ONSD and PI correlated with ICP (r=0.76 and 0.79, respectively), combining ONSD and PI resulted in an even stronger correlation with ICP (r=0.99). Formulas were derived from mixed-effect models that best fitted the data for noninvasive ICP estimation. A combination of ONSD and PI had the highest ability to detect ICP >20 mm Hg (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve=0.99, 95% confidence interval: 0.99-1.00). Optimal cutoff values for the prediction of intracranial hypertension were 5.95 mm for ONSD (sensitivity, 92%; specificity, 76%) and 1.065 for PI (sensitivity, 92%; specificity, 87%). CONCLUSIONS: In children with TBI, a combination of ONSD and PI strongly correlates with invasive ICP and has potential to screen for intracranial hypertension noninvasively. ONSD and PI may be useful tools for assessing ICP where invasive monitoring is unavailable or contraindicated.

Healthcare-associated Infections in Pediatric Patients in Neurotrauma Intensive Care Unit: A Retrospective Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) can impact the outcome following traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children. We undertook a retrospective observational study to see the incidence, risk factors, and microbiological profile for HAIs in pediatric TBI. We also studied the impact of baseline patient characteristics, HAIs on patient outcome, and antibiotic resistance of different types of bacteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data on pediatric TBI patients of age up to 12 years were collected via a computerized patient record system (CPRS) from January 2012 to December 2018. Descriptive Chi-square test and Wilcoxon signed rank test were used to characterize baseline parameters. General linear regression models were run to find an unadjusted and adjusted odds ratio (OR). RESULTS: HAIs were found in 144 (34%) out of 423 patients. The most commonly seen infections were of the respiratory tract in 73 (17.26%) subjects. The most predominant microorganism isolated was Acinetobacter baumannii in 188 (41%) samples. A. baumannii was sensitive to colistin in 91 (48.4%) patients. Male gender (OR 0.630; p-value 0.035), fall from height (OR 0.374; p-value 0.008), and higher injury severity scale (ISS) (OR 1.040; p-value 0.002) were independent risk factors for development of HAIs. Severe TBI, higher ISS and Marshall grade, and HAIs were significantly associated with poor patient outcome. CONCLUSION: Severe TBI poses a significant risk of HAIs. The most common site was the respiratory tract, predominately infected with A. baumannii. HAIs in pediatric TBI patients resulted in poor patient outcome. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Prasad C, Bindra A, Singh P, Singh GP, Singh PK, Mathur P. Healthcare-associated Infections in Pediatric Patients in Neurotrauma Intensive Care Unit: A Retrospective Analysis. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(11):1308-1313.

The effect of anaesthetic exposure in presurgical period on delayed cerebral ischaemia and neurological outcome in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage undergoing clipping of aneurysm: A retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Delayed cerebral ischaemia is one of the major contributors to morbidity in aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH). General anaesthesia (GA) in the presurgical period may have a preconditioning effect. The primary aim was to assess the effect of preoperative exposure to GA during digital subtraction angiography (DSA) on neurological outcome in patients presenting with aSAH. METHODS: After Ethical Committee approval, we conducted a retrospective analysis of the data of patients with aSAH treated surgically. Patients, admitted to neurosurgical ICU (June 2014 and December 2017) with a computed tomography (CT) diagnosis of aSAH and underwent DSA, were included. DSA, done with or without exposure to a general anaesthetic, was classified to GA group and LA group, respectively. Propensity score matching was done on the baseline variables. Appropriate statistical methods were applied. RESULTS: Of the 278 patients, 116 (41.7%) patients had received GA during DSA. Propensity matching yielded 114 (57 in each group) matched patients. In a logistic regression model, the odds ratio (OR) for poor outcome at discharge in GA group as compared to LA group was 4.4 (CI: 2.7-7.4), P = 0.001, whereas, in the matched data, the OR for poor outcome at discharge in GA group as compared to LA group was 1.2 (CI: 0.6-2.6), P = 0.57. CONCLUSION: The presurgical exposure to GA did not offer any neuroprotection and the odds of poor outcome were higher compare to non-exposure to GA group.

Transport Circuit during COVID-19 Crisis: A Simple Modification of the Bain's Circuit for Safety of Healthcare Workers.

How to cite this article: Burman S, Sharma PB, Tyagi M, Singh GP, Chaturvedi A. Transport Circuit during COVID-19 Crisis: A Simple Modification of the Bain's Circuit for Safety of Healthcare Workers. Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(12):1281-1283.

The Role of Intraoperative MRI in Awake Neurosurgical Procedures: A Systematic Review.

Background: Awake craniotomy for brain tumors remains an important tool in the arsenal of the treating neurosurgeon working in eloquent areas of the brain. Furthermore, with the implementation of intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (I-MRI), one can afford the luxury of imaging to assess surgical resection of the underlying gross imaging defined neuropathology and the surrounding eloquent areas. Ideally, the combination of I-MRI and awake craniotomy could provide the maximal lesion resection with the least morbidity and mortality. However, more resection with the aid of real time imaging and awake craniotomy techniques might give opposite outcome results. The goal of this systematic review.is to identify the available literature on combined I-MRI and awake craniotomy techniques, to better understand the potential morbidity and mortality associated. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL were searched from inception up to December 2016. A total of 10 articles met inclusion in to the review, with a total of 324 adult patients. Results: All studies showed transient neurological deficits between 2.9 to 76.4%. In regards to persistent morbidity, the mean was ~10% (ranges from zero to 35.3%) with a follow up period between 5 days and 6 months. Conclusion: The preliminary results of this review also suggest this combined technique may impose acceptable post-operative complication profiles and morbidity. However, this is based on low quality evidence, and is therefore questionable. Further, well-designed future trials with the long-term follow-up are needed to provide various aspects of feasibility and outcome data for this approach.

New Onset Persistent Refractory Hypertension after Medulloblastoma Excision in Children-An Indicator of Poor Prognosis: A Case Series.

Hypertension in the clinical setting of posterior fossa tumors is a known entity and occurs due to medullary compression by the tumor. Such hypertension usually responds to tumor excision. Postoperative hypertension occurring after posterior fossa tumor excision has been attributed to brain stem edema in a single report earlier, which resolved without any intervention. Here, we report two pediatric patients who developed new onset refractory, persistent postoperative hypertension after medulloblastoma excision, and discuss possible causes and the prognostic significance of this condition.

New biomarkers in brain trauma.

Brain-specific biomolecules are being increasingly investigated as a viable alternative to the clinical scores and radiological features, on which we still rely upon for stratification, therapy and predicting outcome in traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBI generally leads to release of various chemical compound within the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or blood depending on the severity of injury, which were studied variedly in last decades. However, most of these compounds being non-specific to brain, their applicability was challenged further. This review encompasses the novel and promising biomarkers being studied in the present decade, with encouraging results in laboratory and animal or human models.

A comparative evaluation of nitrous oxide-isoflurane vs isoflurane anesthesia in patients undergoing craniotomy for supratentorial tumors: A preliminary study.

BACKGROUND: Neuroanesthesiologists are a highly biased group; so far the use of nitrous oxide in their patient population is concerned. We hypothesized that any adverse consequence with use of nitrous oxide should affect the patient so as to prolong his/her stay in the hospital. The primary aim of this preliminary trial was to evaluate if avoidance of nitrous oxide could decrease the duration of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and hospital stay after elective surgery for supratentorial tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 116 consecutive patients posted for elective craniotomy for various supratentorial tumors were enrolled between April 2008 and November 2009. Patients were randomly divided into Group I: Nitrous oxide - Isoflurane anesthesia (Nitrous oxide-based group) and Group II - Isoflurane anesthesia (Nitrous oxide-free group). Standard anesthesia protocol was followed for all the patients. Patients were assessed till discharge from hospital. RESULTS: The median duration of ICU stay in the nitrous group and the nitrous-free group was 1 (1 - 11 days) day and 1 (1 - 3 days) day respectively (P = 0.67), whereas the mean duration of hospital stay in the nitrous group was 4 (2 - 16) days and the nitrous free group was 3 (2 - 9) days (P = 0.06). The postoperative complications in the two groups were comparable. CONCLUSION: From this preliminary study with a low statistical power, it appears that avoidance of nitrous oxide in one's practice may not affect the outcome in the neurosurgical patients. Further large systemic trials are needed to address this issue.