Atendimento às vítimas de lesão inalatória por incêndio em ambiente fechado: o que aprendemos com a tragédia de Santa Maria / Assistance of inhalation injury victims caused by fire in confined spaces: what we learned from the tragedy at Santa Maria

Em janeiro de 2013, uma catástrofe ocorrida em Santa Maria (RS), decorrente de um incêndio em ambiente fechado, resultou em 242 mortes, a maioria por lesões inalatórias. Em novembro de 2013, quatro vítimas necessitaram de suporte intensivo após inalação de fumaça em incêndio no Memorial da América Latina, em São Paulo (SP). Este artigo relata a evolução clínica e o manejo dos pacientes com lesão inalatória vítimas de uma catástrofe. Os pacientes ERL e OC apresentaram insuficiência respiratória precoce com broncoaspiração de material carbonáceo e intoxicação por monóxido de carbono. Foi instituído suporte ventilatório com oxigênio a 100%, retirada do material aspirado por broncoscopia, e terapia empírica com nitrito de sódio e tiossulfato de sódio para intoxicação por cianeto. O paciente RP apresentou tosse e queimação retroesternal. Evoluiu com insuficiência respiratória por edema de via aérea alta e infecção pulmonar precoce, manejados com ventilação pulmonar protetora e antimicrobianos. Foi extubado após melhora do edema no seguimento broncoscópico. O paciente MA, asmático, apresentou intoxicação por monóxido de carbono e broncoespasmo, sendo tratado com hiperóxia normobárica, broncodilatadores e corticoterapia. A estadia na unidade de terapia intensiva variou de 4 e 10 dias, e todos os pacientes apresentaram boa recuperação funcional no seguimento. Em conclusão, nos incêndios em ambientes fechados, as lesões inalatórias têm papel preponderante. O suporte ventilatório invasivo não deve ser postergado em caso de edema significativo de via aérea. A hiperóxia deve ser instituída precocemente como terapêutica para intoxicação por monóxido de carbono, bem como terapia farmacológica empírica para intoxicação por cianeto em caso de suspeita.

On January 2013, a disaster at Santa Maria (RS) due to a fire in a confined space caused 242 deaths, most of them by inhalation injury. On November 2013, four individuals required intensive care following smoke inhalation from a fire at the Memorial da América Latina in São Paulo (SP). The present article reports the clinical progression and management of disaster victims presenting with inhalation injury. Patients ERL and OC exhibited early respiratory failure, bronchial aspiration of carbonaceous material, and carbon monoxide poisoning. Ventilation support was performed with 100% oxygen, the aspirated material was removed by bronchoscopy, and cyanide poisoning was empirically treated with sodium nitrite and sodium thiosulfate. Patient RP initially exhibited cough and retrosternal burning and subsequently progressed to respiratory failure due to upper airway swelling and early-onset pulmonary infection, which were treated with protective ventilation and antimicrobial agents. This patient was extubated following improvement of edema on bronchoscopy. Patient MA, an asthmatic, exhibited carbon monoxide poisoning and bronchospasm and was treated with normobaric hyperoxia, bronchodilators, and corticosteroids. The length of stay in the intensive care unit varied from four to 10 days, and all four patients exhibited satisfactory functional recovery. To conclude, inhalation injury has a preponderant role in fires in confined spaces. Invasive ventilation should not be delayed in cases with significant airway swelling. Hyperoxia should be induced early as a therapeutic means against carbon monoxide poisoning, in addition to empiric pharmacological treatment in suspected cases of cyanide poisoning.

Assistance of inhalation injury victims caused by fire in confined spaces: what we learned from the tragedy at Santa Maria.

On January 2013, a disaster at Santa Maria (RS) due to a fire in a confined space caused 242 deaths, most of them by inhalation injury. On November 2013, four individuals required intensive care following smoke inhalation from a fire at the Memorial da América Latina in São Paulo (SP). The present article reports the clinical progression and management of disaster victims presenting with inhalation injury. Patients ERL and OC exhibited early respiratory failure, bronchial aspiration of carbonaceous material, and carbon monoxide poisoning. Ventilation support was performed with 100% oxygen, the aspirated material was removed by bronchoscopy, and cyanide poisoning was empirically treated with sodium nitrite and sodium thiosulfate. Patient RP initially exhibited cough and retrosternal burning and subsequently progressed to respiratory failure due to upper airway swelling and early-onset pulmonary infection, which were treated with protective ventilation and antimicrobial agents. This patient was extubated following improvement of edema on bronchoscopy. Patient MA, an asthmatic, exhibited carbon monoxide poisoning and bronchospasm and was treated with normobaric hyperoxia,bronchodilators, and corticosteroids. The length of stay in the intensive care unit varied from four to 10 days, and all four patients exhibited satisfactory functional recovery. To conclude, inhalation injury has a preponderant role in fires in confined spaces. Invasive ventilation should not be delayed in cases with significant airway swelling. Hyperoxia should be induced early asa therapeutic means against carbon monoxide poisoning, in addition to empiric pharmacological treatment in suspected cases of cyanide poisoning.

Comorbidades e sinais de alerta da pneumonia adquirida na comunidade: análise de pacientes com mais de 50 anos / Comorbidities and warning signals of community acquired pneumonia: analysis of patients over 50 years old

Introdução: a pneumonia adquirida na comunidade (PAC) é a maior causa de morte por doenças infecciosas no mundo, principalmente em idosos. São Caetano do Sul, São Paulo, demonstra um aumento de população idosa (28%), devido ao aumento da expectativa de vida. Assim, o número de casos em pacientes ≥ 50 anos aumentou drasticamente. Dos 567 casos notificados em São Caetano Sul, de maio a dezembro de 2005 e de março a setembro de 2006, 70% correspondiam a idosos. Objetivo: analisar as comorbidades relacionadas à PAC em pacientes ≥ 50 anos e os sinais de alerta que estes apresentam no início do tratamento ambulatorial em São Caetano do Sul. Casuística e métodos: foram analisados 41 casos de PAC em pacientes ≥ 50 anos que apresentavam o quadro clínico compatível com infecção respiratória aguda, achado de infiltrado pulmonar novo ao raio X de tórax, associado à pelo menos um dos itens: desidratação, febre ≥ 38 ºC e tosse produtiva. Os critérios de exclusão foram a presença de doenças pulmonares e portadores de HIV. Resultados e conclusões: analisou-se o quadro de PAC em 41 pacientes com ≥ 50 anos, com sinais e sintomas característicos aos exames no Pronto Socorro. Devido à particularidade da amostra estudada, não se podem generalizar os resultados. Houve prevalência do sexo feminino, sendo a idade média dos pacientes de 69 anos Das comorbidades analisadas, a insuficiência cardíaca congestiva teve maior prevalência (50%), seguida pela insuficiência renal (25%). Dos pacientes analisados, 24% apresentavam uréia > 40 mg/dL e 18% apresentavam taquipnéia.

Introduction: the Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the major cause of death by infectious diseases in the world, especially among the elderly. Sao Caetano do Sul, São Paulo, shows a growth of the elderly population (28%), due to the rise of the life expectancy. Therefore, the number of cases in patients older than 50 years old rose drastically. From the 567 cases related in São Caetano do Sul, from May to December of 2005 and from March to September of 2006, 70% were related to elders. Objective: analyze the comorbidities related to CAP in patients older than 50 years, and the alert signs shown by them in the beginning of the ambulatory treatment in São Caetano do Sul. Subjectives and methods: 41 cases of CAP were analyzed in patients older than 50 years which presented clinical situation compatible with deep breathing infection, new pulmonary infiltrate discovered in the X-Ray exam of the chest, which is related to at least one of the following items: dehydration, fever and productive cough. The exclusion criteria were the diagnosis of lung diseases and HIV. Results and conclusions: the CAP scenes of 41 patients older then 50 years were analyzed, with signs and symptoms that are characteristics of the Emergency Medical Services exams. Due to the particularity of the sample studied, the result cannot be generalized. Females prevailed; the average age of the patients was 69 years. From all the comorbidities analyzed, the congestive cardiac insufficiency prevailed at most (50%), followed by the renal insufficiency (25%). Among the patients analyzed, 24% presented urea > 40 mg/dL and 18% presented shortpnea.