Pneumothorax during manned chamber operations: A summary of reported cases.

In-chamber pneumothorax has complicated medically remote professional diving operations, submarine escape training, management of decompression illness, and hospital-based provision of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Attempts to avoid thoracotomy by combination of high oxygen partial pressure breathing (the concept of inherent unsaturation) and greatly slowed rates of chamber decompression proved successful on several occasions. When this delicate balance designed to prevent the intrapleural gas volume from expanding faster than it contracts proved futile, chest drains were inserted. The presence of pneumothorax was misdiagnosed or missed altogether with disturbing frequency, resulting in wide-ranging clinical consequences. One patient succumbed before the chamber had been fully decompressed. Another was able to ambulate unaided from the chamber before being diagnosed and managed conventionally. In between these two extremes, patients experienced varying degrees of clinical compromise, from respiratory distress to cardiopulmonary arrest, with successful resuscitation. Pneumothorax associated with manned chamber operations is commonly considered to develop while the patient is under pressure and manifests during ascent. However, published reports suggest that many were pre-existing prior to chamber entry. Risk factors included pulmonary barotrauma-induced cerebral arterial gas embolism, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and medical or surgical procedures usually involving the lung. This latter category is of heightened importance to hyperbaric operations as an iatrogenically induced pneumothorax may take as long as 24 hours to be detected, perhaps long after a patient has been cleared for chamber exposure.

Pulmonary barotrauma as a complication of mechanical ventilation for management of COVID-19 associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (CARDS).

Objectives: To identify that incidence of pulmonary barotrauma secondary to mechanical ventilation for the management of acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with coronavirus-disease-2019, and to compare it with the incidence of pulmonary barotrauma trauma secondary to mechanical ventilation associated with all the other causes. METHODS: The retrospective case-control study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised data from October 2020 to March 2021 of patients who underwent mechanical ventilation. The data was divided into two groups. Data of acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with coronavirus-disease-2019 was in group 1, and that of acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with any other cause in control group 2. Medical records were reviewed to obtain demographic and clinical data, while the institutional picture archiving and communication system was used to review radiological images. Data was analysed using SPSS 24. RESULTS: Of the 261 cases, 115(44%) were in group 1; 87(75.6%) males and 28(24.3%) females. There were 146(56%) controls in group 2; 96(65.7%) males and 50(34.2%) females. There were 142(54.4%) subjects aged >60 years; 61(43%) in group 1 and 81(57%) in group 2. The incidence of pulmonary barotrauma in group 1 was 39(34%) and 8(5.5%) in group 2 (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical ventilation in the management of acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with coronavirusdisease- 2019 was found to be associated with a significantly higher incidence of pulmonary barotrauma than acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with any other cause.

Cerebral arterial gas embolism (CAGE) during open water scuba certification training whilst practising a controlled emergency swimming ascent.

We report the case of a 23-year-old male novice diver who sustained cerebral arterial gas embolism (CAGE) during his open water certification training whilst practising a free ascent as part of the course. He developed immediate but transient neurological symptoms that had resolved on arrival to hospital. Radiological imaging of his chest showed small bilateral pneumothoraces, pneumopericardium and pneumomediastinum. In view of this he was treated with high flow normobaric oxygen rather than recompression, because of the risk of development of tension pneumothorax upon chamber decompression. There was no relapse of his neurological symptoms with this regimen. The utility and safety of free ascent training for recreational divers is discussed, as is whether a pneumothorax should be vented prior to recompression, as well as return to diving following pulmonary barotrauma.

HYPERACTIVE BLADDER SYNDROME SECONDARY TO BAROTRAUMA AND CHRONIC STRESS.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: To improve the results of treatment of hyperactive bladder syndrome in men of working age on the background of barotrauma and stress, as a consequence of combat trauma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: An analysis of the questionnaire and the results of the clinical examination of 32 patients, injured servicemen and people who were injured in combat zones was carried out. The drug solifenacin succinate was used in the treatment complex, which is a specific antagonist of M3 subtype cholinergic receptors. Its influence allows you to achieve relaxation of the bladder detrusor and reduce the contractility of hyperactive bladder. RESULTS: Results: The main criterion for the effectiveness of the treatment was a decrease in the number of urgent cases, the frequency of urination and manifestations of nocturia by 50% or more, which was considered a positive effect. At the same time, the positive effect was differentiated as follows : an improvement of these parameters by 75% or more from the initial value which is a good result; reduction of symptoms in the range of 50-75% is satisfactory; less than 50% is an unsatisfactory result. A positive effect from the treatment after 8 weeks was observed in 88% of patients, of which 52% had a good result and 36% had a satisfactory result. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The proposed complex of treatment of hyperactive bladder syndrome as a result of combat trauma against the background of barotrauma with neurological consequences and chronic stress allows to achieve a pronounced clinical effect in the vast majority of male patients of working age. And the diagnostic complex allows you to emphasize aspects of clinical vigilance, both for doctors of a specialized branch and of doctors of a general direction.

Recommendations on scuba diving in Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Although very uncommon, severe injury and death can occur during scuba diving. One of the main causes of scuba diving fatalities is pulmonary barotrauma due to significant changes in ambient pressure. Pathology of the lung parenchyma, such as cystic lesions, might increase the risk of pulmonary barotrauma. AREAS COVERED: Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome (BHD), caused by pathogenic variants in the FLCN gene, is characterized by skin fibrofolliculomas, an increased risk of renal cell carcinoma, multiple lung cysts and spontaneous pneumothorax. Given the pulmonary involvement, in some countries patients with BHD are generally recommended to avoid scuba diving, although evidence-based guidelines are lacking. We aim to provide recommendations on scuba diving for patients with BHD, based on a survey of literature on pulmonary cysts and pulmonary barotrauma in scuba diving. EXPERT OPINION: In our opinion, although the absolute risks are likely to be low, caution is warranted. Given the relative paucity of literature and the potential fatal outcome, patients with BHD with a strong desire for scuba diving should be informed of the potential risks in a personal assessment. If available a diving physician should be consulted, and a low radiation dose chest computed tomography (CT)-scan to assess pulmonary lesions could be considered.

Rhabdomyolysis in McArdle disease caused by scuba diving.

McArdle disease is a glycogen storage disease that results in rhabdomyolysis during intense exercise. A number of different triggers have been described. We evaluated a patient with McArdle disease who presented with rhabdomyolysis after recreational scuba diving. There was no concern for barotrauma or decompression sickness. His symptoms resolved with standard-of-care management for non-diving-related rhabdomyolysis. Features of his experience provoked questions about the diving-related factors contributing to his presentation. We present the case and explore possible mechanisms of diving-related injury in patients with McArdle disease, including the possible effects of hyperoxia, hyperbaria, hypothermia and strenuous activity.

Barotrauma-Induced Perilymph Fistula: Video Head Impulse Test and High-Resolution Temporal Bones Computed Tomography Role in Evaluation and FollowUp.

We report a case of a woman presenting with unilateral right profound hearing loss accompanied by vertigo secondary to barotrauma-induced perilymph fistula during recreational skydiving. Video head impulse test demonstrated a reduced gain in both the right horizontal and right anterior semicircular canals accompanied by frequently gathered overt corrective saccades. High-resolution computed tomography revealed an enlarged vestibular aqueduct on the affected side, a predisposing factor for the development of perilymph fistula. An exploratory tympanotomy was performed during which a perilymph leak was visualized at the round window niche. Temporal fascia patches enforced by absorbable gelatin sponges were applied to both round and oval windows. During post-surgery follow-up, the patient remained free of vestibular symptoms. An audiogram displayed mild improvement in the right ear speech reception threshold, although her hearing remained non-serviceable. The video head impulse test showed a favorable dynamic with a stepwise return to normal gain values in all semicircular canals and the disappearance of overt corrective saccades. This is the first case in which video head impulse test was employed as a valuable diagnostic tool for the evaluation and post-surgery follow-up of vestibular function in a barotrauma-induced perilymph fistula. The demonstration of an enlarged vestibular aqueduct on high-resolution computed tomography and the risk of perilymph fistula recurrence are discussed.

Incidence of dental barotrauma and temporomandibular joint problems of divers in Turkey.

Introduction: In this study, we aimed to examine dental barotrauma and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) complaints in a large group of divers. Methods: This survey study included scuba divers older than 18. The questionnaire contained 25 questions about the demographic characteristics of divers, dental health behaviors, and diving-related dental, sinus and/or temporomandibular joint pain. Results: The study group consisted of 287 instructors, recreational and commercial divers (mean age 38.96 years) (79.1% males). A total of 46% of divers reported a frequency of tooth brushing less than twice a day; 28% never receive a routine dental examination; 22.6% experienced dental pain after and/or during diving, mostly in the upper posterior teeth (40%); 17% required dental treatment; 77% of these cases are restoration fracture. TMJ symptoms after diving were statistically significantly higher in women (p=0.04). Jaw and masticatory muscle pain in the morning (p≺0.001) limitation of mouth opening (p=0.04) and joint sounds in daily life (p≺0.001) were recorded as exacerbated after diving; the results were found to be statistically significant. Conclusion: In our study, the localization of barodontalgia was consistent with the distribution of caries and restored tooth areas in the literature. Dive-related TMJ pain was also more common in those with pre-dive problems such as bruxism and joint noise. Our results are important to remind us of the necessity of preventive dentistry practices and early diagnosis of problems in divers. Divers should take personal precautions, such as brushing their teeth twice a day and avoiding the need for urgent treatment. The use of a personalized mouthpiece is also recommended for divers to prevent dive-related temporomandibular joint diseases.

Incidence, outcomes and risk factors of barotrauma in veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for acute respiratory distress syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Although acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients are provided a lung rest strategy during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment, the exact conditions of barotrauma is unclear. Therefore, we analyzed the epidemiology and risk factors for barotrauma in ARDS patients using ECMO in a single, large ECMO center in China. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 127 patients with ARDS received veno-venous (VV) ECMO who met the Berlin definition. The epidemiology and risk factors for barotrauma during ECMO were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 127 patients with ARDS treated with ECMO, barotrauma occurred in 24 (18.9%) during ECMO and 9 (7.1%) after ECMO decannulation, mainly in the late stage of ARDS (75%) and ≥8 days during ECMO (54.2%). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that younger ARDS patients (OR = 0.953, 95%CI 0.923-0.983, p = 0.003) and those with pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) (OR = 3.15, 95%CI 1.070-9.271, p = 0.037), elevated body temperature after establishing ECMO (OR = 2.997, 95%CI 1.325-6.779, p = 0.008) and low platelet count after establishing ECMO (OR = 0.985, 95%CI 0.972-0.998, p = 0.02) had an increased risk of barotrauma during ECMO. There was no difference in ventilator parameters between patients with and without barotrauma. Barotrauma during ECMO was mainly related to the etiology of the disease and disease state. CONCLUSION: There is a high incidence of barotrauma in ARDS patients during ECMO, even after ECMO decannulation. Young age, PJP, elevated body temperature and low platelet count after establishing ECMO are risk factors of barotrauma, and those patients should be closely monitored by imaging, especially in the late stage of ARDS.

Time dependency and unique etiology of barotrauma in COVID-19: A retrospective cohort study with landmark analysis and pathological approach.

BACKGROUND: Barotrauma frequently occurs in coronavirus disease 2019. Previous studies have reported barotrauma to be a mortality-risk factor; however, its time-dependent nature and pathophysiology are not elucidated. To investigate the time-dependent characteristics and the etiology of coronavirus disease 2019-related-barotrauma. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We retrospectively reviewed intubated patients with coronavirus disease 2019 from March 2020 to May 2021. We compared the 90-day survival between the barotrauma and non-barotrauma groups and performed landmark analyses on days 7, 14, 21, and 28. Barotrauma within seven days before the landmark was defined as the exposure. Additionally, we evaluated surgically treated cases of coronavirus disease 2019-related pneumothorax. We included 192 patients. Barotrauma developed in 44 patients (22.9%). The barotrauma group's 90-day survival rate was significantly worse (47.7% vs. 82.4%, p < 0.001). In the 7-day landmark analysis, there was no significant difference (75.0% vs. 75.7%, p = 0.79). Contrastingly, in the 14-, 21-, and 28-day landmark analyses, the barotrauma group's survival rates were significantly worse (14-day: 41.7% vs. 69.1%, p = 0.044; 21-day: 16.7% vs. 62.5%, p = 0.014; 28-day: 20.0% vs. 66.7%, p = 0.018). Pathological examination revealed a subpleural hematoma and pulmonary cyst with heterogenous lung inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: Barotrauma was a poor prognostic factor for coronavirus disease 2019, especially in the late phase. Heterogenous inflammation may be a key finding in its mechanism. Barotrauma is a potentially important sign of lung destruction.

A review of 149 Divers Alert Network emergency call records involving diving minors.

INTRODUCTION: Minors have been scuba diving for decades, and while the initial concerns about potential long-term complications related to bone development appear to be unfounded, the incidence of scuba diving injuries among them has been poorly studied. METHODS: We reviewed 10,159 cases recorded in the DAN Medical Services call centre database from 2014 through 2016 and identified 149 cases of injured divers younger than 18 years. Records were analysed for case categorisation on the most common dive injuries. Information about demographics, level of training, risk factors, and relevant behavioural aspects were collected when available. RESULTS: While the most common reason for the call was to rule out decompression sickness, the majority of cases pertained to ear and sinus issues. However, 15% of the dive-related injuries involving minors had a final diagnosis of pulmonary barotrauma (PBt). While no reliable data is available on the incidence of PBt in adult divers, the authors' impression based on personal experience suggests that the number of cases of PBt in minors trends higher than in the general diving population. The narratives on some relevant records describe unmanageable levels of anxiety leading to panic. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results and narratives on these cases, it is reasonable to infer that psychological immaturity, suboptimal management of adverse situations, and inadequate supervision might have led to severe injuries among these minor divers.

The risk of decompression illness in breath-hold divers: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Breath-hold (BH) diving has known risks, for example drowning, pulmonary oedema of immersion and barotrauma. There is also the risk of decompression illness (DCI) from decompression sickness (DCS) and/or arterial gas embolism (AGE). The first report on DCS in repetitive freediving was published in 1958 and from then there have been multiple case reports and a few studies but no prior systematic review or meta-analysis. METHODS: We undertook a systematic literature review to identify articles available from PubMed and Google Scholar concerning breath-hold diving and DCI up to August 2021. RESULTS: The present study identified 17 articles (14 case reports, three experimental studies) covering 44 incidences of DCI following BH diving. CONCLUSIONS: This review found that the literature supports both DCS and AGE as potential mechanisms for DCI in BH divers; both should be considered a risk for this cohort of divers, just as for those breathing compressed gas while underwater.

Clinical use of Macklin-like radiological sign (Macklin effect): A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Recent studies suggested that Macklin sign is a predictor of barotrauma in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We performed a systematic review to further characterize the clinical role of Macklin. METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register and Embase were searched for studies reporting data on Macklin. Studies without data on chest CT, pediatric studies, non-human and cadaver studies, case reports and series including <5 patients were excluded. The primary objective was to assess the number of patients with Macklin sign and barotrauma. Secondary objectives were: occurrence of Macklin in different populations, clinical use of Macklin, prognostic impact of Macklin. RESULTS: Seven studies enrolling 979 patients were included. Macklin was present in 4-22% of COVID-19 patients. It was associated with barotrauma in 124/138 (89.8%) of cases. Macklin sign preceded barotrauma in 65/69 cases (94.2%) 3-8 days in advance. Four studies used Macklin as pathophysiological explanation for barotrauma, two studies as a predictor of barotrauma and one as a decision-making tool. Two studies suggested that Macklin is a strong predictor of barotrauma in ARDS patients and one study used Macklin sign to candidate high-risk ARDS patients to awake extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). A possible correlation between Macklin and worse prognosis was suggested in two studies on COVID-19 and blunt chest trauma. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing evidence suggests that Macklin sign anticipate barotrauma in patients with ARDS and there are initial reports on use of Macklin as a decision-making tool. Further studies investigating the role of Macklin sign in ARDS are justified.

High incidence of barotrauma in patients admitted with COVID-19 to ICU and associated mortality in rural Appalachia: An observational study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the incidence of barotrauma and its impact on mortality in COVID-19 patients admitted to ICU. DESIGN: Single-center retrospective study of consecutive COVID-19 patients admitted to a rural tertiary-care ICU. The primary outcomes were incidence of barotrauma in COVID-19 patients and all-cause 30-day mortality. Secondary outcomes were the length of stay (LOS) in the hospital and ICU. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used in the survival data analysis. SETTING: Medical ICU, West Virginia University Hospital (WVUH), USA. PATIENTS: All adult patients were admitted to the ICU for acute hypoxic respiratory failure due to coronavirus disease 2019 between September 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020. Historical controls were ARDS patients admitted pre-COVID. INTERVENTION: Not applicable. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-five consecutive patients with COVID-19 were admitted to the ICU during the defined period, compared to 39 historical non-COVID controls. The overall incidence of barotrauma in COVID-19 patients was 37/165 (22.4%) compared to 4/39 (10.3%) in the control group. Patients with COVID-19 and barotrauma had a significantly worse survival (HR = 1.56, p = 0.047) compared to controls. In those requiring invasive mechanical ventilation, the COVID group also had significantly higher rates of barotrauma (OR 3.1, p = 0.03) and worse all-cause mortality (OR 2.21, p = 0.018). COVID-19 with barotrauma had significantly higher LOS in the ICU and the hospital. CONCLUSIONS: Our data on critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU shows a high incidence of barotrauma and mortality compared to the controls. Additionally, we report a high incidence of barotrauma even in non-ventilated ICU patients.

Dental tourism and the risk of barotrauma and barodontalgia.

Background and aim Dental tourism, which reflects the provision of health care services abroad, also includes a travelling component. Air travel after dental intervention may cause barotrauma and barodontalgia. This paper aimed to provide guiding principles regarding the minimal time interval between dental procedures and air travel to prevent these adverse effects.Methods A literature search was performed to reveal information with regards to complications related to flights following dental treatments. There is little research in this area and most of it has been conducted on the military aircrew population, which has different characteristics of flight and personnel than civilian commercial flights.Results The recommended time of flying is one week after most dental intervention and six weeks after a sinus lift procedure. The minimal time required between a procedure and flight is 24 hours after restorative treatment, 24-48 hours after simple extraction, 72 hours after nonsurgical endodontic procedure, surgical extraction, and implant placement, and at least two weeks after sinus lift procedure.Conclusions The provided guidelines may serve as a starting point for the clinician's decision-making. The tailoring of an individual treatment plan to the patient should take into consideration the patient's condition, dental procedure, complications and flight characteristics. Further research based on commercial flights is needed to formulate more accurate guidelines for the civilian population.

Pulmonary Barotrauma in a BUD/S Candidate Following Shallow Dives Using the MK 25 Rebreather.

Pulmonary barotrauma of ascent is a well-recognized risk of compressed air diving in the civilian and military diving communities. Chest imaging is a beneficial adjunct to clinical evaluation in screening select individuals for fitness to dive, evaluating dive-related injuries, and safely returning individuals to diving duty. We present a case of a 26-year-old male U.S. Navy Ensign and Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) candidate who experienced pulmonary barotrauma following two shallow dives to a maximum depth of 18 feet of seawater using the MK-25 100% oxygen rebreather. A chest radiograph showed a left upper lobe peripheral wedge-shaped opacity abutting the pleural surface. A subsequent computerized tomography (CT) scan of the chest showed multifocal areas of peripheral pulmonary hemorrhage associated with small pneumatoceles. Two months after the diving injury, chest CT showed resolution of the pulmonary hemorrhage and pneumatoceles. Diving-related pulmonary barotrauma occurs most often secondary to breath-holding on ascent by inexperienced divers and is one of the most common diving injuries seen in BUD/S candidates. The risk of pulmonary barotrauma may be decreased through adequate training and thorough medical screening to include assessing for symptoms of infection before every dive. In cases of acute pulmonary barotrauma, chest radiographs may be used to screen for thoracic injury. Chest CT with inspiratory and expiratory sequences should be used to screen dive candidates on a case-by-case basis and to evaluate lung injury and predisposing pulmonary conditions following pulmonary barotrauma.

"The Spiked Helmet sign": A harbinger of impending barotrauma.

The 'spiked helmet sign' (SHS) is an electrocardiographic finding associated with critical illness and a high risk of death; It is likened to ST-elevation, leading to harmful coronary imaging despite lack of apparent myocardial infarction. We describe the case of SHS secondary to high ventilation pressures in the setting of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) in a critically ill patient who subsequently developed barotrauma.

The role of routine pulmonary imaging before hyperbaric oxygen treatment.

Respiratory injury during or following hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) is rare, but associated pressure changes can cause iatrogenic pulmonary barotrauma with potentially severe sequelae such as pneumothoraces. Pulmonary blebs, bullae, and other emphysematous airspace abnormalities increase the risk of respiratory complications and are prevalent in otherwise healthy adults. HBOT providers may elect to use chest X-ray routinely as a pre-treatment screening tool to identify these anomalies, particularly if a history of preceding pulmonary disease is identified, but this approach has a low sensitivity and frequently provides false negative results. Computed tomography scans offer greater sensitivity for airspace lesions, but given the high prevalence of incidental and insignificant pulmonary findings among healthy individuals, would lead to a high false positive rate because most lesions are unlikely to pose a hazard during HBOT. Post-mortem and imaging studies of airspace lesion prevalence show that a significant proportion of patients who undergo HBOT likely have pulmonary abnormalities such as blebs and bullae. Nevertheless, pulmonary barotrauma is rare, and occurs mainly in those with known underlying lung pathology. Consequently, routinely using chest X-ray or computed tomography scans as screening tools prior to HBOT for low-risk patients without a pertinent medical history or lack of clinical symptoms of cardiorespiratory disease is of low value. This review outlines published cases of patients experiencing pulmonary barotrauma while undergoing pressurised treatment/testing in a hyperbaric chamber and analyses the relationship between barotrauma and pulmonary findings on imaging prior to or following exposure. A checklist and clinical decision-making tool based on suggested low-risk and high-risk features are offered to guide the use of targeted baseline thoracic imaging prior to HBOT.

Barotrauma in COVID 19: Incidence, pathophysiology, and effect on prognosis.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of barotrauma (pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema) in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients. To describe the chest radiography patterns of barotrauma and understand the development in relation to mechanical ventilation and patient mortality. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of 363 patients with COVID-19 from March 1 to April 8, 2020. Primary outcomes were pneumomediastinum or subcutaneous emphysema with or without pneumothorax, pneumoperitoneum, or pneumoretroperitoneum. The secondary outcomes were length of intubation and death. In patients with pneumomediastinum and/or subcutaneous emphysema, we conducted an imaging review to determine the timeline of barotrauma development. RESULTS: Forty three out of 363 (12%) patients developed barotrauma radiographically. The median time to development of either pneumomediastinum or subcutaneous emphysema was 2 days (IQR 1.0-4.5) after intubation and the median time to pneumothorax was 7 days (IQR 2.0-10.0). The overall incidence of pneumothorax was 28/363 (8%) with an incidence of 17/43 (40%) in the barotrauma cohort and 11/320 (3%) in those without barotrauma (p ≤ 0.001). In total, 257/363 (71%) patients died with an increase in mortality in those with barotrauma 33/43 (77%) vs. 224/320 (70%). When adjusting for covariates, barotrauma was associated with increased odds of death (OR 2.99, 95% CI 1.25-7.17). CONCLUSION: Barotrauma is a frequent complication of mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients. In comparison to intubated COVID-19 patients without barotrauma, there is a higher rate of pneumothorax and an increased risk of death.

Effect of sigh in lateral position on postoperative atelectasis in adults assessed by lung ultrasound: a randomized, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative atelectasis occurs in 90% of patients receiving general anesthesia. Recruitment maneuvers (RMs) are not always effective and frequently associated with barotrauma and hemodynamic instability. It is reported that many natural physiological behaviors interrupted under general anesthesia could prevent atelectasis and restore lung aeration. This study aimed to find out whether a combined physiological recruitment maneuver (CPRM), sigh in lateral position, could reduce postoperative atelectasis using lung ultrasound (LUS). METHODS: We conducted a prospective, randomized, controlled trial in adults with open abdominal surgery under general anesthesia lasting for 2 h or longer. Subjects were randomly allocated to either control group (C-group) or CPRM-group and received volume-controlled ventilation with the same ventilator settings. Patients in CPRM group was ventilated in sequential lateral position, with the addition of periodic sighs to recruit the lung. LUS scores, dynamic compliance (Cdyn), the partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2) and fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) ratio (PaO2/FiO2), and other explanatory variables were acquired from each patient before and after recruitment. RESULTS: Seventy patients were included in the analysis. Before recruitment, there was no significant difference in LUS scores, Cdyn and PaO2/FiO2 between CPRM-group and C-group. After recruitment, LUS scores in CPRM-group decreased significantly compared with C-group (6.00 [5.00, 7.00] vs. 8.00 [7.00, 9.00], p = 4.463e-11 < 0.05), while PaO2/FiO2 and Cdyn in CPRM-group increased significantly compared with C-group respectively (377.92 (93.73) vs. 309.19 (92.98), p = 0.008 < 0.05, and 52.00 [47.00, 60.00] vs. 47.70 [41.00, 59.50], p = 6.325e-07 < 0.05). No hemodynamic instability, detectable barotrauma or position-related complications were encountered. CONCLUSIONS: Sigh in lateral position can effectively reduce postoperative atelectasis even without causing severe side effects. Further large-scale studies are necessary to evaluate it's long-term effects on pulmonary complications and hospital length of stay. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR1900024379 . Registered 8 July 2019,.