The use of protective mechanical ventilation during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for the treatment of acute respiratory failure.

Acute respiratory failure (ARF) strikes an estimated two million people in the United States each year, with care exceeding US$50 billion. The hallmark of ARF is a heterogeneous injury, with normal tissue intermingled with a large volume of low compliance and collapsed tissue. Mechanical ventilation is necessary to oxygenate and ventilate patients with ARF, but if set inappropriately, it can cause an unintended ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI). The mechanism of VILI is believed to be overdistension of the remaining normal tissue known as the 'baby' lung, causing volutrauma, repetitive collapse and reopening of lung tissue with each breath, causing atelectrauma, and inflammation secondary to this mechanical damage, causing biotrauma. To avoid VILI, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can temporally replace the pulmonary function of gas exchange without requiring high tidal volumes (VT) or airway pressures. In theory, the lower VT and airway pressure will minimize all three VILI mechanisms, allowing the lung to 'rest' and heal in the collapsed state. The optimal method of mechanical ventilation for the patient on ECMO is unknown. The ARDSNetwork Acute Respiratory Management Approach (ARMA) is a Rest Lung Approach (RLA) that attempts to reduce the excessive stress and strain on the remaining normal lung tissue and buys time for the lung to heal in the collapsed state. Theoretically, excessive tissue stress and strain can also be avoided if the lung is fully open, as long as the alveolar re-collapse is prevented during expiration, an approach known as the Open Lung Approach (OLA). A third lung-protective strategy is the Stabilize Lung Approach (SLA), in which the lung is initially stabilized and gradually reopened over time. This review will analyze the physiologic efficacy and pathophysiologic potential of the above lung-protective approaches.

Death, social reform and the scrutiny of social welfare provision: the role of the contemporary inquest.

Suggesting there is an emerging and important focus on social welfare in inquests into death, this article argues that there is value for both social welfare and inquest scholarship in examination of links between the two. Emphasising the process of investigation, it aims to introduce the inquest to social welfare scholars, and proposes an agenda for research. The discussion examines a range of inquests in which questions of social welfare (understood broadly) were examined, including inquests into the death of Jackie Maguire in a care home (see R (Maguire) v. HM Senior Coroner for Blackpool & Fylde [2023] UKSC 20), the death of Jodey Whiting after her welfare benefits were stopped (in a case brought by her mother, Joy Dove, see Dove v. HM Assistant Coroner for Teesside and Hartlepool [2023] EWCA Civ 289), the death of Awaab Ishak due to mould in his housing association home, and the death of Ella Kissi-Debra which suggested a link between traffic, air pollution and asthma, as well as other cases, including the inquest into the death of Molly Russell which focused on the role of social media.

Simulated cardiopulmonary bypass: a high fidelity model for developing and accessing clinical perfusion skills.

BACKGROUND: Traditionally, novice perfusionists learn and practice clinical skills, during live surgical procedures. The profession's accrediting body is directing schools to implement simulated cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) into the curriculum. Unfortunately, no CPB simulation models have been validated. Here we describe the design and application of a CPB simulation model. METHODS: A CPB patient simulator was integrated into a representative operative theater and interfaced with a simple manikin, a heart-lung machine (HLM), clinical perfusion circuitry, and equipment. Participants completed a simulation scenario designed to represent a typical CPB procedure before completing an exit survey to assess the fidelity and validity of the experience. Questions were scored using a 5-point Likert scale. RESULTS: Participants (n = 81) contributed 953 opinions on 40 questions. The participants reported that the model of simulated CPB (1) realistically presented both the physiologic and technical parameters seen during CPB (n = 347, mean 4.37, SD 0.86), (2) accurately represented the psychological constructs and cognitive mechanisms of the clinical CPB (n = 139, mean 4.24, SD 1.08), (3) requires real clinical skills and reproduces realistic surgical case progression (n = 167, mean 4.38, SD 0.86), and (4) would be effective for teaching, practicing, and assessing the fundamental skills of CPB (n = 300, mean 4.54, SD 0.9). Participants agreed that their performance in the simulation scenario accurately predicted their performance in a real clinical setting (n = 43, mean 4.07, SD 1.03) CONCLUSION: This novel simulation model of CPB reproduces the salient aspects of clinical CPB and may be useful for teaching, practicing, and assessing fundamental skills.