Complications and degree of difficulty of orotracheal intubation in the Intensive Care Unit before and after the establishment of an intubation protocol for critically ill patients: a prospective, observational study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to compare the degree of difficulty and complications related to tracheal intubation in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) before and after the introduction of an intubation protocol based on the Difficult Airway Society guidelines for the management of tracheal intubation in critically ill adults, published in 2018. METHODS: Prospective, observational study comparing all intubations performed in our ICU over 2 periods: pre-protocol (January 2015-January 2019) and post-protocol (February 2019-July 2022). The material used for intubation, the degree of difficulty, and intubation-related complications were recorded. RESULTS: During the study period, 661 patients were intubated - 437 in the pre-protocol period (96% by direct laryngoscopy) and 224 in the post-protocol period (53% with direct laryngoscopy, 46% with video laryngoscopy). We observed an improvement in laryngeal view in the post-protocol period compared to the pre-protocol period (Cormack-Lehane ≥ 2b in 7.6% vs. 29.8%, p < 0.001), and a decrease in the number of moderate-to-severely difficult intubations (6.7% vs. 17.4%, p < 0.001). The first-pass success rate was 92.8% in the post-protocol period compared to 90.2% pre-protocol (p = 0.508). We did not find significant differences in complications between the periods studied. CONCLUSIONS: Intubations performed in the post-protocol period were associated with improved laryngeal view and fewer cases of difficult intubation compared with the pre-protocol period.

Unusual infective prosthetic valve endocarditis due to Pseudomonas monteilii and Acinetobacter nosocomialis with a fatal result. / Inusual endocarditis infecciosa sobre válvula protésica por Pseudomonas monteilii y Acinetobacter nosocomialis con fatal desenlace.

We report a case of Pseudomonas monteilii and Acinetobacter nosocomialis endocarditis with a fatal outcome in a patient with a recent history of prosthetic aortic valve replacement. Transesophageal echocardiography and computed tomography confirmed the presence of vegetation on the prosthetic valve and aortic pseudoaneurism with an aortic root abscess. Valve cultures yielded P.monteilii and A.nosocomialis. The patient underwent surgery and received antibiotics, but his condition deteriorated and he died 44days after surgery. To our knowledge, this is the first case of P.monteilii and A.nosocomialis endocarditis reported in the literature. These organisms have been described as environmental contaminants; however, they must be considered potential pathogens, particularly in patients with prosthetic valves.

Evaluation of the laryngoscopy view using the modified Cormack-Lehane scale during tracheal intubation in an intensive care unit. A prospective observational study. / Evaluación de la escala modificada de Cormack-Lehane para visión laringoscópica durante la intubación orotraqueal en una unidad de cuidados críticos. Estudio prospectivo observacional.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTVIES: Tracheal intubation in the Intensive Care Unit is associated with a high incidence of difficult intubation and complications. This may be due to a poor view of the glottis during direct laryngoscopy. The aim of this study is to determine if there is a relationship between laryngoscopy view using the modified Cormack-Lehane scale with the incidence of difficult intubation and complications. METHODS: All patients who were subjected to tracheal intubated with direct laryngoscopy in the Intensive Care Unit over a 45 month period were included in the study. In all patients, an evaluation was made of the laryngoscopy view using the modified Cormack-Lehane scale, as well as the technical difficulty (number of intubations at first attempt, operator-reported difficulty, need for a Frova introducer), and the incidence of complications (hypotension, hypoxia, oesophageal intubation). RESULTS: A total of 360 patients were included. When the grade of the modified Cormack-Lehane scale was increased from 1 to 4, the incidence of first success rate intubation decreased (1: 97%, 2a: 94%, 2b: 80%, 3: 60%, 4: 0%, p<.001), the incidence of moderate and severe difficulty intubation increased (1: 2%, 2a: 4%, 2b: 36%, 3: 77%, 4: 100%, p<.001.), as well as the need for a Frova guide (1: 7%, 2a: 8%, 2b: 45%, 3: 60%, 4: 100%, p<.001). When the grade of the modified Cormack-Lehane scale increased from 1 to 4, the incidence of hypoxia<90% increased (1: 20%, 2a: 20%, 2b: 28%, 3: 47%, 4: 100%, p=.0073), as well as hypoxia<80% (1: 11%, 2a: 10%, 2b: 12%, 3: 27%, 4: 100%, p=.00398). No relationship was observed between the incidence of hypotension and the grade of the modified Cormack-Lehane scale (p=ns). CONCLUSIONS: During tracheal intubation in the Intensive Care Unit a close relationship was found between a poor laryngoscopy view using the modified Cormack-Lehane scale and a higher difficulty technique of intubation. A relationship was found between the incidence of hypoxia with a higher grade in the modified Cormack-Lehane scale. No relationship was found between hypotension and the modified Cormack-Lehane scale.