Respiratory care
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Heliox, a helium-oxygen gas mixture, has been used for many decades to treat obstructive pulmonary disease. The lower density and higher viscosity of heliox relative to nitrogen-oxygen mixtures can significantly reduce airway resistance when an anatomic upper air-flow obstruction is present and gas flow is turbulent. Clinically, heliox can decrease airway resistance in acute asthma in adults and children and in COPD. ⋯ Respiratory syndromes caused by coronavirus infections in humans range in severity from the common cold to severe acute respiratory syndrome associated with human coronavirus OC43 and other viral strains. In infants, coronavirus infection can cause bronchitis, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia in variable combinations and can produce enough air-flow obstruction to cause respiratory failure. We describe a case of coronavirus OC43 infection in an infant with severe acute respiratory distress treated with heliox inhalation to avoid intubation.
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The management of cystic fibrosis (CF) includes adherence to a home management program (airway clearance, medication, nutritional advice, and exercise). This has led to an increase in life expectancy, although the benefits depend greatly on a patient's level of adherence to daily treatments at home. To date, no systematic review has established adherence rates to all World Health Organization guidelines in the home setting; hence, this review was undertaken. ⋯ Consensus on how to measure adherence is lacking, and the quality of studies addressing adherence in this population is generally poor. Overall, studies using self-reported measures yielded higher adherence scores than those that used objective measures, suggesting that current efforts to improve methods of adherence are appropriate. The prevalence of non-adherence remains unclear due to these limitations.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Clinical Use of the Volume-Time Curve for Endotracheal Tube Cuff Management.
Previous investigation showed that the volume-time curve technique could be an alternative for endotracheal tube (ETT) cuff management. However, the clinical impact of the volume-time curve application has not been documented. The purpose of this study was to compare the occurrence and intensity of a sore throat, cough, thoracic pain, and pulmonary function between these 2 techniques for ETT cuff management: volume-time curve technique versus minimal occlusive volume (MOV) technique after coronary artery bypass grafting. ⋯ The subjects who received the volume-time curve technique for ETT cuff management presented a significantly lower incidence and severity of sore throat and cough, less thoracic pain, and minimally impaired pulmonary function than those subjects who received the MOV technique during the first 24 h after coronary artery bypass grafting.
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The aim of this study was to assess the different methods of percutaneous tracheostomy in terms of successful performance of the tracheostomy as well as safety. Tracheostomy is the most common procedure performed on the airway for patients in ICUs. Lately, several methods of percutaneous tracheostomy (multiple dilator, progressive dilator, forceps dilation, screw-like dilation, balloon dilation, and translaryngeal) have been described, with theoretical advantages, but there is no consensus about which is better. ⋯ The Blue Rhino method is less difficult and has more minor bleeding events, but physicians also have more experience with this technique. However, trials are underpowered to define the best method.