Objective: The novel H1N1 influenza pandemic renewed the concern that during a severe pandemic illness, critical care and mechanical ventilation resources will be inadequate to meet the needs of patients. Several published protocols address the need to triage patients for access to ventilator resources. However, to our knowledge, none of these has addressed the pediatric populations.

Methods: We used a systematic review of the pediatric critical care literature to evaluate pediatric critical care prognosis and multisystem organ failure scoring systems. We used multiple search engines, including MEDLINE and EMBASE, using a search for terms and key words including including multiple organ failure, multiple organ dysfunction, PELOD, PRISM III, pediatric risk of mortality score, pediatric logistic organ dysfunction, pediatric index of mortality pediatric multiple organ dysfunction score, “child+multiple organ failure + scoring system. ” Searches were conducted in the period January 2010-February 2010.

Results: Of the 69 papers reviewed, 22 were used. Five independently derived scoring systems were evaluated for use in a respiratory pandemic ventilator triage protocol. The Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction (PELOD) scoring system was the most appropriate for use in such a triage protocol.

Conclusions: We present a pediatric-specific ventilator triage protocol using the PELOD scoring system to complement the NY State adult triage protocol. Further evaluation of pediatric scoring systems is imperative to ensure appropriate triage of pediatric patients.

(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2012;6:131–137)

Summary

Background and objective: There are no data about the influence of anaesthetics on cardiovascular variables during pressure support ventilation of the lungs through the laryngeal mask airway. We compared propofol, sevoflurane and isoflurane for maintenance of anaesthesia with the ProSeal® laryngeal mask airway during pressure support ventilation. Methods: Sixty healthy adults undergoing peripheral musculo-skeletal surgery were randomized for maintenance with sevoflurane end-tidal 2%, isoflurane end-tidal 1.1% or propofol 6 mg kg−1 h−1 in oxygen 33% and air. Pressure support ventilation comprised positive end-expiratory pressure set at 5 cmH2O, and pressure support set 5 cmH2O above positive end-expiratory pressure. Pressure support was initiated when inspiration produced a 2 cmH2O reduction in airway pressure. A blinded observer recorded cardiorespiratory variables (heart rate, mean blood pressure, oxygen saturation, airway occlusion pressure, respiratory rate, expired tidal volume, expired minute volume and end-tidal CO2), adverse events and emergence times. Results: Respiratory rate and minute volume were 10–21% lower, and end-tidal CO2 6–11% higher with the propofol group compared with the sevoflurane or isoflurane groups, but otherwise cardiorespiratory variables were similar among groups. No adverse events occurred in any group. Emergence times were longer with the propofol group compared with the sevoflurane or isoflurane groups (10 vs. 7 vs. 7 min). Conclusion: Lung ventilation is less effective and emergence times are longer with propofol than sevoflurane or isoflurane for maintenance of anaesthesia during pressure support ventilation with the ProSeal® laryngeal mask airway. However, these differences are small and of doubtful clinical importance.

Summary

Background and objective: Adverse effects associated with difficult airway management can be catastrophic and include death, brain injury and myocardial injury. Closed-malpractice claims have shown prolonged and persistent attempts at endotracheal intubation to be the most common situation leading to disastrous respiratory events. To date, there has been no evaluation of the types of difficult airway equipment currently available in Irish departments of emergency medicine. The objective of this survey was to identify the difficult airway equipment available in Irish departments of emergency medicine.

Methods: Departments of emergency medicine in the Republic of Ireland with at least one dedicated Emergency Medicine consultant were surveyed via telephone.

Results: All of the departments contacted held at least one alternative device on site for both ventilation and intubation. The most common alternative ventilation device was the laryngeal mask airway (89%). The most common alternative intubating device was the surgical airway device (100%).

Conclusions: Irish departments of emergency medicine compare well with those in the UK and USA, when surveyed concerning difficult airway equipment. However, we believe that this situation could be further improved by training inexperienced healthcare providers in the use of the laryngeal mask airway and intubating laryngeal mask airway, by placing greater emphasis on the ready availability of capnography and by the increased use of portable difficult airway storage units.