Duration to Establish an Emergency Vascular Access and How to Accelerate It: A Simulation-Based Study Performed in Real-Life Neonatal Resuscitation Rooms

Evaluating the efficacy of endotracheal and intranasal epinephrine administration in severely asphyxic bradycardic newborn lambs: a randomised preclinical study

OBJECTIVE

Intravenous epinephrine administration is preferred during neonatal resuscitation, but may not always be rapidly administered due to lack of equipment or trained staff. We aimed to compare the time to return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and post-ROSC haemodynamics between intravenous, endotracheal (ET) and intranasal (IN) epinephrine in severely asphyxic, bradycardic newborn lambs.

METHODS

After instrumentation, severe asphyxia (heart rate <60 bpm, blood pressure ~10 mm Hg) was induced by clamping the cord in near-term lambs. Resuscitation was initiated with ventilation followed by chest compressions. Lambs were randomly assigned to receive intravenous (0.02 mg/kg), ET (0.1 mg/kg) or IN (0.1 mg/kg) epinephrine. If ROSC was not achieved after three allocated treatment doses, rescue intravenous epinephrine was administered. After ROSC, lambs were ventilated for 60 min.

RESULTS

ROSC in response to allocated treatment occurred in 8/8 (100%) intravenous lambs, 4/7 (57%) ET lambs and 5/7 (71%) IN lambs. Mean (SD) time to ROSC was 173 (32) seconds in the intravenous group, 360 (211) seconds in the ET group and 401 (175) seconds in the IN group (p<0.05 intravenous vs IN). Blood pressure and cerebral oxygen delivery were highest in the intravenous group immediately post-ROSC (p<0.05), whereas the ET group sustained the highest blood pressure over the 60-min observation (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Our study supports neonatal resuscitation guidelines, highlighting intravenous administration as the most effective route for epinephrine. ET and IN epinephrine should only be considered when intravenous access is delayed or not feasible.

Validation of a 3-Dimensional-Printed Infant Tibia for Intraosseous Needle Insertion Training

INTRODUCTION

Current bone models used for pediatric intraosseous (IO) placement training are expensive or lack anatomic and/or functional fidelity. This technical report describes the development and validation of a 3-dimensional printed (3DP) tibia from a pediatric lower extremity computed tomography scan for IO procedural training.

METHODS

Multiple 3DP tibia models were printed using a dual-extrusion fused-filament fabrication printer. Models underwent iterative optimization until 2 final models, one of polypropylene (3DP clear) and the other of polylactic acid/polypropylene (3DP white), were selected. Using an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, a novel IO bone model assessment tool was generated. Physicians then used the assessment tool to evaluate and compare common IO bone models to the novel 3DP models during IO needle insertion.

RESULTS

Thirty physicians evaluated the provided pediatric IO bone models. Compared with a chicken bone as a reference, the 3DP white bone had statistically significantly higher mean scores of anatomy, heft, sense of being anchored in the bone, quality of bone resistance, and "give" when interfaced with an IO needle. Twenty-two of the 30 participants ranked the 3DP white bone as either 1st or 2nd in terms of ranked preference of pediatric IO bone model. A 3DP white bone costs $1.10 to make.

CONCLUSIONS

The 3DP IO tibia models created from real-life computed tomography images have high degrees of anatomic and functional realism. These IO training models are easily replicable, highly appraised, and can be printed at a fraction of the cost of commercially available plastic models.

Emergency button cannula vs. umbilical catheter as neonatal emergency umbilical vein access - a randomized cross-over pilot study

OBJECTIVES

Establishing immediate intravenous access to a newborn is challenging even for trained neonatologists in an emergency situation. Correct placement of umbilical catheter or an intraosseous needle needs consistent training. We evaluated the time required to correctly place an emergency umbilical button cannula (EUC) or an umbilical catheter (UC) using the standard intersection (S-EUC or S-UC, respectively) or lateral umbilical cord incision (L-EUC) by untrained medical personnel.

METHODS

Single-center cross-over pilot-study using a model with fresh umbilical cords. Video-based teaching of medical students before probands performed all three techniques after assignment to one of three cycles with different sequence, using a single umbilical cord divided in three pieces for each proband.

RESULTS

Mean time required to establish L-EUC was 89.3 s, for S-EUC 82.2 s and for S-UC 115.1 s. Both application routes using the EUC were significantly faster than the UC technique. There was no significant difference between both application routes using EUC (p=0.54).

CONCLUSIONS

Using an umbilical cannula is faster than an umbilical catheter, using a lateral incision of the umbilical vein is an appropriate alternative.

Chest compressions and medications during neonatal resuscitation

Prolonged resuscitation in neonates, although quite rare, may occur in response to profound intractable bradycardia as a result of asphyxia. In these instances, chest compressions and medications may be necessary to facilitate return of spontaneous circulation. While performing chest compressions, the two thumb method is preferred over the two finger technique, although several newer approaches are under investigation. While the ideal compression to ventilation ratio is still uncertain, a 3:1 ratio remains the recommendation by the Neonatal Resuscitation Program. Use of feedback mechanisms to optimize neonatal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) show promise and are currently under investigation. While performing optimal cardiac compressions to pump blood, use of medications to restore spontaneous circulation will likely be necessary. Current recommendations are that epinephrine, an endogenous catecholamine be used preferably intravenously or by intraosseous route, with the dose repeated every 3-5 minutes until return of spontaneous circulation. Finally, while the need for volume replacement is rare, it may be considered in instances of acute blood loss or poor response to resuscitation.

Comparison of intraosseous and intravenous epinephrine administration during resuscitation of asphyxiated newborn lambs

OBJECTIVE

Intraosseous access is recommended as a reasonable alternative for vascular access during newborn resuscitation if umbilical access is unavailable, but there are minimal reported data in newborns. We compared intraosseous with intravenous epinephrine administration during resuscitation of severely asphyxiated lambs at birth.

METHODS

Near-term lambs (139 days' gestation) were instrumented antenatally for measurement of carotid and pulmonary blood flow and systemic blood pressure. Intrapartum asphyxia was induced by umbilical cord clamping until asystole. Resuscitation commenced with positive pressure ventilation followed by chest compressions and the lambs received either intraosseous or central intravenous epinephrine (10 μg/kg); epinephrine administration was repeated every 3 min until return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). The lambs were maintained for 30 min after ROSC. Plasma epinephrine levels were measured before cord clamping, at end asphyxia, and at 3 and 15 min post-ROSC.

RESULTS

ROSC was successful in 7 of 9 intraosseous epinephrine lambs and in 10 of 12 intravenous epinephrine lambs. The time and number of epinephrine doses required to achieve ROSC were similar between the groups, as were the achieved plasma epinephrine levels. Lambs in both groups displayed a similar marked overshoot in systemic blood pressure and carotid blood flow after ROSC. Blood gas parameters improved more quickly in the intraosseous lambs in the first 3 min, but were otherwise similar over the 30 min after ROSC.

CONCLUSIONS

Intraosseous epinephrine administration results in similar outcomes to intravenous epinephrine during resuscitation of asphyxiated newborn lambs. These findings support the inclusion of intraosseous access as a route for epinephrine administration in current guidelines.

Intraosseous access in neonates is feasible and safe - An analysis of a prospective nationwide surveillance study in Germany

BACKGROUND

This was a prospective surveillance study to investigate reports on the safety and frequency of use of intraosseous (IO) access in neonates.

METHODS

Over a two-year period, paediatric hospitals in Germany were asked to report all cases of IO access to the nationwide Surveillance Unit for Rare Paediatric Diseases (ESPED). Hospitals reporting a case submitted responses via an anonymised electronic questionnaire, providing details on indication, success rate, system used, location, duration to first successful IO access, complications, alternative access attempts and short-term outcome. We present a subset of data for IO use in infants of less than 28 days.

RESULTS

A total of 161 neonates (145 term and 16 preterm born infants) with 206 IO access attempts were reported. In 146 neonates (91%), IO access was successfully established, and success was achieved with the first attempt in 109 neonates (75%). There was no significant impact of gestational age or provider's educational level on success rates. In 71 infants with successful IO access (79%), the estimated duration of placement was less than 3 min. The proximal tibia was the predominant site used. A semiautomatic battery-driven device was used in 162 attempts (88%). The most often applied medications via IO access were crystalloid fluid and adrenaline. Potentially severe complications occurred in 9 patients (6%).

CONCLUSION

Within this surveillance study, IO access in neonates was feasible and safe. IO access is an important alternative for vascular access in neonates.

Advanced Vascular Access in Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care

In canine and feline patients presenting in a state of hemodynamic collapse, obtaining vascular access can be challenging. Delays in achieving vascular access interfere with delivery of patient care. In human medicine, definitions of difficult vascular access are variable and include the need for multiple placement attempts or involvement of specialized teams and equipment. Incidence and risk factors for difficult vascular access have not been well studied in veterinary patients, which limits understanding of how best to address this issue. Alternatives to percutaneous peripheral or central intravenous catheterization in dogs and cats include venous cutdowns, umbilical access in newborns, corpus cavernosum access in males, ultrasound-guided catheterization, and intraosseous catheterization. In recent years, advances in ultrasonography and intraosseous access techniques have made these more accessible to veterinary practitioners. These vascular access techniques are reviewed here, along with advantages, limitations, and areas for future study of each technique.

Successful Postnatal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Due to Defibrillation

An asphyxiated term neonate required postnatal resuscitation. After six minutes of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and two doses of epinephrine, spontaneous circulation returned, but was shortly followed by ventricular fibrillation. CPR and administration of magnesium, calcium gluconate, and sodium bicarbonate did not improve the neonate’s condition. A counter shock of five Joule was delivered and the cardiac rhythm immediately converted to sinus rhythm. The neonate was transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit and received post-resuscitation care. Due to prolonged QTc and subsequently suspected long-QT syndrome propranolol treatment was initiated. The neonate was discharged home on day 14 without neurological sequelae.

European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: Newborn resuscitation and support of transition of infants at birth

The European Resuscitation Council has produced these newborn life support guidelines, which are based on the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) 2020 Consensus on Science and Treatment Recommendations (CoSTR) for Neonatal Life Support. The guidelines cover the management of the term and preterm infant. The topics covered include an algorithm to aid a logical approach to resuscitation of the newborn, factors before delivery, training and education, thermal control, management of the umbilical cord after birth, initial assessment and categorisation of the newborn infant, airway and breathing and circulation support, communication with parents, considerations when withholding and discontinuing support.

[Newborn resuscitation and support of transition of infants at birth]

The European Resuscitation Council has produced these newborn life support guidelines, which are based on the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) 2020 Consensus on Science and Treatment Recommendations (CoSTR) for Neonatal Life Support. The guidelines cover the management of the term and preterm infant. The topics covered include an algorithm to aid a logical approach to resuscitation of the newborn, factors before delivery, training and education, thermal control, management of the umbilical cord after birth, initial assessment and categorisation of the newborn infant, airway and breathing and circulation support, communication with parents, considerations when withholding and discontinuing support.

A Novel Approach for More Effective Emergency Equipment Storage: The Task-Based Package-Organized Neonatal Emergency Backpack

Objectives: To evaluate a new task-based package-organized (TPO) neonatal emergency backpack and to compare it to the classical (ABC- and material-based) backpack. Methods: Simulation-based assessment of time to retrieve equipment for three different tasks [intraosseous access (IO), intubation and adrenaline administration] using the TPO and the classical emergency backpack was compared. Results: Equipment retrieval times for the three tasks were assessed for 24 nurses (12 intermediate care, 12 intensive care) and were significantly faster in the TPO than in the classical backpack (IO 33 vs. 75 s, p < 0.001; intubation 53 vs. 70 s, p = 0,001; adrenaline 22 vs. 45 s, p < 0.001). The number of missing items was significantly lower using the TPO backpack for IO and adrenaline retrieval (IO 0,9 vs. 2,3 items, p < 00001, adrenaline 0.04 vs. 1, p < 0.001) but not for intubation equipment (0.9 vs. 1, not significant). The subjective rating of overall clearness was significantly higher for the TPO compared with the classical backpack (5,9 vs. 3,5, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Task-based package organization of neonatal emergency backpacks is feasible and might be superior to ABC-/material-oriented storage.

Delivery Room Management of Asphyxiated Term and Near-Term Infants

Approximately 800,000 newborns die annually due to birth asphyxia. The resuscitation of asphyxiated term newly born infants often occurs unexpected and is challenging for healthcare providers as it demands experience and knowledge in neonatal resuscitation. Current neonatal resuscitation guidelines often focus on resuscitation of extremely and/or very preterm infants; however, the recommendations for asphyxiated term newborn infants differ in some aspects to those for preterm infants (i.e., respiratory support, supplemental oxygen, and temperature management). Since the update of the neonatal resuscitation guidelines in 2015, several studies examining various resuscitation approaches to improve the outcome of asphyxiated infants have been published. In this review, we discuss current recommendations and recent findings and provide an overview of delivery room management of asphyxiated term newborn infants.

Evaluating practioners' preferences regarding vascular emergency access in newborn infants in the delivery room: a national survey

Background

Venous access during neonatal emergencies in the delivery room (DR) can be accomplished through an umbilical venous catheter (UVC) or an intraosseous (IO) access. Preference of one over the other is unclear. We wanted to evaluate practioners’ views.

Methods

An anonymous online questionnaire was circulated to healthcare professionals with different background and experience, all working in neonatal intensive care units in Germany. The web-based survey consisted of 13 questions and data collection was performed using an online tool.

Results

We received 502 completed questionnaires, 152 (30%) were from neonatologists, the remainder from residents, fellows and neonatal nurses. For resuscitation of term newborns in the DR 61% of neonatologists vs. 53% of non-neonatologists were in favour of UVC instead of an IO as an emergency access. UVC placement was rated (very) difficult to impossible by 60% of neonatologists and 90% of non-neonatologists (p < 0.05). All respondents cited lack of experience as the main reason for feeling reluctant to place an UVC or IO access, the latter only being taken into consideration in term infants.

Conclusions

UVC placement in the DR is rated more often difficult to use by non-neonatologists than by neonatologists, apparently related to lack of experience. IO access was only considered for resuscitating term infants due to lacking practice and missing approval for birth weights < 3000 g. Frequent training might improve these clinical skills.

Umbilical vein catheterization through Wharton's jelly: A possibility for a fast and safe way to deliver treatments in the delivery room?

Fast and safe venous access can be a critical issue in the delivery room during neonatal cardiopulmonary resuscitation or before endotracheal intubation. Here, we describe a new method to inject drugs using the umbilical vein, directly punctured through Wharton's jelly, performed in ten newborns between November 2016 and May 2018. The umbilical vein was identified and punctured easily and a reflux was obtained in all patients. The treatments were efficient in all but two patients, which was imputable to the method in one patient. We describe a new route for administration of drugs that has been successfully used in neonates.

Use of Intraosseous Needles in Neonates: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

The use of intraosseous (IO) access during resuscitation is widely accepted and promoted in paediatric medicine but features less prominently in neonatal training. Whilst umbilical venous catheterization (UVC) is a reliable method of delivering emergency drugs and fluids, it is not always achievable in a timely manner. IO access warrants exploration as an alternative.

AIM

Conduct a systematic review of existing literature to examine the evidence for efficacy and safety of IO devices in neonatal patients, from birth to discharge.

METHOD

A search of PubMed, Ovid, Medline, and Embase was carried out. Abstracts were screened for relevance to focus on neonatal-specific literature and studies which carried out separate analyses for neonates (infants <28 days of age or resident on a neonatal unit).

RESULTS

One case series and 12 case reports describe IO device insertion into 41 neonates, delivering a variety of drugs, including adrenaline (epinephrine) and volume resuscitation. Complications range from none to severe. Cadaveric studies show that despite a small margin for error, IO devices can be correctly sited in neonates. Simulation studies suggest that IO devices may be faster and easier to site than UVC, even in experienced hands.

CONCLUSION

IO access should be available on neonatal units and considered for early use in neonates where other access routes have failed. Appropriate training should be available to staff in addition to existing life support and UVC training. Further studies are required to assess the optimal device, position, and whether medication can be delivered IO as effectively as by UVC. If IO devices provide a faster method of delivering adrenaline effectively than UVC, this may lead to changes in neonatal resuscitation practice.