Frequency and characterization of the use of cuffed tracheal tubes in neonatal and pediatric intensive care units in Brazil

Performance and labor conditions of physiotherapists in Brazilian intensive care units during the COVID-19 pandemic. What did we learn?

OBJECTIVE

To describe the role of physiotherapists in assisting patients suspected to have or diagnosed with COVID-19 hospitalized in intensive care units in Brazil regarding technical training, working time, care practice, labor conditions and remuneration.

METHODS

An analytical cross-sectional survey was carried out through an electronic questionnaire distributed to physiotherapists who worked in the care of patients with COVID-19 in Brazilian intensive care units.

RESULTS

A total of 657 questionnaires were completed by physiotherapists from the five regions of the country, with 85.3% working in adult, 5.4% in neonatal, 5.3% in pediatric and 3.8% in mixed intensive care units (pediatric and neonatal). In intensive care units with a physiotherapists available 24 hours/day, physiotherapists worked more frequently (90.6%) in the assembly, titration, and monitoring of noninvasive ventilation (p = 0.001). Most intensive care units with 12-hour/day physiotherapists (25.8%) did not apply any protocol compared to intensive care units with 18-hour/day physiotherapy (9.9%) versus 24 hours/day (10.2%) (p = 0.032). Most of the respondents (51.0%) received remuneration 2 or 3 times the minimum wage, and only 25.1% received an additional payment for working with patients suspected to have or diagnosed with COVID-19; 85.7% of them did not experience a lack of personal protective equipment.

CONCLUSION

Intensive care units with 24-hour/day physiotherapists had higher percentages of protocols and noninvasive ventilation for patients with COVID-19. The use of specific resources varied between the types of intensive care units and hospitals and in relation to the physiotherapists' labor conditions. This study showed that most professionals had little experience in intensive care and low wages.

Use of noninvasive mechanical ventilation weaning protocol in neonatal intensive care units in Brazil: a descriptive study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate whether neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Brazilian hospitals use a protocol for weaning from noninvasive ventilation (NIV), how this ventilatory support is withdrawn, and whether there is consensus among the methods used by the institutions.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted from December 2020 to February 2021, based on responses to an electronic questionnaire, filled out by physical therapists working in NICU in Brazilian hospitals about the routine of physical therapy and the use of NIV and its weaning.

RESULTS

A total of 93 answers to the electronic questionnaire met the study criteria: 52.7% were from public health institutions, with an average of 15 NICU beds (15.2±15.9), 85% of the physical therapists worked exclusively in the NICU, 34.4% of the NICU had 24-h physical therapy care, 66.7% of the units use the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) as ventilatory mode, and 72% the nasal prong as NIV interface; 90% of the NICU physical therapists answered that their NICU had no NIV weaning protocol, with various methods of weaning reported, the most cited being pressure weaning.

CONCLUSIONS

Most Brazilian NICUs have no NIV weaning protocol. The most used method among institutions, with or without a protocol, is pressure weaning. Although most of the participating physical therapists work exclusively in NICU, many hospitals do not have the recommended workload, which can be one of the negative factors in the organization of protocols and in the progress of ventilatory weaning.

Airway Management in Pediatric Patients: Cuff-Solved Problem?

Traditionally, uncuffed tubes were used in pediatric patients under 8 years in pursuit of reducing the risk of postextubation stridor. Although computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging studies confirmed that the subglottic area remains the narrowest part of pediatric airway, the use of uncuffed tubes failed to reduce the risk of subglottic swelling. Properly used cuffed tubes (correct size and correct cuff management) are currently recommended as the first option in emergency, anesthesiology and intensive care in all pediatric patients. Clinical practice particularly in the intensive care area remains variable. This review aims to analyze the current recommendation for airway management in children in emergency, anesthesiology and intensive care settings.

Comparison of the efficacy and safety of cuffed versus uncuffed endotracheal tubes for infants in the intensive care setting: a pilot, unblinded RCT

OBJECTIVE

To study effectiveness and safety of cuffed versus uncuffed endotracheal tubes (ETTs) in small infants in the intensive care unit (ICU).

DESIGN

Pilot RCT.

SETTING

Neonatal and paediatric ICUs of children's hospital in Western Australia.

PARTICIPANTS

Seventy-six infants ≥35 weeks gestation and infants <3 months of age, ≥3 kg.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients randomly assigned to Microcuff cuffed or Portex uncuffed ETT.

MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES

Primary outcome was achievement of optimal ETT leak in target range (10%-20%). Secondary outcomes included: reintubations, ventilatory parameters, ventilatory complications, postextubation complications and long-term follow-up.

RESULTS

Success rate (achievement of mean leak in the range 10%-20%) was 13/42 (30.9%) in the cuffed ETT group and 6/34 (17.6%) in uncuffed ETT group (OR=2.09; 95% CI (0.71 to 6.08); p=0.28). Mean percentage time within target leak range in cuffed ETT group 28% (IQR: 9-42) versus 15% (IQR: 0-28) in uncuffed ETT group (p=0.01). There were less reintubations to optimise size in cuffed ETT group 0/40 versus 10/36 (p<0.001). No differences were found in gaseous exchange, ventilator parameters or postextubation complications. There were fewer episodes of atelectasis in cuffed ETT group 0/42 versus 4/34 (p=0.03). No patient had been diagnosed with subglottic stenosis at long-term follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

There was no difference in the primary outcome, though percentage time spent in optimal leak range was significantly higher in cuffed ETT group. Cuffed ETTs reduced reintubations to optimise ETT size and episodes of atelectasis. Cuffed ETTs may be a feasible alternative to uncuffed ETTs in this group of patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ACTRN12615000081516.