Bedside sonography for detection of postprocedure pneumothorax

Postoperative exacerbated cough hypersensitivity syndrome induces dramatic respiratory alkalosis, lactatemia, and electrolyte imbalance

BACKGROUND

The perioperative management of patients with chronic cough or cough hypersensitivity syndrome and its sometimes severe effects is currently under-researched and under-reported.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 46-year-old female patient with a history of chronic cough and Cough Hypersensitivity Syndrome. After laparoscopic hiatoplasty and anterior fundoplication under general anesthesia, experienced a pronounced exacerbation of coughing symptoms. Despite prompt and extensive treatment involving antitussives, inhalants, anxiolytics, and sedatives, the symptoms remained uncontrollable. Within a few hours, the patient developed a respiratory alkalosis with severe and life-threatening electrolyte shift (pH 7.705, pCO2 1.72 kPa, K+ 2.1 mmol/l). Lactatemia lasted for more than 12 hours with values up to 6.6 mmol/l. Acute bleeding, pneumothorax, and an acute cardiac event were ruled out. Deep analgosedation and inhalation of high-percentage local anesthetics were necessary to manage the clinical symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

This case highlights the challenging nature of chronic cough and hypersensitivity syndrome perioperatively. A tailored anesthesiologic approach, exclusion of other provoking medical problems, and knowledge of possible management and treatment options are key.

Pneumothorax detection with thoracic ultrasound as the method of choice in interventional pulmonology - A retrospective single-center analysis and experience

BACKGROUND

Recent studies have shown that thoracic ultrasound (TUS) is not inferior to chest radiography (CR) in detecting pneumothorax (PTX). It is unclear if adopting TUS can reduce the number of CR in the daily clinical routine. This retrospective study investigates the utilization of post-interventional CR and TUS for PTX detection after the introduction of TUS as the method of choice in an interventional pulmonology unit.

METHODS

All interventions with CR or TUS for ruling out PTX performed in the Pneumology Department of the University Hospital Halle (Germany) 2014 to 2020 were included. The documented TUS and CR performed before (period A) and after the introduction of TUS as the method of choice (period B), as well as the number of diagnosed and missed PTX were recorded.

RESULTS

The study included 754 interventions (110 in period A and 644 in period B). The proportion of CR decreased from 98.2% (n = 108) to 25.8% (n = 166) (p < 0.001). During period B, a total of 29 (4.5%) PTX were diagnosed. Of these, 28 (96.6%) were detected on initial imaging (14 by CR, 14 by TUS ). One PTX (0.2%) was initially missed by TUS, none by CR. Confirmatory investigations were ordered more frequently after TUS (21 of 478, 4.4%) than after CR (3 of 166, 1.8%).

CONCLUSION

The use of TUS in interventional pulmonology can effectively reduce the number of CR and thus save resources. However, CR may still be favored in specific circumstances or if pre-existing conditions limit sonographic findings.

Lung Ultrasound for the Exclusion of Pneumothorax after Interventional Bronchoscopies-A Retrospective Study

A chest X-ray (CXR) is recommended after bronchoscopies with an increased risk of pneumothorax (PTX). However, concerns regarding radiation exposure, expenses and staff requirements exist. A lung ultrasound (LUS) is a promising alternative for the detection of PTX, though data are scarce. This study aims to investigate the diagnostic yield of LUS compared to CXR, to exclude PTX after bronchoscopies with increased risk. This retrospective single-centre study included transbronchial forceps biopsies, transbronchial lung cryobiopsies and endobronchial valve treatments. Post-interventional PTX screening consisted of immediate LUS and CXR within two hours. In total, 271 patients were included. Early PTX incidence was 3.3%. Sensitivity, specificity, and the positive and negative predictive values of LUS were 67.7% (95% CI 29.93-92.51%), 99.2% (95% CI 97.27-99.91%), 75.0% (95% CI 41.16-92.79%) and 98.9% (95% CI 97.18-99.54%), respectively. PTX detection by LUS enabled the immediate placement of two pleural drains along with the bronchoscopy. With CXR, three false-positives and one false-negative were observed; the latter evolved into a tension-PTX. LUS correctly diagnosed these cases. Despite low sensitivity, LUS enables early diagnosis of PTX, thus preventing treatment delays. We recommend immediate LUS, in addition to LUS or CXR after two to four hours and monitoring for signs and symptoms. Prospective studies with higher sample sizes are needed.

EFSUMB Clinical Practice Guidelines for Point-of-Care Ultrasound: Part One (Common Heart and Pulmonary Applications) LONG VERSION

AIMS

 To evaluate the evidence and produce a summary and recommendations for the most common heart and lung applications of point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS).

METHODS

 We reviewed 10 clinical domains/questions related to common heart and lung applications of PoCUS. Following review of the evidence, a summary and recommendation were produced, including assignment of levels of evidence (LoE) and grading of the recommendation, assessment, development, and evaluation (GRADE). 38 international experts, the expert review group (ERG), were invited to review the evidence presented for each question. A level of agreement of over 75 % was required to progress to the next section. The ERG then reviewed and indicated their level of agreement regarding the summary and recommendation for each question (using a 5-point Likert scale), which was approved if a level of agreement of greater than 75 % was reached. A level of agreement was defined as a summary of "strongly agree" and "agree" on the Likert scale responses.

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

 One question achieved a strong consensus for an assigned LoE of 3 and a weak GRADE recommendation (question 1). The remaining 9 questions achieved broad agreement with one assigned an LoE of 4 and weak GRADE recommendation (question 2), three achieving an LoE of 3 with a weak GRADE recommendation (questions 3-5), three achieved an LoE of 3 with a strong GRADE recommendation (questions 6-8), and the remaining two were assigned an LoE of 2 with a strong GRADE recommendation (questions 9 and 10).

CONCLUSION

 These consensus-derived recommendations should aid clinical practice and highlight areas of further research for PoCUS in acute settings.

Obstructive Shock, from Diagnosis to Treatment

Shock is a life threatening pathological condition characterized by inadequate tissue oxygen supply. Four different subgroups of shock have been proposed according to the mechanism causing the shock. Of these, obstructive shock is characterized by reduction in cardiac output due to noncardiac diseases. The most recognized causes include pulmonary embolism, tension pneumothorax, pericardial tamponade and aortic dissection. Since obstructive shock typically cannot be stabilized unless cause for shock is resolved, diagnosis of the underlying disease is eminent. In this review, we therefore focus on diagnosis of obstructive shock and suggest a structured approach in three steps including clinical examination, ultrasound examination using the rapid ultrasound in shock (RUSH) protocol and radiological imaging if needed.

Ultrasound guiding the rapid diagnosis and treatment of perioperative pneumothorax: A case report

BACKGROUND

Pneumothorax is one of the most common causes of acute dyspnea. In patients under general anesthesia, the symptoms may not be obvious, which may delay diagnosis and treatment. Computed tomography is the gold standard for the diagnosis of pneumothorax, but is not suitable for rapid diagnosis of this complication. In contrast, lung ultrasonography can provide rapid diagnosis and treatment of pneumothorax.

CASE SUMMARY

The patient was a 53-year-old man admitted for rupture of the spleen caused by an accidental fall and emergency splenectomy was planned. Anesthesia was induced, and tracheal intubation was performed successfully with a video laryngoscope. About 2 min after tracheal intubation, the airway peak pressure increased to 50 cm H₂O and the oxygen saturation dropped to 70%. According to the BLUE protocol, a recommended area of the chest was scanned by ultrasound. The pleural slide sign disappeared and obvious parallel line sign could be seen in the left lung. The boundary of pneumothorax (lung points) were rapidly confirmed by ultrasound. To avoid lung injury, a closed thoracic drainage tube was placed in the involved area. On day 9 after surgery, the patient was discharged from the hospital without any complications.

CONCLUSION

Perioperative pneumothorax is rare but dangerous. It can be rapidly diagnosed and treated with ultrasound guidance.

The Role of Lung Ultrasound Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A review article

Lung ultrasound [LUS] has evolved considerably over the last years. The aim of the current review is to conduct a systematic review reported from a number of studies to show the usefulness of [LUS] and point of care ultrasound for diagnosing COVID-19. A systematic search of electronic data was conducted including the national library of medicine, and the national institute of medicine, PubMed Central [PMC] to identify the articles depended on [LUS] to monitor COVID-19. This review highlights the ultrasound findings reported in articles before the pandemic [11], clinical articles before COVID-19 [14], review studies during the pandemic [27], clinical cases during the pandemic [5] and other varying aims articles. The reviewed studies revealed that ultrasound findings can be used to help in the detection and staging of the disease. The common patterns observed included irregular and thickened A-lines, multiple B-lines ranging from focal to diffuse interstitial consolidation, and pleural effusion. Sub-plural consolidation is found to be associated with the progression of the disease and its complications. Pneumothorax was not recorded for COVID-19 patients. Further improvement in the diagnostic performance of [LUS] for COVID-19 patients can be achieved by using elastography, contrast-enhanced ultrasound, and power Doppler imaging.

Managing complications of pleural procedures

Pleural disease is common and often requires procedural intervention. Given this prevalence, pleural procedures are performed by a wide range of providers with varying skill level in both medical and surgical specialties. Even though the overall complication rate of pleural procedures is low, the proximity to vital organs and blood vessels can lead to serious complications which if left unrecognized can be life threatening. As a result, it is of the utmost importance for the provider to have a firm grasp of the local anatomy both conceptually when preparing for the procedure and physically, via physical exam and the use of a real time imaging modality such as ultrasound, when performing the procedure. With this in mind, anyone who wishes to safely perform pleural procedures should be able to appropriately anticipate, quickly identify, and efficiently manage any potential complication including not only those seen with many procedures such as pain, bleeding, and infection but also those specific to procedures performed in the thorax such as pneumothorax, re-expansional pulmonary edema, and regional organ injury. In this article, we will review the basic approach to most pleural procedures along with essential local anatomy most often encountered during these procedures. This will lay the foundation for the remainder of the article where we will discuss clinical manifestations and management of various pleural procedure complications.

Limited Chest Ultrasound to Replace CXR in Diagnosis of Pneumothorax Post Image-Guided Transthoracic Interventions

PURPOSE

To assess the diagnostic accuracy of limited chest ultrasound in detecting pneumothorax following percutaneous transthoracic needle interventions using chest X-ray (CXR) as the reference standard.

METHODS

With IRB approval, after providing consent, asymptomatic patients after percutaneous transthoracic needle interventions were enrolled to undergo limited chest ultrasound in addition to CXR. A chest Radiologist blinded to the patient's prior imaging performed a bedside ultrasound, scanning only the first 3 anterior intercostal spaces. Pneumothorax diagnosed on CXR was categorized as small or large and on ultrasound as grades 1, 2, or 3 when detected in 1, 2, or 3 intercostal spaces, respectively.

RESULTS

38 patients underwent 36 biopsies (34 lungs, 1 pleura, and 1 mediastinum) and 2 coil localizations. CXR showed pneumothorax in 13 patients. Ultrasound was positive in 10 patients, with 9 true-positives, 1 false-positive, 4 false-negatives, and 24 true-negatives. The false positive results were due to apical subpleural bullae. The false-negative results occurred in 2 small apical and 2 focal pneumothoraces at the needle entry sites. Four pneumothoraces were categorized as large on CXR, all of which were categorized as grade 3 on ultrasound. Sensitivity and specificity of US for detection of pneumothorax of any size were 69.23% (95%CI 38.6%, 90.1%) and 96.0% (95%CI 79.6%, 99.9%), and for detection of large pneumothorax were 100% (95%CI 39.8%, 100%) and 100% (95%CI 89.7%, 100%).

CONCLUSIONS

Results of this prospective study is promising. Limited chest ultrasound could potentially replace CXR in the management of postpercutaneous transthoracic needle intervention patients.

Clinical Yield of Routine Chest Radiography after Ultrasound-Guided Thoracentesis

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the clinical yield of routine chest radiography in identifying pneumothorax warranting chest tube decompression in patients undergoing ultrasound-guided thoracentesis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All adult patients without pre-existing pneumothorax who underwent ultrasound-guided thoracentesis by a radiologist within a four-hospital large metropolitan academic health system over a 10-year period were identified. Demographic, clinical, and radiographic report information were obtained. Chest radiographic reports were assessed for the presence of pneumothorax and, if positive, manual image and chart review were performed.

RESULTS

Of 2541 consecutive ultrasound-guided thoracentesis procedures, 12 were excluded due to pre-existing pneumothorax, yielding 2529 cases. Mean patient age was 67.7 years; 54.5% were male. Overall, 89 procedures (3.5%) resulted in a postprocedural pneumothorax. Of those, only six (6.7%) had documented changes in patient symptoms. Chest tubes were placed in 15, representing 16.9% (15/89) of cases with postprocedural pneumothoraces and 0.59% (15/2,529) of all procedures. Of these 15, 5 (33.3%) had symptomatic pneumothoraces, most commonly shortness of breath.

CONCLUSION

Following ultrasound-guided thoracentesis, the incidence of pneumothorax requiring chest tube decompression is only 1 in 170. Of the 1 in 30 patients who develop a pneumothorax, only 1 in 6 require a chest tube. This information can inform procedural consent discussions as well as future guidelines about the necessity of routine postprocedural chest radiography.

Recommendations for Lung Ultrasound in Internal Medicine

A growing amount of evidence prompts us to update the first version of recommendations for lung ultrasound in internal medicine (POLLUS-IM) that was published in 2018. The recommendations were established in several stages, consisting of: literature review, assessment of literature data quality (with the application of QUADAS, QUADAS-2 and GRADE criteria) and expert evaluation carried out consistently with the modified Delphi method (three rounds of on-line discussions, followed by a secret ballot by the panel of experts after each completed discussion). Publications to be analyzed were selected from the following databases: Pubmed, Medline, OVID, and Embase. New reports published as of October 2019 were added to the existing POLLUS-IM database used for the original publication of 2018. Altogether, 528 publications were systematically reviewed, including 253 new reports published between September 2017 and October 2019. The new recommendations concern the following conditions and issues: pneumonia, heart failure, monitoring dialyzed patients' hydration status, assessment of pleural effusion, pulmonary embolism and diaphragm function assessment. POLLUS-IM 2020 recommendations were established primarily for clinicians who utilize lung ultrasound in their everyday clinical work.

"Elasto-lung point": A new tool for the sonographic confirmation of pneumothorax

INTRODUCTION

Standard ultrasound gives the operator a dynamic morphology of the investigated anatomy, whereas ultrasound elastography (USE) provides quantitative and qualitative information about the elastic properties of the tissues.

OBJECTIVES

We designed a single-arm prospective study in order to investigate the feasibility of USE in the diagnosis of pneumothorax if a lung point sign is present.

METHODS

Thirty patients were enrolled in this protocol, from January 2017 to December 2018 at the Pneumology Department of the Azienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale Spedali Civili (Brescia, Italy). Patients who were suspected of having pneumothorax were previously evaluated with standard ultrasonography, and then, in the presence of lung point, we performed strain elastography. All patients were evaluated in supine and sitting positions with a linear probe (7.5 MHz). USE enhanced the air-tissue interface dividing the normal parenchyma from the air column of pneumothorax with a sharp line. We called this sign "elasto-lung point."

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

The "elasto-lung point" was able to confirm the diagnosis of pneumothorax in every investigated patient. USE is a simple, reproducible and inexpensive technique that can contribute to the diagnosis of pneumothorax, such as the classic "stratosphere" or "Bar Code" sign in M-mode. No false negative cases were observed.

Chest ultrasonography versus supine chest radiography for diagnosis of pneumothorax in trauma patients in the emergency department

BACKGROUND

Chest X-ray (CXR) is a longstanding method for the diagnosis of pneumothorax but chest ultrasonography (CUS) may be a safer, more rapid, and more accurate modality in trauma patients at the bedside that does not expose the patient to ionizing radiation. This may lead to improved and expedited management of traumatic pneumothorax and improved patient safety and clinical outcomes.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of chest ultrasonography (CUS) by frontline non-radiologist physicians versus chest X-ray (CXR) for diagnosis of pneumothorax in trauma patients in the emergency department (ED). To investigate the effects of potential sources of heterogeneity such as type of CUS operator (frontline non-radiologist physicians), type of trauma (blunt vs penetrating), and type of US probe on test accuracy.

SEARCH METHODS

We conducted a comprehensive search of the following electronic databases from database inception to 10 April 2020: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) Plus, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, Web of Science Core Collection and Clinicaltrials.gov. We handsearched reference lists of included articles and reviews retrieved via electronic searching; and we carried out forward citation searching of relevant articles in Google Scholar and looked at the "Related articles" on PubMed.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included prospective, paired comparative accuracy studies comparing CUS performed by frontline non-radiologist physicians to supine CXR in trauma patients in the emergency department (ED) suspected of having pneumothorax, and with computed tomography (CT) of the chest or tube thoracostomy as the reference standard.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently extracted data from each included study using a data extraction form. We included studies using patients as the unit of analysis in the main analysis and we included those using lung fields in the secondary analysis. We performed meta-analyses by using a bivariate model to estimate and compare summary sensitivities and specificities.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 13 studies of which nine (410 traumatic pneumothorax patients out of 1271 patients) used patients as the unit of analysis; we thus included them in the primary analysis. The remaining four studies used lung field as the unit of analysis and we included them in the secondary analysis. We judged all studies to be at high or unclear risk of bias in one or more domains, with most studies (11/13, 85%) being judged at high or unclear risk of bias in the patient selection domain. There was substantial heterogeneity in the sensitivity of supine CXR amongst the included studies. In the primary analysis, the summary sensitivity and specificity of CUS were 0.91 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.85 to 0.94) and 0.99 (95% CI 0.97 to 1.00); and the summary sensitivity and specificity of supine CXR were 0.47 (95% CI 0.31 to 0.63) and 1.00 (95% CI 0.97 to 1.00). There was a significant difference in the sensitivity of CUS compared to CXR with an absolute difference in sensitivity of 0.44 (95% CI 0.27 to 0.61; P < 0.001). In contrast, CUS and CXR had similar specificities: comparing CUS to CXR, the absolute difference in specificity was -0.007 (95% CI -0.018 to 0.005, P = 0.35). The findings imply that in a hypothetical cohort of 100 patients if 30 patients have traumatic pneumothorax (i.e. prevalence of 30%), CUS would miss 3 (95% CI 2 to 4) cases (false negatives) and overdiagnose 1 (95% CI 0 to 2) of those without pneumothorax (false positives); while CXR would miss 16 (95% CI 11 to 21) cases with 0 (95% CI 0 to 2) overdiagnosis of those who do not have pneumothorax.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

The diagnostic accuracy of CUS performed by frontline non-radiologist physicians for the diagnosis of pneumothorax in ED trauma patients is superior to supine CXR, independent of the type of trauma, type of CUS operator, or type of CUS probe used. These findings suggest that CUS for the diagnosis of traumatic pneumothorax should be incorporated into trauma protocols and algorithms in future medical training programmes; and that CUS may beneficially change routine management of trauma.

Complications following symptom-limited thoracentesis using suction

Background

Thoracentesis using suction is perceived to have increased risk of complications, including pneumothorax and re-expansion pulmonary oedema (REPO). Current guidelines recommend limiting drainage to 1.5 L to avoid REPO. Our purpose was to examine the incidence of complications with symptom-limited drainage of pleural fluid using suction and identify risk factors for REPO.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of all adult patients who underwent symptom-limited thoracentesis using suction at our institution between January 1, 2004 and August 31, 2018 was performed, and a total of 10 344 thoracenteses were included.

Results

Pleural fluid ≥1.5 L was removed in 19% of the procedures. Thoracentesis was stopped due to chest discomfort (39%), complete drainage of fluid (37%) and persistent cough (13%). Pneumothorax based on chest radiography was detected in 3.98%, but only 0.28% required intervention. The incidence of REPO was 0.08%. The incidence of REPO increased with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) ≥3 compounded with ≥1.5 L (0.04–0.54%; 95% CI 0.13–2.06 L). Thoracentesis in those with ipsilateral mediastinal shift did not increase complications, but less fluid was removed (p<0.01).

Conclusions

Symptom-limited thoracentesis using suction is safe even with large volumes. Pneumothorax requiring intervention and REPO are both rare. There were no increased procedural complications in those with ipsilateral mediastinal shift. REPO increased with poor ECOG PS and drainage ≥1.5 L. Symptom-limited drainage using suction without pleural manometry is safe.

Accuracy of Ultrasound in Diagnosis of Pneumothorax: A Comparison between Neonates and Adults-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective

The present systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to investigate the accuracy of ultrasound in the diagnosis of pneumothorax in neonates and adults.

Method

The searches were conducted by two independent researchers (MS and HD) to find the relevant studies published from 01/01/2009 until the end of 01/01/2019. We searched for published literature in the English language in MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase™ via ovid, the Cochrane Library, and Trip database. For literature published in other languages, we searched national databases (Magiran and SID), KoreaMed, and LILACS, and we searched OpenGrey (http://www.opengrey.eu/) and the World Health Organization Clinical Trials Registry (http://who.int/ictrp) for unpublished literature and ongoing studies. The keywords used in the search strategy were pneumothorax or ultrasound or chest ultrasonography or neonate or adult or aerothorax or sensitivity or specificity or diagnostic accuracy. The list of previous study resources and systematic reviews was also searched for identifying the published studies (MS and HD). Analyses were performed using Meta-Disc 1.4.

Results

In total, 1,565 patients (255 neonates, 1212 adults, and 101 pediatrics suspected of pneumothorax) were investigated in 10 studies. The overall specificity of chest ultrasound in the diagnosis of pneumothorax in both populations of adults and neonates was 85.1% at the confidence interval of 95 percent (95% CI 81.1%–88.5%). At the confidence interval of 95 percent, the sensitivity was 98.6% (95% CI 97.7%–99.2%). The diagnostic odds ratio was 387.72 (95% CI 76.204–1972.7). For the diagnosis of pneumothorax in neonates, the ultrasound sensitivity was 96.7% at the confidence interval of 95 percent (95% CI 88.3%–99.6%). At the confidence interval of 95 percent, the specificity was 100% (95% CI 97.7%–100%). For the diagnosis of pneumothorax in adults, the ultrasound sensitivity was 82.9% at the confidence interval of 95 percent (95% CI 78.3–86.9%). At the confidence interval of 95 percent, the specificity was 98.2% (95% CI 97.0%–99.0%). The diagnostic odds ratio was 423.13 (95% CI 45.222–3959.1). Analyzing studies indicated that the sensitivity of “absence lung sliding” sign for the diagnosis of pneumothorax was 87.2% (95% CI 77.7–93.7), and specificity was 99.4% (95% CI 96.5%–100%). DOR was 556.74 (95% CI 100.03–3098.7). The sensitivity of “lung point” sign for the diagnosis of pneumothorax was 82.1% (95% CI 71.7%–89.8%), and the specificity was 100% (at the confidence interval of 95% CI 97.6%–100%). DOR was 298.0 (95% CI 58.893–1507.8).

Conclusion

The diagnosis of pneumothorax using ultrasound is accurate and reliable; additionally, it can result in timely diagnoses specifically in neonatal pneumothorax. Using this method facilitates the therapy process; lack of ionizing radiation and easy operation are benefits of this imaging technique.

Guidelines for diagnostic flexible bronchoscopy in adults: Joint Indian Chest Society/National College of chest physicians (I)/Indian association for bronchology recommendations

Flexible bronchoscopy (FB) is commonly performed by respiratory physicians for diagnostic as well as therapeutic purposes. However, bronchoscopy practices vary widely across India and worldwide. The three major respiratory organizations of the country supported a national-level expert group that formulated a comprehensive guideline document for FB based on a detailed appraisal of available evidence. These guidelines are an attempt to provide the bronchoscopist with the most scientifically sound as well as practical approach of bronchoscopy. It involved framing appropriate questions, review and critical appraisal of the relevant literature and reaching a recommendation by the expert groups. The guidelines cover major areas in basic bronchoscopy including (but not limited to), indications for procedure, patient preparation, various sampling procedures, bronchoscopy in the ICU setting, equipment care, and training issues. The target audience is respiratory physicians working in India and well as other parts of the world. It is hoped that this document would serve as a complete reference guide for all pulmonary physicians performing or desiring to learn the technique of flexible bronchoscopy.

Basic Insights of Lung Ultrasonography in Critical Care Setting

Lung ultrasonography has a tailored diagnostic and therapeutic approach in the critical care setting. Lung ultrasonography in critically ill (LUCI) is a helpful modality for the early detection and assessment of various lung pathologies and guides the management protocol for the same. The aim of this review was to highlight the basics of an ultrasound machine, the fundamentals of a lung ultrasound and the importance of lung artifacts in detecting the anatomy and pathology of the lung disease. In addition, we have also discussed regarding the effective approach to lung ultrasonography through the two protocols: the Bedside Lung Ultrasound in Emergency (BLUE) protocol and the Fluid Administration Limited by Lung Sonography (FALLS) protocol.

Diagnostic chest ultrasound for acute respiratory failure

Acute respiratory failure (ARF) is a common life-threatening medical condition, with multiple underlying aetiologies. Diagnostic chest ultrasound provides accurate diagnosis of conditions that commonly cause ARF, and may improve overall diagnostic accuracy in critical care settings as compared to standard diagnostic approaches. Respiratory physicians are becoming increasingly familiar with ultrasound as a part of routine clinical practice, although the majority of data to date has focused on the emergency and intensive care settings. This review will examine the evidence for the use of diagnostic chest ultrasound, focusing on different levels of imaging efficacy; specifically ultrasound test attributes, impacts on clinician behaviour and impact on health outcomes. The evidence behind use of multi-modality ultrasound examinations in ARF will be reviewed. It is hoped that readers will become familiar with the advantages and potential issues with chest ultrasound, as well as evidence gaps in the field.

Point-of-Care Ultrasonography in Emergency and Critical Care Medicine

To stabilize critically ill patients, emergency and critical care medicine providers often require rapid diagnosis and intervention. The demand for a safe, timely diagnostic device, alongside technological innovation, led to the advent of point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS). POCUS allows the provider to gain invaluable clinical information with a high level of accuracy, leading to better clinical decision-making and improvements in patient safety. We have outlined the history of POCUS adaptation in emergency and critical care medicine and various clinical applications of POCUS described in literature.

Recommendations on the Use of Ultrasound Guidance for Adult Thoracentesis: A Position Statement of the Society of Hospital Medicine

Executive Summary: 1) We recommend that ultrasound should be used to guide thoracentesis to reduce the risk of complications, the most common being pneumothorax. 2) We recommend that ultrasound guidance should be used to increase the success rate of thoracentesis. 3) We recommend that ultrasound-guided thoracentesis should be performed or closely supervised by experienced operators. 4) We suggest that ultrasound guidance be used to reduce the risk of complications from thoracentesis in mechanically ventilated patients. 5) We recommend that ultrasound should be used to identify the chest wall, pleura, diaphragm, lung, and subdiaphragmatic organs throughout the respiratory cycle before selecting a needle insertion site. 6) We recommend that ultrasound should be used to detect the presence or absence of an effusion and approximate the volume of pleural fluid to guide clinical decision-making. 7) We recommend that ultrasound should be used to detect complex sonographic features, such as septations, to guide clinical decision-making regarding the timing and method of pleural drainage. 8) We suggest that ultrasound be used to measure the depth from the skin surface to the parietal pleura to help select an appropriate length needle and determine the maximum needle insertion depth. 9) We suggest that ultrasound be used to evaluate normal lung sliding pre- and postprocedure to rule out pneumothorax. 10) We suggest avoiding delay or interval change in patient position from the time of marking the needle insertion site to performing the thoracentesis. 11) We recommend against performing routine postprocedure chest radiographs in patients who have undergone thoracentesis successfully with ultrasound guidance and are asymptomatic with normal lung sliding postprocedure. 12) We recommend that novices who use ultrasound guidance for thoracentesis should receive focused training in lung and pleural ultrasonography and hands-on practice in procedural technique. 13) We suggest that novices undergo simulation-based training prior to performing ultrasound-guided thoracentesis on patients. 14) Learning curves for novices to become competent in lung ultrasound and ultrasound-guided thoracentesis are not completely understood, and we recommend that training should be tailored to the skill acquisition of the learner and the resources of the institution.

Polish recommendations for lung ultrasound in internal medicine (POLLUS-IM)

The aim of this study was to establish recommendations for the use of lung ultrasound in internal medicine, based on reliable data and expert opinions. Methods: The bibliography from the databases (Pubmed, Medline, OVID, Embase) has been fully reviewed up to August 2017. Members of the expert group assessed the credibility of the literature data. Then, in three rounds, a discussion was held on individual recommendations (in accordance with the Delphi procedure) followed by secret voting. Thirty-eight recommendations for the use of lung ultrasound in internal medicine were established as well as discussed and subjected to secret voting in three rounds. The first 31 recommendations concerned the use of ultrasound in the diagnosis of the following conditions: pneumothorax, pulmonary consolidation, pneumonia, atelectasis, pulmonary embolism, malignant neoplastic lesions, interstitial lung lesions, cardiogenic pulmonary edema, interstitial lung diseases with fibrosis, dyspnea, pleural pain and acute cough. Furthermore, seven additional statements were made regarding the technical conditions of lung ultrasound examination and the need for training in the basics of lung ultrasound in a group of doctors during their specialization programs and medical students. The panel of experts established a consensus on all 38 recommendations.

Diagnostic approach to pleural diseases: new tricks for an old trade

The burden of pleural diseases has substantially increased in the past decade because of a rise in the incidence of pleural space infections and pleural malignancies in a patient population that is older and more immunocompromised and has more comorbidities. This complexity increasingly requires minimally invasive diagnostic options and tailored management. Implications for patients are such that the limitations of current diagnostic methods need to be addressed by multidisciplinary teams of investigators from the fields of imaging, biology, and engineering. Ignored for a long time as an epiphenomenon at the crossroad of many unrelated medical problems, pleural diseases are finally getting the attention they deserve and have spurred a vibrant and exciting field of research.

State of the art thoracic ultrasound: intervention and therapeutics

The use of thoracic ultrasound outside the radiology department and in everyday clinical practice is becoming increasingly common, having been incorporated into standards of care for many specialties. For the majority of practitioners, their experience of, and exposure to, thoracic ultrasound will be in its use as an adjunct to pleural and thoracic interventions, owing to the widely recognised benefits for patient safety and risk reduction. However, as clinicians become increasingly familiar with the capabilities of thoracic ultrasound, new directions for its use are being sought which might enhance practice and patient care. This article reviews the ways in which the advent of thoracic ultrasound is changing the approach to the investigation and treatment of respiratory disease from an interventional perspective. This will include the impact of thoracic ultrasound on areas including patient safety, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and outcome prediction; and will also consider potential future research and clinical directions.

Safe and Effective Bedside Thoracentesis: A Review of the Evidence for Practicing Clinicians

BACKGROUND

Physicians often care for patients with pleural effusion, a condition that requires thoracentesis for evaluation and treatment. We aim to identify the most recent advances related to safe and effective performance of thoracentesis.

METHODS

We performed a narrative review with a systematic search of the literature. Two authors independently reviewed search results and selected studies based on relevance to thoracentesis; disagreements were resolved by consensus. Articles were categorized as those related to the pre-, intra- and postprocedural aspects of thoracentesis.

RESULTS

Sixty relevant studies were identified and included. Pre-procedural topics included methods for physician training and maintenance of skills, such as simulation with direct observation. Additionally, pre-procedural topics included the finding that moderate coagulopathies (international normalized ratio less than 3 or a platelet count greater than 25,000/μL) and mechanical ventilation did not increase risk of postprocedural complications. Intraprocedurally, ultrasound use was associated with lower risk of pneumothorax, while pleural manometry can identify a nonexpanding lung and may help reduce risk of re-expansion pulmonary edema. Postprocedurally, studies indicate that routine chest X-ray is unwarranted, because bedside ultrasound can identify pneumothorax.

CONCLUSIONS

While the performance of thoracentesis is not without risk, clinicians can incorporate recent advances into practice to mitigate patient harm and improve effectiveness. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2017;12:266-276.

Avoiding Routine Chest Radiography after Transbronchial Biopsy Is Safe

BACKGROUND

Fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) with transbronchial biopsy (TBB) is complicated by a pneumothorax in 1-4% of cases. Performance of routine post-TBB chest radiography (CXR) results in an extremely low diagnostic yield but nevertheless is the common clinical practice prevailing today. It has previously been suggested that routine post-TBB CXR could be avoided in asymptomatic patients.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to prospectively assess the feasibility and safety of this approach.

METHODS

The study group included 201 consecutive patients who underwent FOB with TBB at our institution between January 2009 and September 2014. All subjects completed a preprocedural, a 2-hour postprocedural, and a 24- to 48-hour postprocedural symptom questionnaire (chest pain, dyspnea, and cough). Post-TBB CXR was ordered by the treating physician only if indicated. All cases of pneumothorax were documented. Additionally, the following information was recorded: sex, age, immune status, indication for FOB, total number of biopsies done, lobe sampled, and pulse oxygen saturation.

RESULTS

Sixteen CXRs were ordered by the treating physician due to suspected pneumothorax (8%). Early-onset pneumothorax (i.e. within 2 h of TBB) was diagnosed radiologically in 6 patients (3%). Two late-onset pneumothoraxes (1%) were diagnosed more than 24 h after TBB. No pneumothoraxes of clinical significance were diagnosed among asymptomatic patients without significant oxygen desaturation events.

CONCLUSIONS

Among asymptomatic patients without significant desaturation events, pneumothorax is rare and usually of negligible clinical significance. Therefore, performance of routine CXR after TBB is not necessary and can be safely avoided in this category of patients.

Differentiating Pneumothorax from the Common Radiographic Skinfold Artifact

Pneumothorax can be a critical medical condition. The radiographic curvilinear appearance of pneumothorax can be mimicked by a skinfold artifact. Radiographic differentiation of the two entities is achieved in most cases by careful analysis of the characteristics of the linear shadow and its course. A thin, sharply defined opaque density representing the visceral pleura is the hallmark of pneumothorax. The added density of a skinfold presents as a broad opacity, which is outlined laterally by a sharply defined lucent line as a result of the Mach band effect and adjacent air. Unlike pneumothorax, a skinfold produces a line that does not follow the expected course of visceral pleura. Additional features, such as the absence of increased lucency laterally and the projection of lung markings across the curvilinear shadow, can help in the correct identification of skinfolds. Repeating the chest radiograph or using other imaging modalities can be considered in difficult cases.

Bedside ultrasonography for diagnosis of pneumothorax

Ultrasonography (US) has found its way into the critical care and emergency settings for the evaluation of acute respiratory failure conditions in recent years. It is useful for the diagnosis of varieties of abnormalities involving pleura and lung such as pleural effusion, alveolar interstitial syndrome, and pneumothorax (PTX). In addition to its reproducibility and timeliness, US has high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of these conditions. The most widely used method for bedside evaluation of PTX is chest X-ray (CXR). However, the diagnostic sensitivity of CXR in detecting PTX is limited especially in occult PTX and when the patient is assumed supine position. Computed tomography (CT) is the gold standard in the evaluation of PTX, but is limited by its high radiation exposure and safety concerns in transporting critically ill patients. In this paper we review current advances in PTX diagnosis using US.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Chest Ultrasonography versus Chest Radiography for Identification of Pneumothorax: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Early detection of pneumothorax is critically important. Several studies have shown that chest ultrasonography (CUS) is a highly sensitive and specific tool. The present systematic review and meta-analysis was designed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of CUS and chest radiography (CXR) for detection of pneumothorax.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The literature search was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, CINAHL, SUMSearch, Trip databases, and review article references. Eligible articles were defined as diagnostic studies on patients suspected for pneumothorax who underwent chest computed tomography (CT) scan and those assessing the screening role of CUS and CXR.

RESULTS

The analysis showed the pooled sensitivity and specificity of CUS were 0.87 (95% CI: 0.81-0.92; I2= 88.89, P<0.001) and 0.99 (95% CI: 0.98-0.99; I2= 86.46, P<0.001), respectively. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of CXR were 0.46 (95% CI: 0.36-0.56; I2= 85.34, P<0.001) and 1.0 (95% CI: 0.99-1.0; I2= 79.67, P<0.001), respectively. The Meta regression showed that the sensitivity (0.88; 95% CI: 0.82 - 0.94) and specificity (0.99; 95% CI: 0.98 - 1.00) of ultrasound performed by the emergency physician was higher than by non-emergency physician. Non-trauma setting was associated with higher pooled sensitivity (0.90; 95% CI: 0.83 - 0.98) and lower specificity (0.97; 95% CI: 0.95 - 0.99).

CONCLUSION

The present meta-analysis showed that the diagnostic accuracy of CUS was higher than supine CXR for detection of pneumothorax. It seems that CUS is superior to CXR in detection of pneumothorax, even after adjusting for possible sources of heterogeneity.

A deadly complication of superficial muscular needle electromyography: bilateral pneumothoraces

Needle electromyography (EMG) is an expression of the physiological or pathophysiological state of muscles. Selection of the type of electrode used during these measurements is based upon several factors, including the location of the muscle of interest, the need for specificity, and the requirement of minimization of cross-talk between adjacent muscles. Pneumothorax is a serious complication of needle EMG. Here, we present a 19-year-old patient who suffered bilateral pneumothoraces as a complication of needle EMG. She has a history of weakness and limitation of abduction on her right shoulder for three years. EMG was ordered by orthopedic surgeon to determine whether a dorsal scapular or long thoracic nerve paralysis caused these symptoms. She was brought to our emergency department (ED) with the complaints of diaphoresis and dyspnea which began after needle EMG was performed two hours ago. A chest X-ray revealed bilateral small pneumothoraces and was confirmed by computed thoracic tomography scan. Patient was admitted to observation unit in ED. Thoracic ultrasonography was preferred to follow up the patient. After five days, pneumothoraces were dissolved on bilaterally and the patient was discharged to home. Iatrogenic pneumothorax is a complication observed at various clinical fields. Emergency physician must consider this possibility in patients admitted with dyspnea after needle EMG.