Choking on a foreign body: a physiological study of the effectiveness of abdominal thrust manoeuvres to increase thoracic pressure

Esophageal rupture after Heimlich maneuver: a case report and literature review

The Heimlich maneuver (HM) is lifesaving in a patient choked by a foreign body. It is safe and effective and does not require specific instruments. Nevertheless, rare severe complications have been reported, such as traumatic injury of the gastrointestinal tract, pneumomediastinum, rib fracture, diaphragm rupture, acute thrombosis of abdominal aortic aneurysm and mesenteric laceration. Abdominal injuries are the most common complications, especially esophageal and gastric wall rupture. This anatomic site is the most common location of organ injuries, in consequence of the main target of the force generated by the HM. Furthermore, the execution of HM by an untrained person may increase the risk for possible serious complications. Usually, HM complications are treated surgically, but based on clinical conditions, a conservative approach is possible. In our report, we described a case of esophageal rupture after a forceful HM, and we made a brief revision of literature concerning HM complications. We have also assessed the correlation between HM complications, abuse of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and the execution of the abdominal thrusts by untrained rescuers.

Expert Consensus Statement: Management of Dysphagia in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

OBJECTIVE

To develop an expert consensus statement (ECS) on the management of dysphagia in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients to address controversies and offer opportunities for quality improvement. Dysphagia in HNC was defined as swallowing impairment in patients with cancers of the nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, nasopharynx, oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, or hypopharynx.

METHODS

Development group members with expertise in dysphagia followed established guidelines for developing ECS. A professional search strategist systematically reviewed the literature, and the best available evidence was used to compose consensus statements targeted at providers managing dysphagia in adult HNC populations. The development group prioritized topics where there was significant practice variation and topics that would improve the quality of HNC patient care if consensus were possible.

RESULTS

The development group identified 60 candidate consensus statements, based on 75 initial proposed topics and questions, that focused on addressing the following high yield topics: (1) risk factors, (2) screening, (3) evaluation, (4) prevention, (5) interventions, and (6) surveillance. After 2 iterations of the Delphi survey and the removal of duplicative statements, 48 statements met the standardized definition for consensus; 12 statements were designated as no consensus.

CONCLUSION

Expert consensus was achieved for 48 statements pertaining to risk factors, screening, evaluation, prevention, intervention, and surveillance for dysphagia in HNC patients. Clinicians can use these statements to improve quality of care, inform policy and protocols, and appreciate areas where there is no consensus. Future research, ideally randomized controlled trials, is warranted to address additional controversies related to dysphagia in HNC patients.

[Basic life support]

The European Resuscitation Council has produced these basic life support guidelines, which are based on the 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Science with Treatment Recommendations. The topics covered include cardiac arrest recognition, alerting emergency services, chest compressions, rescue breaths, automated external defibrillation (AED), cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) quality measurement, new technologies, safety, and foreign body airway obstruction.

European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: Basic Life Support

The European Resuscitation Council has produced these basic life support guidelines, which are based on the 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Science with Treatment Recommendations. The topics covered include cardiac arrest recognition, alerting emergency services, chest compressions, rescue breaths, automated external defibrillation (AED), CPR quality measurement, new technologies, safety, and foreign body airway obstruction.

Portable, non-powered, suction-generating device for management of life-threatening aerodigestive tract foreign bodies: Novel prototype and literature review

OBJECTIVE

To present a novel approach for the emergent, pre-hospital management of life-threatening aerodigestive tract foreign body aspiration using a portable, non-powered, suction-generating device (PNSD), in the context of a literature review of emergent pre-hospital management of patients with foreign body airway obstruction.

METHODS

The PubMed and MEDLINE databases were comprehensively screened using broad search terms. A literature review of pre-hospital management and resuscitative techniques of foreign body airway obstruction was performed. Further, independent measurements of PNSD pressure generation were obtained. Application of a PNSD in cadaveric and simulation models were reviewed. A comparative analysis between a PNSD and other resuscitative techniques was performed.

RESULTS

Physiologic data from adult and pediatric human, non-human, and simulation studies show pressure generation ranging from 5.4 to 179 cm H₂O using well-established resuscitative maneuvers. Laboratory testing demonstrated that a protypic PNSD demonstrated peak airway pressures of 434.23 ± 12.35 cm H₂O. A simulation study of a PNSD demonstrated 94% reliability in retrieving airway foreign body, while a similar cadaveric study demonstrated 98% reliability, with both studies approaching 100% success rate after multiple attempts. Several case reports have also shown successful application of PNSD in the emergent management of airway foreign body in elderly and disabled patients.

CONCLUSION

PNSDs may play an important role in the emergent, non-operative, pre-hospital management of upper aerodigestive tract foreign body aspiration, particularly in settings and populations with high choking risk. Further characterization of effectiveness and safety in larger cadaveric or simulation studies mimicking physiologic conditions is indicated.

Principles of Urgent Management of Acute Airway Obstruction

Recognizing and acting early on airway compromise reduces morbidity and mortality in patients with airway obstruction. Causes include foreign bodies, toxic/hot fumes, difficult intubation, laryngeal spasm, and tumors. Before definitive control of the airway is possible, provide 100% oxygen with a tightly fitting mask to optimize body oxygen stores. Pulse oximetry is a poor indicator of airway compromise; a decreasing arterial hemoglobin oxygen saturation is a late sign of impending hypoxemia. Basic airway maneuvers improve the patency of an obstructed airway. Getting help from an anesthetist early is a priority.

London ambulance source data on choking incidence for the calendar year 2016: an observational study

Introduction

Complete foreign body airway obstruction is a life-threatening emergency, but there are limited data on its epidemiology.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of data collected routinely from London Ambulance Service calls coded as being for choking was undertaken for the calendar year of 2016.

Results

There were 1916 choking episodes of significant severity to call for emergency assessment in London during 2016, 0.2% of total calls requiring an ambulance response, an average of 5.2 per day. The incidence increased at the extremes of age. Calls coded as choking occurred at times consistent with lunch and dinner and less frequently at breakfast. Peak incidence occurred at Sunday lunchtimes and on Wednesday evenings.

Conclusions

Choking is a substantial health problem for Londoners to seek emergency assistance. Choking is more frequent at the extremes of age with a higher incidence at lunch and dinner time. Greater public awareness of choking and its management could help to prevent avoidable deaths.