Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist Versus Pressure Support Ventilation: A Comprehensive Review

Mechanical ventilation serves as crucial life support for critically ill patients. Although it is life-saving prolonged ventilation carries risks and complications like barotrauma, Ventilator-associated pneumonia, sepsis, and many others. Optimizing patient-ventilator interactions and facilitating early weaning is necessary for improved intensive care unit (ICU) outcomes. Traditionally Pressure support ventilation (PSV) mode is widely used for weaning patients who are intubated and mechanically ventilated. Neurally adjusted ventilatory assist (NAVA) mode of the ventilator is an emerging ventilator mode that delivers pressure depending on the patient's respiratory drive, which in turn prevents over-inflation and improves the patient's ventilator interactions. Our article revises and compares the effectiveness of NAVA compared to PSV ventilation under different contexts. Overall we conclude that NAVA level of ventilation can be safely administered in a patient with acute respiratory failure, provided diaphragmatic paralysis is not considered. NAVA improves asynchrony index, wean-off time, and sleep quality and is associated with increased ventilator-free days. These results are based on small-scale studies with low power, and further studies are warranted in large-scale cohorts with more diverse populations to confirm these results.

Subacute Appendicular Abscess Masquerading as Neoplasia Causing Large Bowel Obstruction

Acute appendicitis is the most common reason for emergency abdominal surgery worldwide. Nonacute appendicitis variants include recurrent, subacute, and chronic appendicitis. Although these are not considered surgical emergencies, they are frequently overlooked, resulting in complications such as perforation or abscess formation. The presentation of nonacute forms is rare in the modern era because of sophisticated diagnostic modalities and treatment measures. We discuss a rare case of subacute appendicular abscess simulating a neoplasm with large bowel obstruction.

Thrombosis, Septic Emboli, and Multiple Abscesses Triggered by Klebsiella pneumoniae: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Urinary tract infection and pneumonia are common diseases caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae. In rare circumstances, Klebsiella pneumoniae has been associated with abscess formation, thrombosis, septic emboli, and infective endocarditis. We report a 58-year-old woman with a past medical history of uncontrolled diabetes who presented with abdominal pain along with swelling in the left third finger and left calf. Further work-up revealed bilateral renal vein thrombosis, inferior vena cava thrombosis, septic emboli, and perirenal abscess. All cultures were positive for Klebsiella pneumoniae. This patient was aggressively managed with abscess drainage, intravenous antibiotics, and anticoagulation. Diverse thrombotic pathologies associated with Klebsiella pneumoniae pathogen as documented in literature were also discussed.

Devastating Effects of Combined DKA and Acute Pancreatitis in Select Patients: Two Cases

Most cases of acute pancreatitis are routinely managed in the hospital without complications. However, management could become very complicated when patients present with a combination of acute pancreatitis and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). In fact, triad of acute pancreatitis, DKA, and hypertriglyceridemia in patients could result into systemic complications which may lead to fatal consequences. We report 2 cases in which patients presented with acute pancreatitis and DKA. Clinical course was complicated for both cases. While one of the patients expired, the other patient could not be extubated. This combination must be avoided at all costs because the clinical outcome for affected patients is difficult to predict.

A Rare Case of Severe Manifestation of COVID-19 Infection Presenting as Immune-Related Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura With Multiorgan Involvement Treated With Plasmapheresis, Steroids, Rituximab, and Caplacizumab

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) caused by decreased activity of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13 (ADAMTS13). Platelet-rich thrombi in small vessels lead to fragmentation of RBCs causing microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (MAHA). Therapeutic plasma exchange is life-saving and is the mainstay of the treatment of TTP. Higher dose IV steroids along with rituximab are used as an adjunct to plasma exchange.

Our case report describes a 26-year-old healthy male who presented with new onset seizures and encephalopathy. Blood work demonstrated anemia, severe thrombocytopenia, elevated lactate dehydrogenase, decreased haptoglobin, and elevated creatinine, and peripheral blood smear showed marked schistocytosis indicating MAHA. Plasma exchange and high-dose steroids were started on a presumptive diagnosis of TTP. ADAMTS13 activity was undetectable and ADAMTS13 inhibitor levels were elevated. Rituximab and caplacizumab were then added. Symptoms of encephalopathy improved by day five and platelet counts started improving by day nine. After several days of plasma exchange, he showed a “clinical response” with several weeks of active treatment. The association between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and the severity of TTP with multiorgan failure is not well understood yet. Although we describe a successful multimodal approach to the management of TTP, which we believe is secondary to COVID-19 infection, further research is warranted to analyze and understand the pathophysiology by which COVID-19 infection causes TTP. It would help in establishing standardized therapy in the future.

Non-pharmacological integrative therapies for chronic cancer pain

Objective

Chronic pain is one of the most detrimental symptoms exhibited by cancer patients, being an indication for opioid therapy in up to half of the patients’ receiving chemotherapy and in 90% of advanced cases. Various successful non-pharmacological integrative therapy options have been explored and implemented to improve the quality of life in these patients. This review aims to highlight the mechanisms implicated; assessment tools used for cancer pain and summarize current evidence on non-pharmacological approaches in the treatment of chronic cancer pain.

Data sources

A review of the literature was conducted using a combination of MeSH keywords including “Chronic cancer pain,” “Assessment,” “Non-pharmacological management,” and “Integrative therapy.”

Data summary

Data on the approach and assessment of chronic cancer pain as well as non-pharmacological integrative options have been displayed with the help of figures and tables. Of note, non-pharmacological integrative management was divided into three subcategories; physical therapy (involving exercise, acupuncture, massage, and transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation), psychosocial therapy (e.g. mindful practices, supportive therapy), and herbal supplementation.

Conclusions

The use of non-pharmacological integrative therapy in the management of chronic cancer pain has been grossly underestimated and must be considered before or as an adjuvant of other treatment regimens to ensure appropriate care.