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OBJECTIVES Bag-mask ventilation is commonly used prior to tracheal intubation; however, the epidemiology, risk factors, and clinical implications of difficult bag-mask ventilation among critically ill children are not well studied. This study aims to describe prevalence and risk factors for pediatric difficult bag-mask ventilation as well as its association with adverse tracheal intubation-associated events and oxygen desaturation in PICU patients. DESIGN A retrospective review of prospectively collected observational data from a multicenter tracheal intubation database (National Emergency Airway Registry for Children) from January 2013 to December 2018. SETTING Forty-six international PICUs. PATIENTS Children receiving bag-mask ventilation as a part of tracheal intubation in a PICU. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS The primary outcome is the occurrence of either specific tracheal intubation-associated events (hemodynamic tracheal intubation-associated events, emesis with/without aspiration) and/or oxygen desaturation (< 80%). Factors associated with perceived difficult bag-mask ventilation were found using univariate analyses, and multivariable logistic regression identified an independent association between bag-mask ventilation difficulty and the primary outcome. Difficult bag-mask ventilation is reported in 9.5% (n = 1,501) of 15,810 patients undergoing tracheal intubation with bag-mask ventilation during the study period. Difficult bag-mask ventilation is more commonly reported with increasing age, those with a primary respiratory diagnosis/indication for tracheal intubation, presence of difficult airway features, more experienced provider level, and tracheal intubations without use of neuromuscular blockade (p < 0.001). Specific tracheal intubation-associated events or oxygen desaturation events occurred in 40.2% of patients with reported difficult bag-mask ventilation versus 19.8% in patients without perceived difficult bag-mask ventilation (p < 0.001). The presence of difficult bag-mask ventilation is independently associated with an increased risk of the primary outcome: odds ratio, 2.28 (95% CI, 2.03-2.57; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Difficult bag-mask ventilation is reported in approximately one in 10 PICU patients undergoing tracheal intubation. Given its association with adverse procedure-related events and oxygen desaturation, future study is warranted to improve preprocedural planning and real-time management strategies.

Objectives To evaluate the association of a single episode of hypotension and burden of hypotension with survival to hospital discharge following resuscitation from pediatric cardiac arrest. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Single-center PICU. Patients Patients between 1 day and 18 years old who had a cardiac arrest, received chest compressions for more than 2 minutes, had return of spontaneous circulation for more than 20 minutes, and survived to receive postresuscitation care in the ICU. Interventions None. Measurement and main results One-hundred sixteen patients were evaluable. Hypotension, defined as systolic blood pressure less than the fifth percentile for age and sex, occurred in 37 patients (32%) within the first 6 hours and 64 (55%) within 72 hours of postresuscitation ICU care. There was no significant difference in survival to discharge for patients who had a single episode of hypotension within 6 hours (51% vs 69%; p = 0.06) or within 72 hours (56% vs 73%; p = 0.06). Burden of hypotension was defined as the percentage of hypotension measurements that were below the fifth percentile. After controlling for patient and cardiac arrest event characteristics, a higher burden of hypotension within the first 72 hours of ICU postresuscitation care was associated with decreased discharge survival (adjusted odds ratio = 0.67 per 10% increase in hypotension burden; 95% CI, 0.48-0.86; p = 0.006). Conclusions After successful resuscitation from pediatric cardiac arrest, systolic hypotension was common (55%). A higher burden of postresuscitation hypotension within the first 72 hours of ICU postresuscitation care was associated with significantly decreased discharge survival, after accounting for potential confounders including number of doses of epinephrine, arrest location, and arrest etiology due to airway obstruction or trauma.

Introduction: Classical teaching in pediatric laryngoscopy advocates the use of straight blades to be placed underneath the epiglottis, whereas curved blades are placed in the vallecula. Anesthesia studies suggest that straight blade positioning in the vallecula may be a satisfactory technique for small children. We sought to assess laryngoscope blade tip position during pediatric tracheal intubation (TI) and its association with intubation success. Methods: Observational single center study. Children undergoing TI from November 2017 until December 2018 in a pediatric emergency department (ED) and pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) using a CMAC video laryngoscope with recorded images available for review were eligible for inclusion. Patient and provider characteristics were obtained from quality improvement database. Each video was independently reviewed, and the blade tip position was determined by study personnel as ‘in vallecula’ or ‘under epiglottis’. TI success was defined as observation of the tube entering the trachea on video. Univariate analysis between blade tip position and success, as well as potential confounders, was performed by chi 2 testing. Multivariable logistic regression to determine the independent association between blade tip position and success while controlling for relevant confounders. Results: 95 TI attempts were analysed. 58% of attempts were successful (14/35 in infants, 8/15 in 1-7 yr old, 33/45 in 8+ yr, p=0.01). Blade tip position was in the vallecula for 20/31 (65%) attempts with curved blades and 23/64 (36%) with straight blades. In univariate analysis, TI attempts with blade tip position ‘in vallecula’ were significantly more successful than attempts with ‘under epiglottis’ (37% vs. 84%, p Conclusion: During pediatric TI, laryngoscope blade tip position in the vallecula was independently associated with success when compared with placement under the epiglottis.

Introduction: Classical teaching in laryngoscopy advocates the use of Miller (Straight) blades to be placed underneath the epiglottis and lift it, whereas for Macintosh (Curved) blades the tip is positioned in the vallecula. Published studies in anesthesia suggest that straight blade positioning in the vallecula may be a satisfactory technique for small children. However, there is no clear evidence of consistent implementation of this methodology in practice and associated intubation success. Objectives: To assess laryngoscope blade tip position during pediatric tracheal intubation in the emergency department (ED) and its association with intubation success and time of laryngoscopy. Methods: Single center retrospective observational cohort study. Children undergoing tracheal intubation in a tertiary pediatric ED under video-recorded conditions were eligible for inclusion. A CMAC video laryngoscope was used as first line device with the video feed recorded for review. Videos were reviewed and the blade tip position during intubation recorded by study personnel. Blade tip position was categorized as ‘Correct’ if the curved blade was in the vallecula or straight blade was lifting the epiglottis; otherwise the position was categorized as ‘Incorrect’. Time of laryngoscopy was defined as time from blade insertion to removal. Univariate analysis between covariates was done by Fisher’s exact testing for intubation success and by nonparametric methods for laryngoscopy time. Results: A total of 17 complete videos were included in the study. Mac blade was used correctly in 8/10 cases (80%); Miller was used correctly in 1/7 cases (14%). Among infants (≤ 12 months), the Miller was used incorrectly in 3/4 cases (75%). Intubation was successful in 9/9 cases (100%) with correct blade position and in 5/8 cases (63%) with incorrect position (p=0.04). There was no significant difference in mean calculated laryngoscopy time for correct versus incorrect blade tip position (37.90 ± 26.80 sec vs. 44.33± 15.22 sec, p=0.12) Conclusion: Correct position of the laryngoscope blade tip is associated with higher intubation success. There was no significant difference in the laryngoscopy time for both correct and incorrect blade position.