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Nonoperative management (NOM) has become a standard strategy for hemodynamically stable patients with blunt splenic injury; however, delayed rupture of splenic pseudoaneurysm (SPA) is a serious complication of NOM. In medical literature, data regarding the long-term incidence of SPA are scarce, and the appropriate timing for performing follow-up contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) has not yet been reported. This study aimed to elucidate the long-term incidence and timing of SPA formation after blunt splenic injury in patients treated with NOM.This descriptive study was conducted at a tertiary medical center in Japan. Patients with blunt splenic injury who were treated with NOM between April 2014 and August 2020 were included in the analysis. Included patients underwent repeated contrast-enhanced CT to detect SPA formation. The primary outcome was the cumulative incidence of delayed formation of SPA. We also evaluated differences in SPA formation between patients who received transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE; TAE group) and those who did not receive it (non-TAE group) on admission day.Among 49 patients with blunt splenic injury who were treated with NOM, 5 patients (10.2%) had delayed formation of SPA. All cases of SPA formation occurred within 15 days of injury. The incidence of SPA formation was not significantly different between the TAE and non-TAE groups (1/19 vs. 4/30, P = 0.67).SPA developed in 10% of patients within approximately 2 weeks after blunt splenic injury. Therefore, performing follow-up contrast-enhanced CT in this period after injury may be useful to evaluate delayed formation of SPA. Although our findings are novel, they should be confirmed through future studies with larger sample sizes.

Postpartum hemorrhage is an important obstetric complication and the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. Occasionally, we encounter unexpected massive postpartum hemorrhage diagnosed for the first time after delivery. Therefore, it is essential to pay attention to patients with a high risk of postpartum hemorrhage. The authors report two cases of patients at high risk of postpartum hemorrhage that were successfully managed by resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta before cesarean section. Case 1: A 32-year-old woman with a history of cesarean section and who conceived using assisted reproductive technology was diagnosed with partial placenta previa at 25 weeks of gestation. Because of tocolysis failure, emergent cesarean section with resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta was performed at 36 weeks of gestation. Natural placental resorption was observed. She was discharged at 5 days after delivery without significant hemorrhage. Case 2: A 41-year-old woman with suspected placenta accreta spectrum due to a cesarean scar pregnancy was referred to our hospital at 33 weeks of gestation. A planned cesarean section with resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta was conducted at 37 weeks of gestation. There was no visual evidence of abnormal placental invasion of the myometrium, and natural placental resorption was observed. She was discharged at 5 days after delivery without significant hemorrhage.

Background: Publication in a scientific journal is the desired outcome of the research cycle. However, previous anesthesiology research has not thoroughly examined factors predictive of subsequent publication after a meeting presentation. We aimed to assess the rate of peer-reviewed publication of abstracts presented at the Japanese Society of Anesthesiologists (JSA) annual meetings and identify factors associated with successful publication. Methods: This study included all abstracts presented at JSA meetings from 2015 to 2017. The outcome of interest was subsequent publication of abstracts in journals included in the MEDLINE database within 36 months after presentation. Differences between published and non-published abstracts were evaluated. Results: Among the 2,418 eligible abstracts, 487 were published within 3 years (publication rate, 20.1%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that factors independently associated with subsequent publication were: presentation style (poster discussions: adjusted odds ratios (AOR) 1.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.31-2.20; excellent abstracts: AOR 2.82, 95% CI 1.98-4.01); basic research (AOR 4.39, 95%CI 3.23-5.96), male first author (AOR 1.41, 95% CI 1.09-1.81); region (Kansai: AOR 2.16, 95% CI 1.57-2.99; abroad: AOR 4.57, 95% CI 2.58-8.09); facility characteristics (private university: AOR 3.97, 95% CI 2.60-6.08; public university: AOR 3.53, 95%CI 2.35-5.30; medical company: AOR 16.70, 95% CI 3.75-74.46); and number of collaborating facilities (two: AOR 1.50, 95% CI 1.15-1.97; three: AOR 1.83, 95% CI 1.23-2.73; four: AOR 2.40, 95% CI 1.27-4.54). Conclusions: Approximately one-fifth of abstracts presented at JSA meetings are published in peer-reviewed journals within 3 years. Factors independently associated with subsequent full publication are presentation style, basic research, male gender, specific region, affiliation characteristics, and number of collaborating facilities. Our data should stimulate further studies that elucidate ways to assist the full publication process of meeting abstracts.

Background Nonoperative management (NOM) has become a standard strategy for hemodynamically stable patients with blunt splenic injury; however, delayed rupture of splenic pseudoaneurysm (SPA) is a serious complication of NOM. In medical literature, data regarding the long-term incidence of SPA are scarce, and the appropriate timing for performing follow-up contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) has not yet been reported. The present study aimed to elucidate the long-term incidence and timing of SPA formation after blunt splenic injury in patients treated with NOM. Methods This retrospective, observational, descriptive study was conducted at a tertiary medical center in Japan. Patients with blunt splenic injury who were treated with NOM in the study setting, between April 2014 and August 2020, were included for the analysis. We performed follow-up contrast-enhanced CT for more than 2 weeks in 65% cases to detect SPA formation. The primary outcome was the cumulative incidence of delayed formation of SPA. We also evaluated differences in SPA formation between patients who received transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE; TAE group) and those who did not receive it (non-TAE group) on the admission day. Results Among 49 patients with blunt splenic injury who were treated with NOM, 32 underwent follow-up contrast-enhanced CT for over 2 weeks, and 5 of the 32 patients (10.2%) had delayed formation of SPA. All cases of SPA formation occurred within 15 days of injury. The incidence of SPA formation was not significantly different between the TAE and non-TAE groups (5.3% vs. 13.3%, p = 0.67). Conclusions SPA developed in approximately 10% of patients within 2 weeks after blunt splenic injury. Therefore, performing follow-up contrast-enhanced CT around this period after injury may be useful to evaluate delayed formation of SPA. Although our findings are novel, they should be confirmed through future studies with a larger sample size.

Trial design: This investigator-initiated, single-center, open-label, parallel-group, randomized-controlled pilot study was designed to compare the intraoperative fluid balance and perioperative complications in patients undergoing hepato-biliary-pancreatic surgery with or without stroke volume variation (SVV)-guided fluid management. Methods: Patients who were aged >18 years and underwent elective major hepato-biliary-pancreatic surgery between June 30, 2015, and August 31, 2016 at our center were randomly assigned to receive SVV-guided or conventional fluid therapy. The intervention group used SVV to determine the patients’ volume status. The primary outcome was the total fluid balance per body weight per operation time, and the secondary outcomes were the total amount of intravenous infusion per body weight per operation time and the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score on postoperative day 1. Patients were randomized by a two-block computer-generated assignment sequence. Masking of patients and assessors was conducted. The patients and assessors were each blinded to the details of the trial; however, the clinicians were not. Results: Of the 69 patients who were initially eligible, 60 provided informed consent for participation in the study. After randomization, three patients dropped out of the study because of deviations from the protocol or unexpected hypotension, leaving 28 and 29 patients in the intervention and control groups, respectively. Patients in both groups had similar characteristics at baseline. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) intraoperative fluid balance in the control and SVV groups was 6.2 (IQR, 4.9–7.9) and 8.1 (IQR, 5.7–10.5) ml/kg/h, respectively (P = .103). The administered intravenous infusion was significantly higher in the SVV group (median, 10.9; IQR, 8.3–15.3 ml/kg/h) than in the control group (median, 9.5; IQR, 7.7–10.3 ml/kg/h) (P = .011). On postoperative day 1, the PaO2/FiO2 ratio was lower in the SVV group (median, 266; IQR, 261–341) than in the control group (median, 346; IQR, 299–380) (P = .019). Conclusions: Use of the SVV-guided fluid management protocol did not reduce intraoperative fluid balance but increased the intraoperative fluid administration and might worsen postoperative oxygenation. Trial registration: UMIN000018111.

A 76-year-old man who had been bathing in a hot spring was taken to the hospital in a coma. PCR assay performed on the eschar revealed a serotype Hirano/Kuroki of Orientia tsutsugamushi. Coexisted heatstroke superimposed on multiple underlying risk factors likely led to a fatal clinical course.

A 62-year-old woman without medical history presented with chemosis, hyperaemia, exophthalmos, extroversion and anisocoria on the left side (figure 1). She had sustained blunt facial trauma during a car accident 2 months before; an operation had been performed to correct the facial fracture. Over the next month, she experienced worsening headaches, blurred vision and pulsatile pain behind the left eye. In our ED, physical and neurological examination showed that periorbital bruit was auscultated, and dysfunction of cranial nerves III, IV and VI on the left side, respectively. Figure 1 The left eye shows eyelid extroversion, swelling (arrow), chemosis and …

Wild boar attacks have rarely been reported in the medical literature. This is the case of an 83-year-old male farmer who was assaulted from behind by an injured adult wild boar. He presented with hemorrhagic shock after sustaining injuries to the right profunda femoris artery and right sciatic nerve as well as significant soft-tissue injuries, bilateral iliac wing fractures, an open pneumothorax, and an anorectal injury. The anorectal injury was treated with fecal diversion but was complicated by soft-tissue infection in the surrounding dead space. The patient needed multiple operations, including removal of the distal rectum and creation of a permanent colostomy. In this report, we highlighted the characteristics of anorectal trauma caused by a wild boar attack. We conclude that penetrating anorectal injuries caused by this type of attack can be associated with extensive soft-tissue damage despite externally appearing to be simple puncture wounds. Anorectal combat injuries have demonstrated similar extensive surrounding soft-tissue injuries and propensity for infection; therefore, this case supports adopting a similar treatment strategy, that of serial and radical debridement, to treat certain wild boar injuries.

Injured patients requiring definitive intervention, such as surgery or transarterial embolization (TAE), are an extremely time-sensitive population. The effect of an emergency physician (EP) patient care delivery system in this important trauma subset remains unclear. We aimed to clarify whether the preoperative time course and mortality among injured patients differ between ambulances staffed by EPs and those staffed by emergency life-saving technicians (ELST). This was a retrospective cohort study at a community emergency department (ED) in Japan. We included all injured patients requiring emergency surgery or TAE who were transported directly from the ED to the operating room from January 2002 to December 2019. The primary exposure was dispatch of an EP-staffed ambulance to the prehospital scene. The primary outcome measures were preoperative time course including prehospital length of stay (LOS), ED LOS, and total time to definitive intervention. The other outcome of interest was in-hospital mortality. One-to-one propensity score matching was performed to compare these outcomes between the groups. Of the 1,020 eligible patients, 353 (34.6%) were transported to the ED by an EP-staffed ambulance. In the propensity score-matched analysis with 295 pairs, the EP group showed a significant increase in median prehospital LOS (71.0 min vs. 41.0 min, P < 0.001) and total time to definitive intervention (189.0 min vs. 177.0 min, P = 0.002) in comparison with the ELST group. Conversely, ED LOS was significantly shorter in the EP group than in the ELST group (120.0 min vs. 131.0 min, P = 0.043). There was no significant difference in mortality between the two groups (8.8% vs.9.8%, P = 0.671). At a community hospital in Japan, EP-staffed ambulances were found to be associated with prolonged prehospital time, delay in definitive treatment, and did not improve survival among injured patients needing definitive hemostatic procedures compared with ELST-staffed ambulances.

Background Published reports regarding the use of veno‐venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V‐V ECMO) for massive hemoptysis following a thoracic injury are still scarce. Case Presentation A 34‐year‐old man developed massive hemoptysis from the right lung after a 2 m fall and being compressed with an iron pipe weighing 500 kg. He was immediately intubated using a double‐lumen tube, and one‐lung ventilation was started. Endotracheal hemorrhage was controlled by sealing the right lumen. V‐V ECMO was initiated to endure the lethal hypoxemia while waiting for the right lung to heal. He came off of V‐V ECMO after 17 days and was discharged on foot on day 46. Conclusion The strategy of using V‐V ECMO in combination with one‐lung ventilation is useful and should be strongly considered to save lethal massive hemoptysis cases following traumatic lung injury., A 34‐year‐old man developed massive hemoptysis after a traumatic lung injury. We report a case of successful application of veno‐venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in combination with one‐lung ventilation to save lethal massive hemoptysis in trauma.

Suicide is an increasingly serious public health care concern worldwide. The impact of decreased in-house psychiatric resources on emergency care for suicidal patients has not been thoroughly examined. We evaluated the effects of closing an in-hospital psychiatric ward on the prehospital and emergency ward length of stay (LOS) and disposition location in patients who attempted suicide. This was a retrospective before-and-after study at a community emergency department (ED) in Japan. On March 31, 2014, the hospital closed its 50 psychiatric ward beds and outpatient consultation days were decreased from 5 to 2 days per week. Electronic health record data of suicidal patients who were brought to the ED were collected for 5 years before the decrease in in-hospital psychiatric services (April 1, 2009–March 31, 2014) and 5 years after the decrease (April 1, 2014–March 31, 2019). One-to-one propensity score matching was performed to compare prehospital and emergency ward LOS, and discharge location between the 2 groups. Of the 1083 eligible patients, 449 (41.5%) were brought to the ED after the closure of the psychiatric ward. Patients with older age, burns, and higher comorbidity index values, and those requiring endotracheal intubation, surgery, and emergency ward admission, were more likely to receive ED care after the psychiatric ward closure. In the propensity matched analysis with 418 pairs, the after-closure group showed a significant increase in median prehospital LOS (44.0 minutes vs 51.0 minutes, P

A 72-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department due to coma. The cerebrospinal fluid cell count was 40,080 cells/μL, and Klebsiella pneumoniae was detected on culture. Stretching the bacterial colonies on an agar plate showed the formation of a viscous string with a length exceeding 5 mm, indicating hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (hv-KP). A genome analysis suggested hv-KP capsular genotype K54 with sequence type 29. Although no brain abscess was detected on contrast-enhanced computed tomography on Day 4 or on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on Day 7, contrast-enhanced MRI on Day 23 showed granuloma-like nodal enhancement on the surface of the left insula. Antibacterial therapy was continued until the enhancement disappeared on Day 40. MRI may help determine the duration required for antibacterial therapy. After six months, the patient was discharged and remained free from recurrence.

PURPOSE: Airway management in severe bronchial asthma exacerbation (BAE) carries very high risk and should be performed by experienced providers. However, no objective data are available on the association between the laryngoscopist's specialty and endotracheal intubation (ETI)-related adverse events in patients with severe bronchial asthma. In this paper, we compare emergency ETI-related adverse events in patients with severe BAE between anesthesiologists and other specialists. METHODS: This historical cohort study was conducted at a Japanese teaching hospital. We analyzed all BAE patients who underwent ETI in our emergency department from January 2002 to January 2014. Primary exposure was the specialty of the first laryngoscopist (anesthesiologist vs. other specialist). The primary outcome measure was the occurrence of an ETI-related adverse event, including severe bronchospasm after laryngoscopy, hypoxemia, regurgitation, unrecognized esophageal intubation, and ventricular tachycardia. RESULTS: Of 39 patients, 21 (53.8 %) were intubated by an anesthesiologist and 18 (46.2 %) by other specialists. Crude analysis revealed that ETI performed by an anesthesiologist was significantly associated with attenuated risk of ETI-related adverse events [odds ratio (OR) 0.090, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.020-0.41, p = 0.001]. The benefit of attenuated risk remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders, including Glasgow Coma Score, age, and use of a neuromuscular blocking agent (OR 0.058, 95 % CI 0.010-0.35, p = 0.0020). CONCLUSIONS: Anesthesiologist as first exposure was independently associated with attenuated risk of ETI-related adverse events in patients with severe BAE. The skill and knowledge of anesthesiologists should be applied to high-risk airway management whenever possible.

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Background Although electronic health record systems (EHRs) and emergency department information systems (EDISs) enable safe, efficient, and high-quality care, these systems have not yet been studied well. Here, we assessed (1) the prevalence of EHRs and EDISs, (2) changes in efficiency in emergency medical practices after introducing EHR and EDIS, and (3) barriers to and expectations from the EHR-EDIS transition in EDs of medical facilities with EHRs in Japan. Materials and methods A survey regarding EHR (basic or comprehensive) and EDIS implementation was mailed to 466 hospitals. We examined the efficiency after EHR implementation and perceived barriers and expectations regarding the use of EDIS with existing EHRs. The survey was completed anonymously. Results Totally, 215 hospitals completed the survey (response rate, 46.1%), of which, 76.3% had basic EHRs, 4.2% had comprehensive EHRs, and 1.9% had EDISs. After introducing EHRs and EDISs, a reduction in the time required to access previous patient information and share patient information was noted, but no change was observed in the time required to produce medical records and the overall time for each medical care. For hospitals with EHRs, the most commonly cited barriers to EDIS implementation were inadequate funding for adoption and maintenance and potential adverse effects on workflow. The most desired function in the EHR-EDIS transition was establishing appropriate clinical guidelines for residents within their system. Conclusion To attract EDs to EDIS from EHR, systems focusing on decreasing the time required to produce medical records and establishing appropriate clinical guidelines for residents are required.

A 78-year-old Japanese man with alcohol dependence syndrome and hypertension presented with a 1-month history of dyspnea and dysphagia. On admission, his blood pressure was elevated but his other vital signs and laboratory tests were normal. A physical examination showed slight stridor and

INTRODUCTION: Prehospital time is crucial for treating acute disease; therefore, it is important to activate helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) promptly. We investigated the differences in the activation intervals (the time elapsed from receiving the emergency call to the time of HEMS request) under various conditions to evaluate the current status of HEMS-related prehospital triage in Japan. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated activation intervals under exogenous (trauma, n = 553; intoxication, n = 56; and burns, n = 32) and endogenous conditions (acute coronary syndrome [ACS], n = 47; and stroke, n = 173) between January 31, 2008, and January 31, 2012, by reviewing flight records. RESULTS: Activation intervals were trauma (14.3 ± 11.5 min), intoxication (10.3 ± 8.6 min), burns (15.0 ± 13.1 min), ACS (17.9 ± 14.6 min), and stroke (19.1 ± 13.1 min). One-way analysis of variance showed a significant difference between exogenous and endogenous groups (P < .001). Post-hoc analysis using Tukey's honestly significant difference test showed significant differences between ACS and intoxication (P < .05), stroke and intoxication (P < .001), and stroke and trauma (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Endogenous conditions had longer activation intervals, which may reflect a lack of mechanisms assessing their severity. We are considering developing new triage criteria for dispatchers.

Adult varicella pneumonia is a common and serious complication of varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection in pregnant woman and immunocompromised individuals, with mortality rates of 30–50%. The poor prognosis is attributable to very aggressive disease progression and delayed onset of treatment. Here, we present a case of varicella pneumonia in a 69-year-old woman following long-term immunosuppressive treatment for kidney transplant. Respiratory failure developed within 3d after admission for skin rash, and the patient died 28d later despite acyclovir and foscarnet treatment. The autopsy showed extensive mucosal airway ulcerations from the pharynx to the main bronchi and numerous VZV-infected cells. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE (1980 through February 2012), as well as several medical report databases created by Japanese healthcare professionals, for all reported cases of varicella pneumonia for which bronchoscopy findings were documented. Twenty-four cases were included and we found that patients with limited or shallow ulcers had favorable outcomes, whereas patients with vast and deep ulcerations had fatal outcomes. These findings indicate that bronchoscopy findings, particularly those showing bronchial involvement, may be useful for evaluating varicella pneumonia.

Background: Many studies have commented on the usefulness of helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) for the transportation of trauma patients. However, several studies have also noted that the majority of patients transported by HEMS to Level I trauma centers had minor injuries, and warned of inappropriate use of HEMS and the need for appropriate prehospital triage. In Japan, information about the injury severity of trauma patients transported by HEMS is lacking, and the appropriateness of field triage performed by HEMS is not clear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of HEMS transportation in terms of the injury severity of trauma patients who were transported to our Emergency and Critical Care Medical Center (ECCMC) in Fukushima, Japan. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated all trauma patients who were brought to our ECCMC from the scene of an accident between March 1, 2009 and January 31, 2012. We compared Injury Severity Score (ISS), Revised Trauma Score (RTS), and probability of survival (Ps) as indicators of trauma severity, and emergency operation rate, intensive care unit (ICU) admission rate, and mechanical ventilation rate as indicators of specialized trauma care between patients transported by HEMS and those transported by ground ambulance (GA). Results: We identified 450 trauma patients (324 males and 126 females, aged 51±24 years), of which 110 (24.4%) were transported by HEMS. The HEMS group had significantly more severe trauma than the GA group (ISS: 17.7±11.5 vs. 12.4±9.5, p, 【背景】ヘリコプター救急システム（helicopter emergency medical services: HEMS）の外傷症例に対する有用性は多くの報告で示唆されている。一方で，外傷症例の重症度の観点から，HEMSにおける不適切な現場トリアージに警鐘を鳴らす報告もある。本邦においては，HEMS（ドクターヘリ）で搬送された外傷症例の重症度，および現場トリアージの実態は明らかになっていない。【対象および方法】2009年3月1日から2012年1月31日の期間に当院救命救急センターへ現場から直接搬送された全ての鈍的外傷症例を後方視的に調査し，重症度（Injury Severity Score（ISS），Revised Trauma Score（RTS），Probability of survival（Ps）），入院後管理（緊急手術率，ICU収容率，機械換気率）についてHEMS群と救急車（ground ambulance: GA）群で比較検討した。【結果】450症例（男性324名，年齢 51±24歳）が特定され，110例（24.4%）がHEMSで搬送されていた。HEMS群はGA群に比較して有意に重症で（ISS 17.7±11.5 vs. 12.4±9.5，p

A healthy man aged 32 years, with no notable family or medical history and no history of trauma, reported of sudden severe back pain on stretching and holding his breath while working at his desk. Apart from tachypnoea, his vital signs and physical examination were normal. A chest radiograph showed mediastinal widening (figure 1). Results of laboratory tests, including coagulation tests—prothrombin time, activated …

Background: Penetrating neck injury is an important trauma subset but is relatively rare, especially when involving the posterior cervical column. Rupture of the neck restraints, including the interspinous and flavum ligaments, can create serious cervical instability that requires special consideration when managing the airway. However, no detailed information regarding airway management in patients with profound posterior neck muscle laceration and direct cervical ligament disruption by an edged weapon is yet available in the literature. Case presentation: A 63-year-old Japanese man attempted to cut off his head using a sickle after drinking a copious amount of alcohol. On admission, his posterior vertebral column was grossly exposed and the lacerated tissues were actively bleeding, resulting in severe hypovolemic shock. We used a rapid-sequence intubation technique with direct laryngoscopy while manual in-line stabilization of his head and neck was maintained by several people. Surgical exploration revealed nuchal, interspinous, and flavum ligament rupture between his fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae, but no injury to the great vessels was present. The major source of bleeding was a site of oozing from his trapezius and splenius muscles. After surgical hemostasis, wound repair, and subsequent intensive care, our patient was discharged home without any neurological sequelae. Conclusions: Deficits of the neck restraints can cause cervical spine subluxation and dislocation secondary to neck movement. Thus, the key to successful airway management in such a scenario is minimization of neck movement to prevent further neurological impairment. We successfully managed an airway using a conventional but trusted endotracheal intubation strategy in a patient with multiple traumas and a suspected spinal cord injury. This case also illustrates that, even when great vessel injury is absent, severe hypovolemic shock may occur after profound neck muscle laceration, requiring immediate surgical intervention.

ObjectiveClinical procedural experience and confidence are both important when performing complex medical procedures. Since out-of-hospital endotracheal intubation (ETI) is a complex intervention, we sought to clarify clinical ETI experience among prehospital rescuers as well as their confidence in performing ETI and confidence-associated factors.DesignPopulation-based cross-sectional study conducted from January to September 2017.SettingNorthern Japan, including eight prefectures.ParticipantsEmergency life-saving technicians (ELSTs) authorised to perform ETI.Outcome measuresAnnual ETI exposure and confidence in performing ETI, according to a five-point Likert scale. To determine factors associated with ETI confidence, differences between confident ELSTs (those scoring 4 or 5 on the Likert scale) and non-confident ELSTs were evaluated.ResultsQuestionnaires were sent to 149 fire departments (FDs); 140 agreed to participate. Among the 2821 ELSTs working at responding FDs, 2620 returned the questionnaire (response rate, 92.9%); complete data sets were available for 2567 ELSTs (complete response rate, 91.0%). Of those 2567 respondents, 95.7% performed two or fewer ETI annually; 46.6% reported lack of confidence in performing ETI. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that years of clinical experience (adjusted OR (AOR) 1.09; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.13), annual ETI exposure (AOR 1.79; 95% CI 1.59 to 2.03) and the availability of ETI skill retention programmes including regular simulation training (AOR 1.31; 95% CI 1.02 to 1.68) and operating room training (AOR 1.44; 95% CI 1.14 to 1.83) were independently associated with confidence in performing ETI.ConclusionsETI is an uncommon event for most ELSTs, and nearly half of respondents did not have confidence in performing this procedure. Since confidence in ETI was independently associated with availability of regular simulation and operating room training, standardisation of ETI re-education that incorporates such methods may be useful for prehospital rescuers.

The aim of this study was to determine complication rates and possible risk factors of expert-performed endotracheal intubation (ETI) in patients with trauma, in both the prehospital setting and the emergency department. We also investigated how the occurrence of ETI-related complications affected the survival of trauma patients. This single-center retrospective observational study included all injured patients who underwent anesthesiologist-performed ETI from 2007 to 2017. ETI-related complications were defined as hypoxemia, unrecognized esophageal intubation, regurgitation, cardiac arrest, ETI failure rescued by emergency surgical airway, dental trauma, cuff leak, and mainstem bronchus intubation. Of the 537 patients included, 23.5% experienced at least one complication. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that low Glasgow Coma Scale Score (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88–0.98), elevated heart rate (AOR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.00–1.02), and three or more ETI attempts (AOR, 15.71; 95% CI, 3.37–73.2) were independent predictors of ETI-related complications. We also found that ETI-related complications decreased the likelihood of survival of trauma patients (AOR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.38–0.95), independently of age, male sex, Injury Severity Score, Glasgow Coma Scale Score, and off-hours presentation. Our results suggest that airway management in trauma patients carries a very high risk; this finding has implications for the practice of airway management in injured patients.

Purpose Immediate access to the equipment required for difficult airway management (DAM) is vital. However, in Japan, data are scarce regarding the availability of DAM resources in prehospital settings. The purpose of this study was to determine whether Japanese helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) are adequately equipped to comply with the DAM algorithms of Japanese and American professional anesthesiology societies. Methods This nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted in May 2015. Base hospitals of HEMS were mailed a questionnaire about their airway management equipment and back-up personnel. Outcome measures were (1) call for help, (2) supraglottic airway device (SGA) insertion, (3) verification of tube placement using capnometry, and (4) the establishment of surgical airways, all of which have been endorsed in various airway management guidelines. The criteria defining feasibility were the availability of (1) more than one physician, (2) SGA, (3) capnometry, and (4) a surgical airway device in the prehospital setting. Results Of the 45 HEMS base hospitals questioned, 42 (93.3 %) returned completed questionnaires. A surgical airway was practicable by all HEMS. However, in the prehospital setting, back-up assistance was available in 14.3 %, SGA in 16.7 %, and capnometry in 66.7 %. No HEMS was capable of all four steps. Conclusion In Japan, compliance with standard airway management algorithms in prehospital settings remains difficult because of the limited availability of alternative ventilation equipment and back-up personnel. Prehospital health care providers need to consider the risks and benefits of performing endotracheal intubation in environments not conducive to the success of this procedure. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00540-015-2124-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

INTRODUCTION: Polytetrafluoroethylene is ubiquitous in materials commonly used in cooking and industrial applications. Overheated polytetrafluoroethylene can generate toxic fumes, inducing acute pulmonary edema in some cases. However, neither the etiology nor the radiological features of this condition have been determined. For clarification, we report an illustrative case, together with the first comprehensive literature review. CASE PRESENTATION: A previously healthy 35-year-old Japanese man who developed severe dyspnea presented to our hospital. He had left a polytetrafluoroethylene-coated pan on a gas-burning stove for 10 hours while unconscious. Upon admission, he was in severe respiratory distress. A chest computed tomographic scan showed massive bilateral patchy consolidations with ground-glass opacities and peripheral area sparing. A diagnosis of polytetrafluoroethylene fume-induced pulmonary edema was made. He was treated with non-invasive positive pressure ventilation and a neutrophil elastase inhibitor, which dramatically alleviated his symptoms and improved his oxygenation. He was discharged without sequelae on hospital day 11. A literature review was performed to survey all reported cases of polytetrafluoroethylene fume-induced pulmonary edema. We searched the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and OvidSP databases for reports posted between the inception of the databases and 30 September 2014, as well as several Japanese databases (Ichushi Web, J-STAGE, Medical Online, and CiNii). Two radiologists independently interpreted all chest computed tomographic images. Eighteen relevant cases (including the presently reported case) were found. Our search revealed that (1) systemic inflammatory response syndrome was frequently accompanied by pulmonary edema, and (2) common computed tomography findings were bilateral ground-glass opacities, patchy consolidation and peripheral area sparing. Pathophysiological and radiological features were consistent with the exudative phase of acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, the contrast between the lesion and the spared peripheral area was striking and was distinguishable from the common radiological features of acute respiratory distress syndrome. CONCLUSION: The essential etiology of polytetrafluoroethylene fume-induced pulmonary edema seems to be increased pulmonary vascular permeability caused by an inflammatory response to the toxic fumes. The radiological findings that distinguish polytetrafluoroethylene fume-induced pulmonary edema can be bilateral ground-glass opacity or a patchy consolidation with clear sparing of the peripheral area.