Assay for lipid peroxides in animal tissues by thiobarbituric acid reaction

“It seems probable that this study covers the period of practical extinction of empyema as an important disease.” Lionakis B et al , J Pediatr 1958. 

### 1.1 Structure of the guideline

The format follows that used for the BTS guidelines on the management of pleural disease in adults.1 At the start there is a summary table of the abstracted bullet points from each section. Following that is an algorithm summarising the management of pleural infection in children (fig 1). Each section starts with bulleted points of key recommendations using the revised SIGN grading system (table 1) available on http://www.sign.ac.uk/guidelines/fulltext/50/section6.html. Beneath each set of bullet points is a short paragraph detailing the referenced literature and the rationale behind the recommendations. The primary source literature has been individually graded for its methodology and the grading is given alongside each reference using the revised SIGN levels of evidence (table 2).

View this table:

 Table 1 
 Revised SIGN grading system: grades of recommendation



View this table:

 Table 2 
 Revised SIGN grading system: levels of evidence





 Figure 1 
 Algorithm for the management of pleural infection in children.



### 1.2 Methodology for generation of the guidelines

The initial literature search was carried out by the Library of the National Heart Lung Institute, Imperial College London. Further searches were then carried out by members of the working group who concentrated on their own topics. Details of the search strategy are given in Appendix 1.

Each section of the guideline was researched and drafted by a subgroup of the Paediatric Pleural Diseases Subcommittee (itself a subcommittee of the BTS Standards of Care Committee). Publications were rated according to the SIGN criteria for the calibre of the methodology of the research to give levels of evidence (table 2). Tables of evidence were then produced before writing the guideline sections using the SIGN grades of recommendations (table 1). Once all parts were merged into one document, the whole group then met to discuss …

https://thorax.bmj.com/content/thoraxjnl/60/suppl_1/i1.full.pdf

BTS guidelines for the management of pleural infection in children

Background Traumatic flail chest injury is a potentially life threatening condition traditionally treated with invasive mechanical ventilation to splint the chest wall. Longer-term sequelae of pain, deformity, and physical restriction are well described. This study investigated the impact of operative fixation in these patients. Study Design A prospective randomized study compared operative fixation of fractured ribs in the flail segment with current best practice mechanical ventilator management. In-hospital data, 3-month follow-up review, spirometry and CT, and 6-month quality of life (Short Form-36) questionnaire were collected. Results Patients in the operative fixation group had significantly shorter ICU stay (hours) postrandomization (285 hours [range 191 to 319 hours] for the surgical group vs 359 hours [range 270 to 581 hours] for the conservative group; p = 0.03) and lesser requirement for noninvasive ventilation after extubation (3 hours [range 0 to 25 hours] in the surgical group vs 50 hours [range 17 to 102 hours] in the conservative group; p = 0.01). No differences in spirometry at 3 months or quality of life at 6 months were noted. Conclusions Operative fixation of fractured ribs reduces ventilation requirement and intensive care stay in a cohort of multitrauma patients with severe flail chest injury.

http://jc.dalortho.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/operative-rib-fixationcoles.pdf

Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial of Operative Rib Fixation in Traumatic Flail Chest

Background: Despite increasing incidence and morbidity, little evidence exists to inform the best management approach in childhood empyema.Aim: To compare chest drain with intrapleural urokinase and primary video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for the treatment of childhood empyema.Methods: Children were prospectively randomized to receive either percutaneous chest drain with intrapleural urokinase or primary VATS. The primary outcome was the number of hospital days after intervention. Secondary end points were number of chest drain days, total hospital stay, failure rate, radiologic outcome at 6 mo, and total treatment costs.Results: Sixty children were recruited. The two groups were well matched for demographics; baseline characteristics; and hematologic, biochemical, and bacteriologic parameters. No significant difference was found in length of hospital stay after intervention between the two groups: VATS (median [range], 6 [3–16] d) versus urokinase (6 [4–25] d) (p = 0.311; 95% confidence inter...

Comparison of Urokinase and Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery for Treatment of Childhood Empyema.

### How should the diagnosis of bronchiectasis be determined?

#### Recommendations – Imaging

#### Good practice points

CT imaging protocol 

CT features of bronchiectasis 

General 

### In whom should the diagnosis of bronchiectasis be suspected?

#### Recommendations

https://thorax.bmj.com/content/thoraxjnl/74/Suppl_1/1.full.pdf

British Thoracic Society Guideline for bronchiectasis in adults

Hospital records of 1160 children <or=15 years old referred for suspected foreign body aspiration were reviewed. Bronchoscopy under general anaesthesia was performed on all patients. Foreign bodies were successfully removed in 1068 (92%) children. The majority, 885 (76.3%), presented with a definite history of foreign body aspiration. Bronchoscopy was negative in 85 (7.3%) children. Watermelon seeds, found in 414 (38.7%) children, were the most commonly aspirated foreign bodies. Open surgical procedures were required for 21 (1.8%) children. Bronchial rupture related to bronchoscopy occurred in four children, two of whom died post-operatively. The overall mortality rate was 0.8%.

Foreign body aspiration in children: experience of 1160 cases

Objective: Thoracic injuries are uncommon in children and few report present on blunt ones. Methods: Between 1994 and 2003, 137 children with blunt thoracic injury were reviewed. Results: The mean age of children was 6.9 ^ 7.3 (1‐ 16) years. Etiology was falls in 46.7%, traffical accidents in 51% and abuse in 2.2%. Average height in fallen-down cases was 6.4 ^ 2 (range: 3 ‐ 11) m. Calculated mean kinetic energy transfer to body was 1923 ^ 1056 J. When first seen, 70% (82/117) of the patients had vital signs that were within normal limits. Forty-two (35.9%) children had isolated thoracic injury. Associated injuries were present in 75 (64.1%) children. Head injury was the most common associated injury present in 33 (28.2%). Pulmonary contusion was the most common thoracic injury with 68 (49.6%). Seventeen (12.4%) required surgery, 11 (8%) of them were thoracic (4 for diaphragmatic tear, 2 for flail chest, 2 for tracheobronchial injuries, 2 for laceration, 1 for esophageal rupture). Surgical group had higher ISS (26.8 vs 36.2, P ¼ 0:001). Fifteen were lost (10.9%): There were lethal injuries in 7; chest tube treatment in 3; intensive care unit management in 2; mechanical support in 2 and observation in 1 patient. No death occurred for operations. Mortality rate was the lowest at injuries to chest alone and the highest for multi-system injuries ðP , 0:05Þ: The hospital length of stay for averaged 13.4 ^ 8.8 (range: 4 ‐ 49) days. Conclusion: Associated injury is the most important mortality factor. Thoracic operations can be performed with minimal morbidity and without mortality in children with blunt thoracic trauma. q 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Blunt thoracic trauma in children: review of 137 cases

Objective: Tracheobronchial injuries have different clinical pictures and high mortality unless aggressive treatment is used. We reviewed our surgical experience. Methods: The records of 32 patients from 1988 to 2002 were reviewed. Mean age was 22.3 years (range: 4–53). Three patients were female. Prominent symptoms were dyspnea, subcutaneous air and pneumothorax in chest X-rays. Associated injuries were seen in 22 patients (68.7%): most frequently in the lung parenchyma (11 patients) and esophagus (seven patients). Bronchoscopic detection of a rupture of the trachea or bronchus was the main indication for surgery. Results: Nineteen injuries (59%) were penetrating and 13 blunt (41%). The most common presenting sign of airway disruption was subcutaneous emphysema (25%) and stridor (22%). Of the 32 patients, 22 underwent bronchoscopic examination. Bronchography was used in three patients admitted during the late period. Surgical morbidity was 19.3%. Seven patients died (21.8%), of whom six had been operated on. In operations performed during the first 2 h of trauma, no mortality occurred. There were associated injuries in 100% of patients that died and in 60% of those that survived. The proportion (100 vs. 24%) and duration (2.8 vs. 11.6 days) of ventilatory support were lower in patients that survived than in those that died. Mean injury severity score of patients that died was 34.7 ^ 8.8 while it was 24.3 ^ 8.6 in those that survived. Tracheal stenosis developed in three patients (9.3%). Conclusion: In civilian life, tracheobronchial injuries occur relatively rarely. Early diagnosis and operative intervention save lives. Associated injury is an important mortality factor. q 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

/pdf/surgical-treatment-of-post-traumatic-tracheobronchial-11pukln9qw.pdf

Surgical treatment of post-traumatic tracheobronchial injuries: 14-year experience.

The strategy for treatment of flail chest remains controversial. Various alternatives were assessed by reviewing the records of 64 patients treated from 1991 through 2000. Patients were classified according to therapeutic approach: group 1 was 27 patients who underwent open fixation of the fractured ribs, group 2 was 19 patients managed by intermittent positive-pressure ventilation, and group 3 was 18 patients managed mainly by synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation. Two patients initially treated by ventilation underwent successful open fixation. In group 1, ventilatory support was required in 21 (77.8%) patients postoperatively, the mean duration of ventilation was 3.1 days, mean hospital stay was 18.3 days, morbidity was 11.1% (3/27), and mortality was 11.1%. In groups 2 and 3, the mean time for stabilization of paradoxical chest wall movement was 6.6 days, and mean duration of ventilation was 7.2 days. Mortality was 27.0% (10/37) in patients treated nonsurgically; 21.0% (4/19) in group 2, and 33.3% (6/18) in group 3. In groups 2 and 3, pain control required epidural analgesia in 13 (35.1%) cases, intercostal nerve blockade in 16 (43.2%), and narcotic or nonnarcotic parenteral analgesia in 8 (21.6%). Open fixation is a successful treatment modality for traumatic flail chest.

Open fixation in flail chest: review of 64 patients

Summary Background Posttraumatic empyema increases patient morbidity, mortality and length of hospital stay, and the cost of treatment. The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors for posttraumatic empyema and to review our treatment outcomes in patients with this condition. Methods A total of 2261 patients who were admitted with thoracic traumas and underwent tube thoracostomy between January 1989 and January 2006 were investigated retrospectively. Posttraumatic empyema developed in 71 patients. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between potential risk factors for posttraumatic empyema. All values were expressed as the mean ± S.D. Results Eight hundred and thirty-six (37%) of the patients had penetrating type trauma, while 1425 (63%) had blunt type trauma. The rate of posttraumatic empyema development was 3.1% for all patients. Pulmonary contusion was seen in 221 (9.8%) patients and fractures of more than two ribs were seen in 191 (8.4%) patients. Tube thoracostomy placement was performed in the emergency room in 1728 (76.4%) patients, in the hospital ward in 197 (8.7%), in the intensive care unit in 182 (8.0%), and in the operating room in 154 (6.8%). The duration of tube thoracostomy was 6.11 ± 2.99 (1–21) days. Retained haemothorax was seen in 175 (7.7%) patients. The mean lengths of hospital and intensive care unit stay were 6.42 ± 3.45 and 2.36 ± 2.66 days, respectively. The analysis showed that duration of tube thoracostomy (OR, 2.49, p p p p p p  = 0.055), associated injuries (OR, 1.12, p  = 0.628) and fractures of more than two ribs (OR, 1.60, p  = 0.197). Conclusion Prolonged duration of tube thoracostomy and length of intensive care unit stay, and the presence of contusion, laparotomy and retained haemothorax are independent predictors of posttraumatic empyema. Use of prophylactic antibiotics may be recommended in patients with these risk factors.

Şevval Eren

Papers

Foreign body aspiration in children: experience of 1160 cases

Blunt thoracic trauma in children: review of 137 cases

Surgical treatment of post-traumatic tracheobronchial injuries: 14-year experience.

Open fixation in flail chest: review of 64 patients

The risk factors and management of posttraumatic empyema in trauma patients.