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Lung Aeration After Flexible Bronchoscopy in Intubated Critically Ill Patients

Assessment of Lung Aeretion After Flexible Bronchoscopy for Secretion Removal in Intubated Critically Ill Patients Receiving or Not a Recruiting Maneuver Soon After the Procedure: an Observational Physiological Study

Status
UNKNOWN
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05200494
Enrollment
30
Registered
2022-01-20
Start date
2022-02-01
Completion date
2022-12-31
Last updated
2022-01-20

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Acute Respiratory Failure

Keywords

Secretions, Bronchoscopy, Lung Ultrasound, Electrical Impedance Tomography

Brief summary

In patients suffering from acute respiratory failure, ineffective cough and the consequent retention of secretions are common clinical problems, which often lead to the need for tracheostomy for the sole purpose of aspiration of secretions from the airways. Mechanically ventilated critically ill patients often have impaired mucus transport which is associated with secretion retention and subsequent development of pneumonia. The accumulation of tracheobronchial secretions in ventilated patients in ICU is due not only to an increased production, but also to a decreased clearance. In the event that secretions occlude a bronchus, an atelectasis of the lung parenchyma is created downstream. Therefore, it is often necessary to perform a flexible bronchoscopy (FOB) to proceed with the removal of the secretion plug. After its removal, the lung is supposed to be reventilated and recruited. In intubated ICU patients, the application of a recruiting maneuver (RM) is commonly used to reopen the collapsed lung in patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome or in case of atelectasis in other clinical conditions. However, no studies have so far investigated the role of the application of a RM after a FOB performed to remove a secretion plug in intubated ICU patients. This observational and physiological study aims to assess if the application of a RM would modify the lung aeration soon after an FOB to remove secretion plug (first outcome). Moreover, the study aims to assess if EIT could be an additional bedside imaging tool to monitor modifications of lung ventilation and aeration during and after a flexible bronchoscopy, as compared with both chest-X-ray and lung ultrasound.

Interventions

PROCEDURERecruiting Maneuver

Airway pressure will be increased to 30 cmH2O for 30 seconds at the end of the bronchoscopy

Sponsors

University Magna Graecia
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

Outcome assessors will be masked since he/she will be not present at the end of the procedure, when the intervention (Recruiting Maneuver) will be applied or not.

Intervention model description

Patients will be randomized to receive or not a Recruiting Maneuver (RM) at the end of the Flexible Bronchoscopy. RM will be performed by the application to the airways of 30 cmH2O positive pressure for 30 seconds.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* invasive mechanical ventilation * need for flexible bronchoscopy to remove secretion plug from the airway

Exclusion criteria

* hemodynamic instability, (i.e. systolic arterial pressure \<90 mmHg or mean systolic pressure \<65 mmHg despite fluid repletion); * need for vasoactive agents, i.e. vasopressin or epinephrine at any dosage, or norepinephrine \>0.3 mcg/kg/min or dobutamine\>5 mcg/kg/min; * life-threatening arrhythmias or electrocardiographic signs of ischemia; * contraindications to placement of Electrical Impedance Tomography belt, Lung UltraSound or application of a Recruiting Maneuver (i.e., pneumothorax, pulmonary emphysema, chest burns or thoracic surgery within 1 week); * inclusion in other research protocols.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Lung Aeration through EITOne hour after the end of the bronchoscopyImprovement of lung aeration will be assess with End Expiratory Lung Impedance through Electrical Impedance Tomography, as compared to baseline (before the bronchoscopy)
Lung Aeration through Lung UltrasoundOne hour after the end of the bronchoscopyImprovement of lung aeration will be assess with Lung Ultrasound Score, as compared to baseline (before the bronchoscopy)

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Arterial Blood GasesSoon after the end of the bronchoscopyArterial Blood Gases will be assessed through an arterial blood sample
Lung Aeration through EITSoon after the end of the bronchoscopyImprovement of lung aeration will be assess with End Expiratory Lung Impedance through Electrical Impedance Tomography, as compared to baseline (before the bronchoscopy)
Lung Aeration through Lung UltrasoundSoon after the end of the bronchoscopyImprovement of lung aeration will be assess with Lung Ultrasound Score , as compared to baseline (before the bronchoscopy)

Countries

Italy

Contacts

Primary ContactFederico Longhini, MD
longhini.federico@gmail.com+393475395967

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026