Respiratory Flashcards
What are the biochemical features of exudate from effusion?
Purulent pleural fluid
* + gram stain / culture
* WCC > 50,000
* Pleural fluid glucose <3
* Pleural fluid pH <7.2
* Pleural fluid LDH >1000
What is the Lights criteria for exudate
Lights criteria (High protein and LDH = exudate), determines presence of exudate with protein and LDH levels
Pleural fluid protein to serum protein ratio >0.5
Pleural fluid LDH to serum LDH ratio >0.6
Pleural fluid level >2/3 of upper value for serum LDH
What are the US features of empyema?
Loculation
effusion
consolidation
What are the steps in management for empyema?
- Supportive - Oxygen, analgesia, fluids
- Medical - Iv abx eg tazocin or vanc if MRSA. 20fr chest drain
- Surgical - fibrinolytics via chest drain, VATS (video assisted thorascopic surgery). open thoracotomy
list two pathological processes linked to the Gas and explain it
Severe acute Resp acidosis - Raised Pco2 with low PH
Chronic resp acidosis with metabolic compensation - HCO3 is raised at 44 more than would be expected for a
purely acute process (expect about HCO3 of 34) ie raise of 1
mmol/L for every raise in 10mmHg of CO2
Raised A/a gradient - A-a gradient = PAO2 – PaO2
What is the A-a gradient
A-a gradient is calculated as PAO2 – PaO2
Normal is 5-10mmHG
It is a measure of the difference in oxygen concentration between alveolar and the arteries
Someone is failing BIPAP for severe COPD. What are the next steps in ED?
- Intubate
- hyperventilate to decrease Co2
- reduce Fi02
- IV abs
- IV fluid
What are the abnormalities?
Diagnosis?
- Left hilar mass - rounded opacity left hilum and patchy consolidation around this area
- Confluent consolidation RUL with air bronchograms
- Consolidation right middle lobe oscuring right hear border
Diagnosis
Multi lobe pneumonia with likely malignancy left hilum
multi lobe pneumonia with following obs
What are the treatment steps and end points?
- titrate o2 to over 92
- IV fluid boluses aiming for HR under 100 and systolic BP over 100
- IV cef and azi
abnormalities?
Differentials?
Investigations and justification
- RUL opacification
- cavitating lesion with air fluid level
- RUL collapse with trachel deviation
- small left effusion
Differentials
Neoplastic - Primary lung or secondary mets
Lung abscess - bacterial infection. TB
Vasculitis eg Wegners
chemo for melanoma
two positve and two negative findings
What are the possible infective causes?
non infective
Positive
* bilateral symmetrical infiltrates
* alveolar infiltrates with round lesions
Negative
* no effusions
* no pneumorax
* normal heart size
Infective causes:
Mycoplasma pneumonia
influenza/covid
Aspergillosis
TB
Non Infective
Pulmonary haemorrhage
ARDS
Pulmonary oedema
SOB
what are the significant findings?
What are the possible infective causes?
Non infective
Positive
left upper zone cavitating lesion with air fluid level
Air bronchograms
Negative
no effusion
no pneumothorax
Infective
S.pneumonae
S.aureus
Klebsiella
Non infective
malignancy
infarct
Vasculitis
pulmonary haemorrhage
What are the eight steps in inserting IJ line
- *Aseptic preparation
- Head down
- Local anaesthetic to site
- Use of USS guided technique where possible
- Insert needle to IJV
- Pass wire
- Dilate vein
- Insert central line
- Flush all lumens
- Secure to skin*
when assessing a patient with CP what features are important in the history?
- communication - how do they communicate and express pain
- Diet - PEG or oral feed
- any CP co-morbidities eg seizures
- previous ICU admissions
- Previous intubations
- advanced health care directive
What are the differences between aspiration pneumonia and aspiration pneumonitis?
someone with CP and sats 88% with fi01 0.21 (normal air) - what methods are there for oxygenation
Non Invasive
Hudson - if for ward based therapies, non able to blow of Co2, less invasive
Invasive
high flow nsal probs. BIPAP/CPAP
what features of a history would suggest poor asthma control
- daytime symptoms twice a week
- reliever needed twice a week
- limitations on activities
- symptoms overnight
- 3 or more presentations in a month
- prior ICU admissions
- poor health/social literacy
what do you need to ensure to safely discharge asthma patient?
- ASTHMA PLAN
- scripts
- preventer
- GP FU
- understand when to return
- handout in appropriate language
What are the advantages and disadvantages on NIV in asthma
Advantages
* PEEP aids with WOB
* IPAP increases tidal volume
* prevents intubation
* shorter inspiratory times increase tidal volumes
Disadvantages
* may delay intubation
* wrong settings may increase WOB
* increased risk pneumothorax
* difficult to clear secretions
asthma
what are the contraindications for NIV in COPD
- decreased GCS
- patient refusal
- vomiting
- haemoptysis
- not intiating own breathing
- facial abnormalities
- lack of nursing staff to supervise
how may you alter NIV settings if no improvement after an hour and why?
- Increase IPAP - increase TV and ventilation to remove CO2
- increse Fio2 or PEEP increase oxygenation
abnormalities
- Marked hyperinflation
- Moderate/Large left sided pneumothorax
- Mediastinal shift to the right – possible tension PTX
- Bilateral widespread pulmonary infiltrates
- Right midzone (basal segment of upper lobe) wedge shaped cavitating
lesion/consolidation - Right apical focal consolidation
- Interposed hepatic flexure under right hemidiaphragm (Chilaiditti
syndrome)
what are the causes of massive haemoptysis?
- bronchiectasis
- tuberculosis
- immune - good passtures
- malignancy - lung/bronchial
- AVM
- lung abscess
- necrotising bacterial infection
- iatorgenic - post procedure
- coagulopathy
what are the key interventions for massive haemoptysis?
- ABC
- fluid resus with fluid and blood
- massive transfusion protocol
- clear airway - may need intubation
- TXA
- reversal of anticoagulation
- urgent bronchoscopy
- NBM
- may need IR
- abx to cover infection
main abnormality
solitary lesion left upper zone
contains air/fluid
Cavitating lesion
what are the top three causes of pneumomediastinum linked to vomiting
- oesophageal perforation
- vasalva
- asthma
- chest trauma
- ideopathic
what is the management of someone shocked with pneumomediastinum
- abx to cover GI source eg taz
- fluid resus to 0.05ml/kg hr UO
- cardiothoracic referral
- analgesia
main pathology and why
large right pleural effusion
Reasons:
* homogenous opacification of right middle and lower lobe
* loss of right hemidiaphragm
* rim of opacity around rim consistent with fluid
what are the causes of large pleural effusions
- malignancy
- parapneumonic effusion
- PE
- hydrothorax from massive PE