5 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
To determine the effect of transpyloric (TP) feeding on microaspiration and lung inflammation in ventilated preterm infants.
This is a mechanistic research study to evaluate the relationship between cough, reflux, and aspiration in patients with systemic sclerosis (scleroderma).
Hypothesis 1: Microaspiration, as diagnosed by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) pepsin, is common in patients with IPF. Hypothesis 2a: Baseline clinical variables and co-morbid conditions are risk factors for microaspiration in patients with IPF. Hypothesis 2b: Baseline biological variables reflecting alveolar epithelial injury and inflammation are markers of microaspiration in IPF. Hypothesis 3a: Microaspiration will lead to a more rapid rate of decline in pulmonary function. Hypothesis 3b: Microaspiration will lead to higher rates of urgent medical care use (i.e. unscheduled clinic visit, emergency room visit, or hospitalization).
In modern anesthesia practice, the application of cricoid pressure during intubation is not infrequently used with the goal of preventing gastric-to-pulmonary aspiration. The evidence to support this practice is very scarce, and there have recently been many reports in the literature questioning the safety of cricoid pressure during intubation. Therefore, the goal of this study will be to randomize those at risk for microaspiration to receive cricoid pressure versus no cricoid pressure during intubation. We will specifically exclude those patients thought to be at the highest risk of aspiration (it is considered standard of care to perform cricoid pressure during intubation of this population). We will include those patients with some risk factors for aspiration (it is not considered standard of care to apply cricoid pressure during intubation of this population).
General anesthesia is a treatment with medicine to make a patient unconscious for surgery. This is sometimes called "being put to sleep" or "being put under." Most of the time, a breathing tube is used to help a machine breathe for patients. The breathing tube has a cuff, which is like a small balloon. After the breathing tube is placed, the cuff is inflated. This keeps the breathing tube in place and keeps fluids like saliva and stomach juices from getting into the windpipe and lungs. When a breathing tube is removed, that is called extubation. Normally, doctors deflate the cuff before removing the breathing tube. This is called deflated cuff extubation. Some doctors worry that keeping the cuff inflated while it is removed can damage the throat or vocal cords. However, some doctors keep the cuff inflated when removing the breathing tube. This is called inflated cuff extubation. These doctors think that keeping the cuff inflated can help keep fluids from entering the airway. Doctors have not studied if deflated cuff extubation is better or worse than inflated cuff extubation. The goal of this study is to see which type of extubation is better at keeping fluids from getting in the airway. Participants who are part of this study will get general anesthesia and have surgery as planned. Near the end of surgery, a small amount of liquid is placed at the back of a participant's mouth. This liquid is called contrast material, and it is like a dye. The contrast material will help determine if any liquid enters the windpipe or lungs. Then, contrast material is removed, along with any other fluids, using normal methods. When it is safe to take the breathing tube out, a deflated cuff extubation or an inflated cuff extubation will be performed. This decision will be made at random, like by the flip of a coin. Information will be collected about participants, the surgery, and how well a participant is breathing. After surgery, a chest x-ray will be taken to see if any of the contrast material is in the windpipe or lungs. Otherwise, everything else after surgery would be normal. 24 to 48 hours after surgery, a member of the research team will ask about any symptoms a participant may have, like sore throat or a hoarse voice. Research would conclude at that time.