This transcript has been edited for clarity.
Robert D. Glatter, MD: Hi. I'm Dr Robert Glatter, medical advisor for Medscape Emergency Medicine. I would like to welcome Dr Nina Shapiro, a professor and director of pediatric otolaryngology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
Nina L. Shapiro, MD
Today, we will talk about a recent case report in the British Medical Journal that really is important for all medical providers and all surgeons. It involved a patient with a tracheostomy who had a complication after being swabbed through the tracheostomy site. It turned out that the end of the nasal swab broke off and bronchoscopy was required in order to retrieve the foreign body.
Thankfully, the patient did well, but it reveals some important things we should discuss about when swabbing a patient with a tracheostomy.
Welcome, Nina.
Nina L. Shapiro, MD: Thanks for having me.
Glatter: It's my pleasure. I really want to discuss this case because it has such important implications. All of us see patients with tracheostomies or those who have had pharyngeal surgery, and it's so important to understand what the indications are and how to approach such patients.
Let's start by talking about current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and American Head and Neck Society guidelines
New Pandemic Peril? Pretending It's Over as Case Numbers Rise
COMMENTARY
How to Swab a Patient for COVID After a Tracheostomy
Robert D. Glatter, MD; Nina L. Shapiro, MD
DisclosuresNovember 11, 2020
This transcript has been edited for clarity.
Robert D. Glatter, MD: Hi. I'm Dr Robert Glatter, medical advisor for Medscape Emergency Medicine. I would like to welcome Dr Nina Shapiro, a professor and director of pediatric otolaryngology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
Nina L. Shapiro, MD
Today, we will talk about a recent case report in the British Medical Journal that really is important for all medical providers and all surgeons. It involved a patient with a tracheostomy who had a complication after being swabbed through the tracheostomy site. It turned out that the end of the nasal swab broke off and bronchoscopy was required in order to retrieve the foreign body.
Thankfully, the patient did well, but it reveals some important things we should discuss about when swabbing a patient with a tracheostomy.
Welcome, Nina.
Nina L. Shapiro, MD: Thanks for having me.
Glatter: It's my pleasure. I really want to discuss this case because it has such important implications. All of us see patients with tracheostomies or those who have had pharyngeal surgery, and it's so important to understand what the indications are and how to approach such patients.
Let's start by talking about current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and American Head and Neck Society guidelines
Medscape Emergency Medicine © 2020 WebMD, LLC
Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.
Cite this: How to Swab a Patient for COVID After a Tracheostomy - Medscape - Nov 11, 2020.
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Authors and Disclosures
Authors and Disclosures
Authors
Robert D. Glatter, MD
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, New York, New York
Disclosure: Robert D. Glatter, MD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
Nina L. Shapiro, MD
Professor, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Pediatric Otolaryngology Program, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles; Director, Pediatric Otolaryngology Program, UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, California
Disclosure: Nina L. Shapiro, MD, has disclosed the following relevant financial relationships:
Received income in an amount equal to or greater than $250 from: Forbes Media