Intensive care medicine
-
Intensive care medicine · Jan 1990
Case ReportsThe cerebral function analysing monitor in paediatric medical intensive care: applications and limitations.
Practical guidelines for continuous single channel EEG monitoring using the Cerebral Function Analysing Monitor (CFAM) have been outlined based on experience of 54 critically ill comatose and/or paralysed sedated children monitored for up to 9 days during the acute phase of illness. Fall in amplitude and slowing of frequency following either a cerebral insult or barbiturate administration as well as paroxysmal events were readily recognisable in the CFAM traces. ⋯ Despite these useful contributions to clinical care, significant limitations were apparent. It is recommended that CFAM monitoring should be combined with serial conventional EEG recording in order to check the appropriateness of the cortical areas being monitored, the quality and type of signal being processed as well as the significance of the 1 or 2 channel CFAM findings in relation to global cerebral function.
-
Intensive care medicine · Jan 1990
Low mortality associated with low volume pressure limited ventilation with permissive hypercapnia in severe adult respiratory distress syndrome.
Many animal studies have shown that high peak inspiratory pressures (PIP) during mechanical ventilation can induce acute lung injury with hyaline membranes. Since 1984 we have limited PIP in patients with ARDS by reducing tidal volume, allowing spontaneous breathing with SIMV and disregarding hypercapnia. Since 1987 50 patients with severe ARDS with a "lung injury score" greater than or equal to 2.5 and a mean PaO2/FiO2 ratio of 94 were managed in this manner. ⋯ Only 2 died, neither from respiratory failure. There was no significant difference in lung injury score, ventilator score, PaO2/FiO2 or maximum PaCO2 between survivors and non-survivors. We suggest that this ventilatory management may substantially reduce mortality in ARDS, particularly from respiratory failure.
-
Intensive care medicine · Jan 1990
Errors in tracheal pressure recording in patients with a tracheostomy tube--a model study.
The recording of intratracheal pressure in patients breathing through a tracheostomy tube is marred by methodological problems. In model experiments it has been shown that the introduction of a recording catheter into the tracheostomy tube alters the recorded pressure by as much as 20-40%. ⋯ Pressure recordings from this part of a model trachea are compared with results obtained from a reference pressure port 100 mm below the tube ending. The results show that it is possible to record expiratory pressure with good accuracy but that inspiratory pressure is still overestimated by 9-16%.
-
Intensive care medicine · Jan 1990
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialThe use of midazolam versus propofol for short-term sedation following coronary artery bypass grafting.
Midazolam and propofol were compared in an open randomized study for postoperative sedation during 12 h of mechanical ventilation in 40 patients following coronary artery bypass grafting. After an intravenous loading dose of midazolam (50 micrograms.kg-1) or propofol (500 micrograms.kg-1), a titrated continuous infusion was administered of midazolam (mean dose 38.1 micrograms.kg-1.h-1 (SEM 2.6)) or propofol (mean dose 909 micrograms.kg-1.h-1 (SEM 100)) together with a narcotic analgesic infusion. During mechanical ventilation midazolam and propofol produced a similar quality of sedation, but recovery (midazolam 66 min (SEM 16); propofol 24 min (SEM 7)) and weaning from the ventilator (midazolam 243 min (SEM 44); propofol 154 min (SEM 33)) where faster with propofol. In the 2 groups administration of an intravenous loading dose caused a significant decrease in mean arterial pressure but hemodynamic tolerance during maintenance infusion was good.
-
The management of severe bacterial sepsis is an integral part of intensive care medicine. Early and appropriate treatment with antimicrobials positively affects mortality and significantly reduces the time spent in both intensive care and the hospital. Drug choice is usually made on a "best guess" basis and instituted prior to receipt of appropriate blood, sputum, urine or drainage culture results. ⋯ Several newer agents have been more recently introduced. These drugs include ceftazidime, imipenem/cilastatin, the quinolones and clavulanic acid/semisynthetic penicillin combinations. Other newer drugs currently under evaluation include aztreonam, teicoplanin, the penems and carbapenems.