Anaesthesia and intensive care
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The Intubating Laryngeal Mask Airway (ILMA) was introduced into clinical practice in 1997 following numerous clinical trials involving 1110 patients. The success rate of blind intubation via the device after two attempts is 88% in "routine" cases. Successful intubation in a variety of difficult airway scenarios, including awake intubation, has been described, with the overall success rate in the 377 patients reported being approximately 98%. ⋯ Haemodynamic changes associated with intubation via the ILMA are of minimal clinical consequence. The ILMA is a valuable adjunct to the airway management armamentarium, especially in cases of difficult airway management. Success with the device is more likely if the head of the patient is maintained in the neutral position, when the operator has practised at least 20 previous insertions and when the accompanying lubricated armoured tube is used.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Oct 2002
Comparative StudyOutcome of stroke patients admitted to intensive care: experience from an Australian teaching hospital.
The objective of this study was to determine the mortality rate and the functional outcomes of stroke patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and to identify predictors of poor outcome in this population. The records of all patients admitted to the ICU with the diagnosis of stroke between January 1994 and December 1999 were reviewed. Patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage were excluded. ⋯ Only 46% of those who were alive at three months were functionally independent. Intensive care admission was associated with a high mortality rate and a high likelihood of dependent lifestyle after hospital discharge. Haemorrhagic stroke, fixed dilated pupil(s) and GCS <10 during assessment were associated with increased mortality and poor functional outcome.