Anaesthesia and intensive care
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Oct 2007
Case ReportsUnsuccessful lumbar puncture in a paediatric patient with achondroplasia.
We present a case of an unsuccessful lumbar puncture performed on an anaesthetised 17-year-old girl with achondroplasia who was diagnosed with and being treated for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) subsequently showed spinal stenosis and no observable cerebrospinal fluid around the nerve roots at the levels of the lumbar pedicles and discs. A recommendation is made to obtain MRI scans before proceeding with lumbar puncture and/or spinal anaesthesia in this patient group to ensure that the anatomical features of the insertion site are favourable to a successful outcome.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Oct 2007
Case ReportsDifficult decisions in the intensive care unit: an illustrative case.
Difficult clinical decision-making is a common experience in intensive care units. There is often considerable pressure on time and decisions may have to be made in a stressful environment. Patients in the intensive care unit not infrequently present with extreme or rare manifestations of a disease process. ⋯ We review the clinical evidence for our decisions at each stage and explain the rationale for our choices, highlighting the many situations for which high quality evidence was lacking. Examples of cognitive bias are identified and techniques of metacognition (thinking about thinking) that can be useful in limiting the effects of bias on complex decision-making are reviewed. The intensivist's evaluation of management alternatives has an important role in steering medical management towards optimal patient outcomes.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Oct 2007
Comparative StudyA comparison of tape-tying versus a tube-holding device for securing endotracheal tubes in adults.
During the transfer of intubated patients, endotracheal tube security is paramount. This study aims to compare two methods of securing an endotracheal tube in adults: tying with a cloth tape versus the Thomas Endotracheal Tube Holder (Laerdal). A manikin-based study was performed using paramedics and critical care doctors (consultants and senior trainees) as participants. ⋯ The degree of tube movement was significantly higher when the tube was secured with a tie compared with when the tube holder was used (median movement 22 mm vs. 4 mm, P < 0.0001). We have demonstrated that the tube holder device minimised tube movement in a manikin model when compared with conventional tape tying. The use of this device when transporting intubated patients may reduce the risk of tube displacement though further clinical studies are warranted.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Oct 2007
Case ReportsRecurrence of focal seizure activity in an infant during induction of anaesthesia with sevoflurane.
A three-month-old male infant, previously diagnosed with seizures with a focal origin induced by hypocalcaemia secondary to hypoparathyroidism, presented for right cataract surgery. The hypocalcaemia and seizure activity had resolved with medical therapy, with normal calcium levels and no seizures for a month. Anaesthesia with halothane and isoflurane for left cataract surgery two days previously had been uneventful. ⋯ The patient had normal calcium levels at the time of surgery. It appears likely that sevoflurane had triggered seizure activity in the apparently controlled focus. The potential for sevoflurane to induce epileptogenic activity in patients with reduced seizure threshold is discussed.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Oct 2007
A comparison of central venous-arterial and mixed venous-arterial carbon dioxide tension gradient in circulatory failure.
The arterial and mixed venous carbon dioxide tension gradient has been shown to increase when there is a decrease in cardiac output. Monitoring central venous gases is an attractive alternative to monitoring mixed venous gases in circulatory failure because central venous catheterisation is a less invasive procedure than pulmonary artery catheterisation. This study aims to evaluate the agreement between central venous-arterial carbon dioxide (CVA-CO2) and mixed venous-arterial carbon dioxide (SVA-CO2) tension gradients and assess whether CVA-CO2 tension gradient can be used to predict cardiac output in circulatory failure. ⋯ CVA-CO2 (Spearman correlation coefficient r = -0.385) and SVA-CO, (r = -0.578) tension gradient were significantly correlated with the cardiac index but the cardiac index only accounted for 21% and 32% of the variability of CVA-CO, and SVA-CO2 tension gradient, respectively. The ability of CVA-CO2 tension gradient (area under the ROC curve = 0.77, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.49-0.99; P = 0.08) to predict a low cardiac output state (cardiac index < 2.5 l/min/m2) was lower than SVA-CO2 (area under the ROC curve = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.88-0.99; P = 0.003). The utility of CVA-CO2 and SVA-CO2 tension gradient appeared to be limited to their negative predictive value to exclude a low cardiac output state when CVA-CO, or SVA-CO, tension gradient was normal (< or =5 mmHg).