Critical care clinics
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In this chapter we have reviewed the complicated medical conditions that exist in many head and neck surgical patients. Common surgical procedures that frequently require postoperative monitoring and several infectious disorders requiring intensive care unit admission were also reviewed. Intensivists need to be familiar with these procedures and diseases. Collaboration with the surgical specialist is required to optimize patient care.
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Providing effective critical care to vascular surgical patients is challenging to the intensivist. These patients often have multiple significant concurrent diseases that need to be adequately managed. A selective policy for identifying patients that need ICU is recommended. ⋯ Renal and gastrointestinal complications are potentially lethal. Graft sepsis may occur later. The development of new techniques, such as endovascular repairs of aneurysms, may minimize the need for ICU.
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Changing concepts of disease management, expanding indications for invasive therapy to elderly patients, together with technologic advances have changed the management of various urologic diseases. Although minimally invasive surgery may have reduced the need for ICU care, we are faced with new and unique treatment problems.