Critical care clinics
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Postoperative care of cardiac patients requires a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to critically ill patients with cardiac disease whose care requires a clear understanding of cardiovascular physiology. When a patient fails to progress along the projected course or decompensates acutely, prompt evaluation with bedside assessment, laboratory evaluation, and echocardiography is essential. When things do not add up, cardiac catheterization must be seriously considered. With continued advancements in the field of neonatal and pediatric postoperative cardiac care, continued improvements in overall outcomes for this specialized population are anticipated.
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Ethically charged situations are common in pediatric critical care. Most situations can be managed with minimal controversy within the medical team or between the team and patients/families. Familiarity with institutional resources, such as hospital ethics committees, and national guidelines, such as publications from the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, or Society of Critical Care Medicine, are an essential part of the toolkit of any intensivist. Open discussion with colleagues and within the multidisciplinary team can also ensure that when difficult situations arise, they are addressed in a proactive, evidence-based, and collegial manner.
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Bleeding in patients in pediatric intensive care units is associated with an increased risk of mortality. Fortunately, most patients with an abnormal coagulation profile do not bleed because this is generally secondary to liver disease or dietary-induced vitamin K deficiency. When the laboratory markers of coagulopathy are the result of disseminated intravascular coagulation, bleeding is common and the risk of mortality extreme. Although interventions directed toward correcting the abnormal coagulation test results are generally initiated, they are also generally either not warranted or not fully successful.
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Critical care clinics · Apr 2013
ReviewQuality: performance improvement, teamwork, information technology and protocols.
Using the Institute of Medicine framework that outlines the domains of quality, this article considers four key aspects of health care delivery which have the potential to significantly affect the quality of health care within the pediatric intensive care unit. The discussion covers: performance improvement and how existing methods for reporting, review, and analysis of medical error relate to patient care; team composition and workflow; and the impact of information technologies on clinical practice. Also considered is how protocol-driven and standardized practice affects both patients and the fiscal interests of the health care system.
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Acute respiratory failure is common in critically ill children, who are at increased risk of respiratory embarrassment because of the developmental variations in the respiratory system. Although multiple etiologies exist, pneumonia and bronchiolitis are most common. Respiratory system monitoring has evolved, with the clinical examination remaining paramount. ⋯ Children with ALI/ARDS have better overall outcomes than adults, although data regarding specific therapies are still lacking. Most children will have some degree of long-term physiologic respiratory compromise after recovery from ALI/ARDS. The physiologic basis for respiratory failure and its therapeutic options are reviewed here.