Journal of intensive care medicine
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J Intensive Care Med · Mar 2013
ReviewSplenic artery aneurysm rupture: a rare but fatal cause for peripartum collapse.
Splenic artery aneurysm (SAA) is the most common (60%) of all visceral artery aneurysms. The majority of these cases are asymptomatic, but the presentation of their rupture can vary from abdominal/chest pain to cardiovascular collapse (Sadat U, Dar O, Walsh S, Varty K. Splenic artery aneurysms in pregnancy-a systematic review. ⋯ Because of such high maternal and fetal mortality prompt management of SAAs is of utmost importance. We are presenting a case of a 35-year-old woman with a missed ruptured SAA who after an emergent cesarean section went into profound shock and was unable to be resuscitated. This case illustrates the importance of considering the diagnosis of SAA rupture in hemodynamically unstable peripartum females.
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J Intensive Care Med · Mar 2013
Comparative StudyThe management of the critically ill obstetric patient.
Hypertensive disorders, postpartum hemorrhage, and sepsis are the most common indications for intensive care unit admission among obstetric patients. In general, ICU mortality is low, and better than would be predicted using available mortality prediction tools. Provision of care to this special population requires an intimate understanding of physiologic changes that occur during pregnancy. ⋯ Careful attention must be paid to acid-base status, oxygenation, and ventilation when faced with respiratory failure necessitating intubation. Cesarean delivery can be justified after 4 minutes of cardiac arrest and may improve fetal and maternal outcomes. The treatment of obstetric patients in the ICU introduces complexities and challenges that may be unfamiliar to many critical care physicians; teamwork and communication with obstetricians is crucial.
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J Intensive Care Med · Mar 2013
Predictors and outcomes of pneumonia in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.
Pneumonia is an important complication of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH). The purpose of this study was to determine the predictors and outcomes of the development of pneumonia in patients with sICH. ⋯ Mechanical ventilation, tube feeding, dysphagia, and tracheostomy are exposures associated with increased risk of the development of pneumonia in patients with sICH. Pneumonia is associated with an increase in morbidity, length of stay, and mortality among patients with sICH.
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Sepsis continues to be a common and serious problem among surgical patients. It is a leading cause of both morbidity and mortality in the perioperative period. The early identification of sepsis and the early implementation of evidence-based care can improve outcomes. This focused review will identify ways to improve the early identification of sepsis and discuss the current evidence-based guidelines for the early management of sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock in the surgical patients.