Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Oct 1983
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialThe risk of infection related to radial vs femoral sites for arterial catheterization.
To evaluate risk factors for infections associated with indwelling arterial catheters, 186 catheters were randomly allocated for either femoral or radial insertion in 155 critically ill patients. Femoral catheters were easier to insert and it was easier to obtain blood specimens from them. Rates of local infection at the insertion sites and rates of positive catheter-tip cultures were similar for femoral and radial catheters. ⋯ Percutaneously inserted femoral and radial artery catheters had a similarly low incidence of catheter-associated infections. There was only one catheter-related infection, and no cultured catheter was judged the cause of bacteremia. Routine prophylactic replacement of arterial catheter systems may be unnecessary in critical care units where rates of arterial catheter-associated infections are low.
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Critical care medicine · Oct 1983
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialNitrogen retention in critically ill patients is proportional to the branched chain amino acid load.
The nitrogen retention effect of branched chain enriched parenteral nutrition (BcAA) during surgical stress and polytrauma was evaluated in a prospective, randomized, double blind study in 32 patients. The doses of BcAA were 0.16, 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7 g/kg . day with a total amino acid load of 1 or 1.5 g/kg . day. ⋯ There were no complications or side-effects from high dose BcAA. Metabolic support of the stress response in ICU patients has become a clinical reality.
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Critical care medicine · Oct 1983
A re-evaluation of the hemodynamic consequences of intermittent positive pressure ventilation.
The hemodynamic effects of intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) have generally been considered straightforward, being dominated by the inspiratory reduction in systemic venous return. Paradoxically, there is considerable debate regarding the effects of PEEP. We have studied both right ventricular (RV) and left ventricular (LV) performance during a single IPPV respiratory cycle in dogs with intact circulatory systems or the right heart bypassed in open and closed chest conditions. ⋯ An understanding of IPPV during a single respiratory cycle facilitates an appreciation of the steady state hemodynamic effects of IPPV with or without PEEP. Our results imply that measurements made only at end-expiration, ignoring inspiratory events, may have serious limitations. Furthermore, they suggest that IPPV with PEEP should be evaluated as a form of LV assist in LV failure.
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Critical care medicine · Oct 1983
Noncardiac pulmonary edema precipitated by tracheal intubation in patients with inhalation injury.
Ten patients with body surface burn and clinical evidence of inhalation injury developed transient, reversible pulmonary edema within 5 min after endotracheal intubation. Hemodynamic studies within 1 hr after intubation revealed normal cardiac output and pulmonary artery wedge pressure (WP). ⋯ It is postulated that glottic generated expiratory retard may increase alveolar pressure, thus preventing pulmonary edema. Bypass of glottis by tracheal intubation may render alveolar pressure atmospheric and facilitate edema formation.
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Critical care medicine · Oct 1983
External noninvasive cardiac pacing in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
External noninvasive cardiac pacing was applied outside the hospital to 19 patients who had experienced cardiopulmonary arrest and 1 patient with life-threatening bradycardia. Seven patients developed electrocardiographic evidence of pacemaker capture, although only 2 had palpable pulses. The patient with bradycardia was successfully paced. This study demonstrates the feasibility of cardiac pacing in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest but confirms the poor prognosis of asystolic cardiac arrest even with the application of pacing.