Critical care medicine
-
Critical care medicine · Oct 2005
ReviewClinical and economic consequences of ventilator-associated pneumonia: a systematic review.
Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most common nosocomial infection in critically ill patients. The clinical and economic consequences of VAP are unclear, with a broad range of values reported in the literature ⋯ Ventilator-associated pneumonia occurs in a considerable proportion of patients undergoing mechanical ventilation and is associated with substantial morbidity, a two-fold mortality rate, and excess cost. Given these findings, strategies that effectively prevent VAP are urgently needed.
-
Critical care medicine · Oct 2005
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyComparison of prone positioning and high-frequency oscillatory ventilation in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Both prone position and high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) have the potential to facilitate lung recruitment, and their combined use could thus be synergetic on gas exchange. Keeping the lung open could also potentially be lung protective. The aim of this study was to compare physiologic and proinflammatory effects of HFOV, prone positioning, or their combination in severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ⋯ Although HFOV in the supine position does not improve oxygenation or lung inflammation, the prone position increases oxygenation and reduces lung inflammation in ARDS patients. Prone-HFOV produced similar improvement in oxygenation like prone-CV but was associated with higher BALF indexes of inflammation. In contrast, supine-HFOV did not improve gas exchange and was associated with enhanced lung inflammation.
-
To provide a current review of the literature regarding airway problems in pregnancy and management. ⋯ Teamwork between an anesthesiologist and an obstetrician is absolutely essential for the safety of both the mother and baby. Most of us tend to agree that airway emergencies have a way of occurring at the worst possible times. It is essential that all anesthesia care practitioners must have a preconceived and well thought-out algorithm and emergency airway equipment to deal with airway emergencies during difficult or failed intubation of a parturient.
-
To summarize the pathophysiology and treatment of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) during pregnancy. ⋯ Little evidence exists regarding the management of ARDS specifically in pregnancy, and thus, treatment approaches must be drawn from studies performed in a general patient population. A multidisciplinary approach involving maternal-fetal medicine, neonatology, anesthesiology, and intensivist clinicians is essential to optimizing maternal and fetal outcomes.