Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Aug 2015
Case ReportsUrgent Ultrasound-Guided Bilateral Stellate Ganglion Blocks in a Patient With Medically Refractory Ventricular Arrhythmias.
To describe the successful treatment of medically refractory ventricular arrhythmias in the ICU with ultrasound-guided bilateral stellate ganglion blocks. ⋯ Performance of stellate ganglion blocks at the bedside in the ICU is feasible for patients who are suffering from refractory ventricular arrhythmias. This potentially life-saving block can be performed using ultrasound guidance, sparing the patient transport to a fluoroscopy suite.
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Critical care medicine · Aug 2015
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyA Randomized Controlled Trial of Regional Citrate Versus Regional Heparin Anticoagulation for Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy in Critically Ill Adults.
To determine whether regional anticoagulation of continuous renal replacement therapy circuits using citrate and calcium prolongs circuit life and/or affects circulating cytokine levels compared with regional anticoagulation using heparin and protamine. ⋯ Regional citrate and calcium anticoagulation prolongs continuous renal replacement therapy circuit life compared with regional heparin and protamine anticoagulation, does not affect cytokine levels, and is associated with fewer adverse events.
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Critical care medicine · Aug 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialAn Electronic Tool for the Evaluation and Treatment of Sepsis in the ICU: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
To determine whether addition of an electronic sepsis evaluation and management tool to electronic sepsis alerting improves compliance with treatment guidelines and clinical outcomes in septic ICU patients. ⋯ A comprehensive electronic sepsis evaluation and management tool is feasible and safe but did not influence guideline compliance or clinical outcomes, perhaps due to low utilization.