Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Mar 1998
Brain temperature exceeds systemic temperature in head-injured patients.
To identify the temperature differences in readings taken from the brain, jugular bulb, and core body in head-injured patients. ⋯ Direct measurement of temperature in head-injured patients is a safe procedure. Temperatures in the brain are typically increased over the core body temperature and the jugular bulb temperatures. Jugular vein temperature measurement is not a good measurement of brain temperature since it reflects body, not brain temperature. These findings support the potential importance of monitoring brain temperature and the importance of controlling fever in severely head-injured patients since brain temperature may be higher than expected.
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Critical care medicine · Mar 1998
Utility of chest radiographs after guidewire exchanges of central venous catheters.
To determine whether chest radiographs are warranted after uncomplicated guidewire exchanges of central venous catheters in patients admitted to a Level I trauma intensive care unit. ⋯ Chest radiographs are unwarranted after uncomplicated guidewire exchanges of central venous catheters in hemodynamically stable, monitored patients. Eliminating these radiographs will result in significant cost and time savings without adversely affecting patient outcome.
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Critical care medicine · Mar 1998
GuidelineGuidelines on admission and discharge for adult intermediate care units. American College of Critical Care Medicine of the Society of Critical Care Medicine.
To present guidelines for writing admission and discharge policies for adult intermediate care units. ⋯ Criteria were developed that define patients who are optimal candidates for management in an intermediate care unit.
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Critical care medicine · Mar 1998
Use of hypertonic (3%) saline/acetate infusion in the treatment of cerebral edema: Effect on intracranial pressure and lateral displacement of the brain.
To determine the effect of continuous hypertonic (3%) saline/acetate infusion on intracranial pressure (ICP) and lateral displacement of the brain in patients with cerebral edema. ⋯ Hypertonic saline administration as a 3% infusion appears to be a promising therapy for cerebral edema in patients with head trauma or postoperative edema. Further studies are required to determine the optimal duration of benefit and the specific patient population that is most likely to benefit from this treatment.
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Critical care medicine · Mar 1998
Effects of the lazaroid, tirilazad mesylate, on sepsis-induced acute lung injury in minipigs.
To assess the effects of the lazaroid, tirilazad mesylate, a potent lipid peroxidation inhibitor, in an animal model of Pseudomonas sepsis. ⋯ Pretreatment with the tirilazad mesylate did not change P. aeruginosa sepsis-induced hemodynamic consequences. However, tirilazad mesylate attenuated sepsis-induced acute lung injury.