Critical care nursing quarterly
-
Traumatic brain injury affects more than 1 million civilians annually. Functional outcomes in this population are less than favorable. This case report describes a patient with a penetrating injury to the head and brain from a gunshot wound including the pathophysiology of injury and outlines evidence-based management guidelines to provide comprehensive care.
-
Severe sepsis and septic shock affect more than 700,000 people annually and represent approximately $17 billion annually in health care costs. Mortality in patients with 3 or more failed organs is up to 70%. ⋯ Health care providers must be knowledgeable in early identification and aggressive management. This case presentation outlines the components of care identified in the literature in the early and ongoing management of patients with severe sepsis and septic shock.
-
Boerhaave syndrome is a rarely occurring condition with a high mortality rate if not diagnosed in a timely manner. Patients with this condition complain primarily of chest pain, and practitioners should consider esophageal rupture as a differential diagnosis during the initial diagnostic evaluation. Most treatment modalities have been derived from case studies, as there are no published reports on randomized controlled trials specifically dedicated to the treatment of Boerhaave syndrome. This case presentation includes the pathophysiology of esophageal rupture and the management pathways that have been shown to be successful based on current literature.