ASAIO journal : a peer-reviewed journal of the American Society for Artificial Internal Organs
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Case Reports
Venovenous carbon dioxide removal in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: experience in one patient.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. Acute exacerbations of COPD account for up to 84% of the total economic cost of this disease. The altered mechanics of the COPD patient represent a unique challenge to the clinician instituting assisted ventilation in this population. ⋯ Venovenous carbon dioxide removal allowed for a reduction in the patient's minute ventilation to 30% of baseline with improved arterial blood gases (ABGs), a reduction in peak airway pressures and improvement in her hyperinflation. Our experience demonstrates that this system can effectively remove CO2 safely in a single cannula venous configuration while maintaining minimal anticoagulation. We believe this system could potentially be utilized in any medical or surgical intensive care unit.
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End-organ dysfunction is associated with increased mortality in pediatric cardiac patients requiring extracorporeal support. We sought to characterize the odds of developing acute renal failure (ARF) as well as associated increases in mortality in this population. Records of all cardiac patients in our pediatric intensive care unit receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) over a 24 month period were reviewed for data with respect to their course. ⋯ We conclude that ARF is more common among pediatric cardiac patients requiring extracorporeal support than previously recognized. Increasing duration of ECMO support is associated with development of ARF. Acute renal failure while on ECMO is associated with a significant decrease in the odds of survival in the pediatric cardiac patient.
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Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is characterized by diffuse inflammation in the lung and resultant permeability edema. Polymyxin B-immobilized fiber (PMX-F) hemoperfusion is effective for sepsis-induced ARDS. High mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1) is newly recognized as a proinflammatory cytokine. ⋯ Systolic and diastolic blood pressures and the PF ratio increased significantly after PMX-F treatments. Polymyxin B-immobilized fiber treatment reduced blood endotoxin, blood HMGB1, and urinary 8-OHdG levels significantly. These data suggest that HMGB1 and oxidative stress play a role in the pathogenesis of ARDS and that PMX-F treatment may ameliorate increased blood HMGB1 and urinary 8-OHdG levels in patients with ARDS.