Medicina intensiva
-
Multicenter Study
[Life-sustaining treatment limitation criteria upon admission to the intensive care unit: results of a Spanish national multicenter survey].
To determine the life-sustaining treatment limitation (LSTL) predisposition upon patient admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), the criteria upon which such predisposition is based, and whether these decisions are related to structural factors of the surveyed hospitals. ⋯ Admission to ICU with LSTL is a generalized practice in Spanish Hospitals. LSTL is decided based on physiological futility from an objective medical point of view, but also in observance of ethical and moral implications based on the qualitative futility of medical care.
-
Comparative Study
Lesser incidence of accidental catheter removal with femoral versus radial arterial access.
Arterial catheterization is a frequent procedure in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). Accidental catheter removal (ACR) can cause severe and potentially life-threatening complications such as severe bleeding and vascular damage. Few data are available on accidental arterial catheter removal, and no studies have been found comparing the incidence of ACR between different arterial catheter sites. ⋯ The incidence of ACR was found to be lower with the femoral than with the radial arterial catheters. In order to improve patient safety, it could be interesting to exhaustively monitor the incidence of ACR and adopt preventive measures, since ACR can give rise to serious complications.
-
In patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome, heterogeneity in filling of the lung parenchyma results in collapsed or distended lung areas. Protective ventilation strategies based on the use of low volumes have been shown to increase survival in this context. For opening the lung, and in addition to PEEP, recruitment maneuvers are used-this practice remaining the subject of debate. The present review offers an update on the alveolar recruitment techniques, considering the great variability that exists in the application of these maneuvers, and the different factors that influence the response to maneuvering.
-
Observational Study
[Prognostic factors in severe traumatic brain injury].
To describe the factors associated to mortality of patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). ⋯ The existence of mydriasis, the GCS score and hyperglycemia should be taken into account as prognostic factors in TBI patients.
-
There exist profound differences in the training and professional duties of intensive care physicians and the way intensive care units are managed between the United States and Europe and particularly Spain. Some of the remarkable characteristics of intensive care medicine in the united states include the application process for residency, continuing evaluation during training, phased training with employability at every level, competency based training, scientific research as a core value during training and medical practice, and clinical activity reaching beyond the intensive care unit to include regular hospital wards and ambulatory clinics. The characteristics of intensive care units and the role of intensive care physicians are flexible and change according to the needs of the hospitals where they are located.