Current opinion in critical care
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Apr 2014
ReviewIsolated abdominal trauma: diagnosis and clinical management considerations.
The scope of the present study is to review the topics of initial assessment, diagnosis and clinical management of an isolated abdominal trauma. ⋯ Abdominal trauma is a complex injury; the multidisciplinary approach has made nonoperative management feasible and effective. When surgical intervention is needed, it should be performed in an orderly fashion, within the context of the overall management.
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Apr 2014
ReviewIntracranial pressure after the BEST TRIP trial: a call for more monitoring.
Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) is associated with worse outcome after traumatic brain injury (TBI), but whether its management improves the outcome is unclear. In this review, we will examine the implications of the Benchmark Evidence from South American Trials: Treatment of Intracranial Pressure (BEST TRIP) trial, evidence for an influence of ICP care on outcome, and a need for greater understanding of the pathophysiology than just ICP through multimodal monitoring (MMM) to enhance the outcome. ⋯ ICP-based monitoring and treatment alone may not be enough to enhance TBI outcome, but ICP and cerebral perfusion pressure therapy remain important in TBI care. Although high-quality evidence for MMM is limited, it should be more widely adapted to better understand the complex pathophysiology after TBI, better target care, and identify new therapeutic opportunities.
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To review the changing insights in the pathophysiology and management of acute pancreatitis. ⋯ Management of severe acute pancreatitis is changing fundamentally. 'Less is more' is the new paradigm in acute pancreatitis - less antibiotics, less fluids, less surgery, which should eventually lead to less morbidity and mortality.
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Data from MRI can be used to generate detailed maps of central nervous system anatomy and functional activation. Here, we review new research that integrates advanced MRI acquisition and analysis to predict and track recovery following severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) or anoxic ischemic encephalopathy (AIE) following cardiac arrest. ⋯ MRI of the brain is feasible in critically ill patients following TBI or cardiac arrest, revealing patterns of structural damage and functional disconnection that can help predict outcome in the long term. Prospective studies are needed to validate these findings and to identify relationships between MRI-defined alterations and specific postinjury cognitive and behavioural phenotypes.
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Spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) imposes a significant health and economic burden on society. Despite this, ICH remains the only stroke subtype without a definitive treatment. Without a clearly identified and effective treatment for spontaneous ICH, clinical practice varies greatly from aggressive surgery to supportive care alone. This review will discuss the current modalities of treatments for ICH including preliminary experience and investigative efforts to advance the care of these patients. ⋯ ICH lacks a definitive primary treatment as well as a therapy targeting surrounding perihematomal oedema and associated secondary damage. An ongoing phase III trial using MIS techniques shows promise for providing treatment for these patients.