Critical care : the official journal of the Critical Care Forum
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We observed an oscillatory flow while ventilating critically ill patients with the Dräger Oxylog 3000 transport ventilator during interhospital transfer. The phenomenon occurred in paediatric patients or in adult patients with severe airway obstruction ventilated in the pressure-regulated or pressure-controlled mode. As this had not been described previously, we conducted a bench study to investigate the phenomenon. ⋯ Oscillatory flow with potentially harmful effects may occur during ventilation with the Dräger Oxylog 3000, especially in conditions with high resistance such as small airways in children (endotracheal tube internal diameter <6 mm) or severe obstructive lung diseases or airway diseases in adult patients.
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Current concepts of the pathophysiology of acute pancreatitis suggest that disease progression from acinar injury to systemic illness involves a complex interplay between cellular and soluble inflammatory mediators and endothelial beds. To date, there is no specific pharmacologic intervention for acute pancreatitis. Death from acute pancreatitis remains a major issue, and late deaths are often related to haemorrhage and are associated with unresolved intra-abdominal sepsis. Drotrecogin alfa, an analogue of endogenous protein C, has antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory and profibrinolytic properties, and it has been shown to reduce mortality in clinical sepsis. Modulation of the coagulation cascade, although probably essential to the mode of action of drotrecogin alfa, can lead to an increased risk of bleeding. ⋯ Synthesis of current knowledge on the modes of action and the side-effect profiles of drotrecogin alfa into a practical management algorithm must accept that evidence in this field is changing rapidly. At present there is insufficient evidence to justify the use of drotrecogin alfa in the early stages of this disease. In the later stages, when the probability of infection is proportionately greater, it is probable that intensive care clinicians will turn to drotrecogin alfa, in particular, in the setting of recent-onset organ dysfunction in established severe acute pancreatitis. Although this can be justified by extrapolation of the evidence from the PROWESS trial, practical critical care management in this setting must not overlook the need to rule out infection of necrosis, and must further be cognisant of the specific risks of haemorrhage in patients with prolonged pancreatitis and pancreatic necrosis.
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Lobar atelectasis is a common problem caused by a variety of mechanisms including resorption atelectasis due to airway obstruction, passive atelectasis from hypoventilation, compressive atelectsis from abdominal distension and adhesive atelectasis due to increased surface tension. However, evidence-based studies on the management of lobar atelectasis are lacking. ⋯ Chest physiotherapy, nebulised DNase and possibly fibreoptic bronchoscopy might be helpful in patients with mucous plugging of the airways. In passive and adhesive atelectasis, positive end-expiratory pressure might be a useful adjunct to treatment.
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In the past decade we have learned a lot about the pathophysiology of septic shock. A lot of experimental research has been performed in vitro and in vivo, showing that hemofiltration can improve hemodynamics and survival. With modern machines, hemofiltration is becoming a sepsis treatment in patients.