Minerva anestesiologica
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Minerva anestesiologica · Jul 2008
ReviewHypothermia in adult neurocritical patients: a very ''hot'' strategy not to be hibernated yet!
Therapeutic moderate hypothermia (32-34 degrees C) is currently recommended for patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and for newborns exhibiting neonatal hypoxic/ischemic encephalopathy. Hypothermia as neuroprotective strategy has been extensively studied in other scenarios, mainly for traumatic brain injury. Despite a negative result reported by a multicenter trial conducted in 2001 by Clifton et al. regarding the use of hypothermia on head injury patients, several studies in both clinical and laboratory settings have continued to report positive outcomes with hypothermia use in neurocritical care. ⋯ However, new research may indicate what target populations can benefit most from this therapy. Furthermore, issues of timing (when and for how long hypothermia is applied) seem to be the primary drivers of the most unambiguous findings in this matter. For the time being, we conclude that further studies are needed to assess how to better administer this possibly beneficial therapy, and who might benefit most from the technique.
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Minerva anestesiologica · Jul 2008
ReviewHotly debated topics in obstetric anesthesiology 2008: a theory of relativity.
This paper reviews and discusses three controversial subjects regarding treatment of intraoperative nausea and other complications experienced by patients undergoing cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia: (1) the administration of supplemental oxygen, (2) prophylactic vasopressors and (3) the use of low-dose combined spinal epidural anesthesia (CSE). While not universally acknowledged, recent data suggest that the routine administration of supplemental oxygen to normal-weight, healthy patients undergoing elective cesarean delivery is unnecessary, especially when spinal hypotension is minimized. Supplemental oxygen administration does not prevent intraoperative or postoperative nausea and vomiting. ⋯ High-dose phenylephrine infusion in conjunction with rapid co-hydration is efficient, but is unfortunately associated with a relatively high incidence of maternal bradycardia. Oxygen, fluid administration and prophylactic vasopressors may not be the solution to hypotension, nausea and vomiting associated with spinal anesthesia during cesarean delivery. Lower dose spinal anesthesia as part of a CSE technique reduces the incidence of maternal hypotension, and in our opinion is the best option currently available.
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Minerva anestesiologica · Jul 2008
Comparative Study Clinical TrialThe ability of PiCCO versus LiDCO variables to detect changes in cardiac index: a prospective clinical study.
Both PiCCO and LiDCO can provide dynamic preload parameters, pulse pressure variation (PPV) and stroke volume variation (SVV). The PiCCO device also provides a measure of intrathoracic blood volume index (ITBVI). We investigated the agreement between SVV and PPV, as well as the reliability of LiDCO- and PiCCO-measured SVV, PPV and ITBVI, in detecting fluid responsiveness before and after fluid challenge (FC). ⋯ We found a narrow bias but less accurate precision in cardiac index values measured by a radial artery-site LiDCO catheter and a femoral artery-site PiCCO catheter, with poor agreement between radial and femoral-derived SVV and PPV measurements. ITBVI proved to be the best predictor of fluid responsiveness. The SVV does not seem to be reliable for preload optimization in ICU patients.
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Patients with chronic airflow obstruction and difficulty in weaning from mechanical ventilation are at increased risk for intubation-associated complications and mortality because of prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation. Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) may avert most of the pathophysiologic mechanisms associated with weaning failure in these patients. Several randomised controlled trials have shown that the use of NIV in order to advance extubation in difficult patients can result in reduced periods of endotracheal intubation, complication rates and survival. ⋯ In addition, the patients were hemodynamically stable, with a normal level of consciousness, no fever and a preserved cough reflex. The use of NIV in the management of respiratory failure after extubation did not show clinical benefits, although clinical trials included a small proportion of chronic respiratory patients. In contrast, NIV immediately after extubation is effective in avoiding respiratory failure after extubation in patients at risk for this complication, particularly those with chronic respiratory disorders and hypercapnic respiratory failure.
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Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients almost uniformly suffer from sleep disruption. Even though the role of sleep disturbances is not still adequately understood, they may be related to metabolic, immune, neurological and respiratory dysfunction and could worsen the quality of life after discharge. A harsh ICU environment, underlying disease, mechanical ventilation, pain and drugs are the main reasons that underlie sleep disruption in the critically ill. ⋯ Delirium is strongly related to increased ICU morbidity and mortality, thus the resolution of sleep disruption could significantly contribute to improved ICU outcomes. An early evaluation of delirium is strongly recommended because of the potential to resolve the underlying causes or to begin an appropriate therapy. Further studies are needed on the effects of strategies to promote sleep and on the evaluation of better sleep in clinical outcomes, particularly on the development of delirium.