Pediatr Crit Care Me
-
To describe survival to intensive care unit (ICU) discharge and 6-month survival in a large cohort of pediatric oncology patients with severe sepsis. ⋯ In a large series of pediatric oncology patients with severe sepsis, ICU mortality was only 17% overall, although mortality remained quite high in the higher acuity patients. Mortality among the higher acuity patients was significantly associated with only a small number of variables. The number of patients alive at 6 months and the encouraging ICU survival rate further justifies the use of aggressive ICU interventions in this population.
-
Pediatr Crit Care Me · Sep 2005
ReviewLiver support for fulminant hepatic failure: is it time to use the molecular adsorbents recycling system in children?
To describe the main liver support devices used for fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) and to review data on the Molecular Adsorbents Recycling System (MARS) and assess its efficiency in children. ⋯ Although promising preliminary results suggest that MARS may have a significant position in the therapeutic arsenal for FHF, no sufficient data exist to justify its use in children. For as long as the results of the ongoing adult trial are not available, the indications of this expensive technique in children with FHF are limited.
-
Pediatr Crit Care Me · Sep 2005
Prospective assessment of guidelines for determining appropriate depth of endotracheal tube placement in children.
To determine whether multiplying the internal diameter of the endotracheal tube (ETT) by 3 (3x ETT size) is a reliable method for determining correct depth of oral ETT placement in the pediatric population. ⋯ The commonly used formula of 3x tube size for ETT depth in children results in 15-25% malpositioned tubes. Practitioners can improve the reliability of this formula by utilizing the recommended ETT size as suggested by the Broselow tape. A more reliable method is necessary to avoid ETT malposition.
-
Pediatr Crit Care Me · Sep 2005
Frequency of intracranial pressure monitoring in infants and young toddlers with traumatic brain injury.
To examine the use of intracranial pressure monitors and treatments for elevated intracranial pressure in brain-injured children of <2 yrs of age and compare them with the recently published management guidelines. ⋯ Brain injury in young children may lead to many years of lost quality of life. The utility of monitoring intracranial pressure in infants has not been well established, which may be a reason for its low use. As most infants with traumatic brain injury survive, high-quality studies with neurodevelopmental measures as the primary outcome are urgently needed to document best practice in this subpopulation.
-
Pediatr Crit Care Me · Sep 2005
Comparative StudyParents' reactions at 24-48 hrs after a preschool child's head injury.
Our objectives were, first, to compare mothers' and fathers' early reactions (stressors, concerns) to the preschool child's head injury, their perceptions of the child's injury severity, and their social support and mental health; second, to compare families with a child in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) vs. general care unit (GCU) on these variables; and third, to describe the relationships between parents' early reactions and perceived and objective injury severity, their social support, and mental health. ⋯ Although mother-father couples rated their child's injury severity similarly, mothers experienced more stress than fathers. Social support decreased the stress for mothers but not for fathers. The experience of pediatric head trauma was more stressful for mothers of children in the PICU than mothers of children in the GCU.