Pediatr Crit Care Me
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Nov 2011
Case ReportsProlonged venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in a child with leukemia and persistent bacteremia.
In patients who require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for prolonged periods, it is uncertain whether nosocomial bacteremia that persists throughout an entire extracorporeal membrane oxygenation run can be associated with good outcomes. ⋯ Sustained bacteremia during an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation run should not be regarded as a reason to withdraw extracorporeal support, although efforts are clearly warranted to identify possible sources of sepsis and wean off extracorporeal membrane oxygenation at the earliest opportunity.
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Nov 2011
Critical evaluation of emergency stockpile ventilators in an in vitro model of pediatric lung injury.
Modern health care systems may be inadequately prepared for mass casualty respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation. Current health policy has focused on the "stockpiling" of emergency ventilators, though little is known about the performance of these ventilators under conditions of respiratory failure in adults and children. In this study, we seek to compare emergency ventilator performance characteristics using a test lung simulating pediatric lung injury. ⋯ Multiple ventilators are available for the provision of ventilation to children with respiratory failure in a mass casualty scenario. Few of these ventilators possess the minimum alarm functionality and consistently deliver the prescribed tidal volume that allows for safe and effective ventilation of critically ill pediatric patients. These findings will help clinicians understand the performance and limitations of available ventilators intended for use in children.
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Nov 2011
The association of age, illness severity, and glycemic status in a pediatric intensive care unit.
Tight glycemic control in critically ill children is controversial. The benefits of controlling hyperglycemia may be offset by the risk of hypoglycemia on the immature brain. Both age and severity of illness may influence the risks and benefits of tight glycemic control. We hypothesize that rates of hypoglycemia (blood glucose <60 mg/dL) and hyperglycemia (blood glucose >150 mg/dL) in children will correlate with age and illness severity. ⋯ The youngest patients are at higher risk for spontaneous hypoglycemia, whereas hyperglycemia occurs more often in the older ages. Higher rates of hypo-/hyperglycemia were noted in sicker patients and in those requiring more therapeutic interventions. Our results suggest that special consideration should be given to the safety of the youngest patients given their higher risk of hypoglycemia if an investigation of tight glycemic control is performed.
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Nov 2011
Case ReportsVentricular assist device as a bridge to transplant, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for primary graft failure in a child with hemophilia A.
To report the management of hemophilia in a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy during application of the Berlin-Heart biventricular assist. ⋯ Selection of anticoagulant therapy as a function of patient status in terms of bleeding and surgical-wound scarring progress is vital for the proper functioning of support techniques (Berlin-Heart biventricular assist and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) in hemophiliac patients. Collagen dressings placed on surgical wounds achieved good functional and aesthetic results, as well as mechanically isolating the scars from the exterior.
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Nov 2011
Withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatments: an 8-yr retrospective review in a Spanish pediatric intensive care unit.
To determine the death rate of patients who died in our pediatric intensive care unit after a decision to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatment was made and to describe the epidemiologic data, clinical (acute and chronic) conditions, end-of-life care, and decision-making processes corresponding to these patients. ⋯ Withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment was a frequent mode of death in our pediatric intensive care unit, occurring at a rate that falls in the midrange of literature values. The level of the parents' involvement with the team in the decision-making process, which was documented in 88 of 97 of the medical charts, was very high. Patients with chronic neurologic diseases or with severe cognitive sequelae constituted the main group in which the decision to forgo life-sustaining treatment was made.