Resp Care
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Review Case Reports
Expectant management of pneumothorax in preterm infants receiving assisted ventilation: report of 4 cases and review of the literature.
Pneumothorax is a common complication in infants receiving assisted ventilation. The appropriate management of this condition is not always clearly defined, especially when a large air leak and mediastinal shift are present but the infant is hemodynamically stable. ⋯ We report 4 cases of preterm infants who developed large pneumothoraces with mediastinal shift while on assisted ventilation and were managed conservatively, with substantial improvement within 12-96 hours. In this report we also review the literature on pneumothorax in preterm infants.
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Over the last 15 years the management of patients admitted in the ICU has changed dramatically. A growing number of well designed randomized controlled studies have been published, resulting in improved medical care and reduction of short-term morbidity and mortality. ⋯ This review will focus on the most common long-term outcomes post-ICU admission, and will emphasize the importance of developing ICU clinics to provide comprehensive care to ICU survivors. We also describe our experience regarding the organization, functioning, and limitations for the development of our post-ICU clinic.
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Chest diagnostic imaging is essential when dealing with a critically ill patient. At present, direct visualization of the lung parenchyma is performed with a chest x-ray and computed tomography with the patient in the supine position. The relative ease of bedside ultrasound examination and the availability of user-friendly, inexpensive, portable equipment have made chest ultrasonography an interesting and alternative method in various situations, because it offers accurate information that is of therapeutic and diagnostic relevance. We describe equipment and examination technique, normal findings, and chest ultrasonography signs detected in some pathological situations, such as pneumothorax, consolidations, pleural effusions, ARDS, and pulmonary edema.
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The physiological and clinical effects of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) on acute postoperative respiratory failure are relatively unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the prediction factors for failure in the use of NIV with a helmet in this context. ⋯ NIV using a helmet could provide an effective alternative to conventional ventilation in selected patients with postoperative ARF.
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Case Reports
An in-patient model for positive airway pressure desensitization: a report of 2 pediatric cases.
Application of positive airway pressure is frequently indicated in pediatric patients with a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea. Adherence to equipment use is often less than optimal and can be more challenging when working with children with special needs. An in-patient protocol was designed utilizing various techniques and strategies from the medical adherence literature and applied to 2 cases. ⋯ This paper outlines this protocol using 2 case studies. Both patients successfully used their equipment for greater than 4 hours at night by the end of their hospital stay of 4 days and maintained or advanced these gains at follow-up. These 2 cases suggest that more research should be conducted to further evaluate the effectiveness of similar programs.