Southern medical journal
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Southern medical journal · Mar 2002
Determinants of outcome for patients admitted to a long-term ventilator unit.
This prospective cohort study was done to identify determinants of successful weaning from mechanical ventilation among patients admitted to the 10-bed long-term ventilator unit (LTVU) of a teaching hospital. ⋯ Patients admitted to an LTVU require prolonged hospitalizations and intensive resource utilization. These data suggest that improved methods for identifying patients who are unlikely to benefit from prolonged mechanical ventilation may assist physicians in their discussions with patients and family members as they consider various treatment options.
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Southern medical journal · Mar 2002
Ketorolac for pain management after abdominal surgical procedures in infants.
While the use of intravenous ketorolac in infants less than 6 months old has not been previously reported, ketorolac may reduce opioid use and prevent opioid-associated side effects that are frequent in this age group. We reviewed our experience with ketorolac in infants to develop recommendations for using it after abdominal surgery. ⋯ Ketorolac reduces the amount of morphine required after abdominal surgery in infants less than 6 months old. The use of ketorolac deserves further study as a method of reducing opioid-associated adverse effects in this patient group.