Articles: mechanical-ventilation.
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Optimum timing is crucial to avoid negative outcomes of weaning. We aimed to investigate predictive values of diaphragmatic thickening fraction (DTF), diaphragmatic excursion (DE), and anterolateral lung ultrasound (LUS) scores in extubation success and compare with rapid shallow breathing index (RSBI) in patients extubated under traditional parameters. ⋯ Investigating the lung and diaphragm via ultrasound provides real-time information to increase extubation success. Cut-off values of 64 for RSBI, 27.5 for DTF, 1.3 cm for the DE, and 6.5 for LUS scores were obtained, respectively, and PPVs of all sonographic parameters were found over 90%. We consider that sonographic evaluations accompanied by an RSBI will increase extubation success in the weaning process.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · May 2021
Positive End-Expiratory Pressure, Pleural Pressure, and Regional Compliance During Pronation: An Experimental Study.
Rationale: The physiological basis of lung protection and the impact of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) during pronation in acute respiratory distress syndrome are not fully elucidated. Objectives: To compare pleural pressure (Ppl) gradient, ventilation distribution, and regional compliance between dependent and nondependent lungs, and investigate the effect of PEEP during supination and pronation. Methods: We used a two-hit model of lung injury (saline lavage and high-volume ventilation) in 14 mechanically ventilated pigs and studied supine and prone positions. ⋯ Tidal recruitment was more evenly distributed (dependent and nondependent), hyperinflation lower, and lungs cephalocaudally longer in the prone position. Conclusions: In this lung injury model, pronation reduces the vertical pleural pressure gradient and homogenizes regional ventilation and compliance between the dependent and nondependent regions. Homogenization is much less dependent on the PEEP level in prone than in supine positon.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · May 2021
Observational StudyCharacteristics, management and survival of ICU patients with coronavirus disease-19 in Norway, March - June 2020. A prospective observational study.
Norwegian hospitals have operated within capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic. We present patient and management characteristics, and outcomes for the entire cohort of adult (>18 years) COVID-19 patients admitted to Norwegian intensive care units (ICU) from 10 March to 19 June 2020. ⋯ In this national cohort of COVID-19 patients, mortality was low and attributable to known risk factors. Importantly, prolonged length-of-stay must be taken into account when planning for resource allocation for any next surge.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has presented novel challenges for the entire health-care continuum, requiring transformative changes to hospital and post-acute care, including clinical, administrative, and physical modifications to current standards of operations. Innovative use and adaptation of long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs) can safely and effectively care for patients during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A framework for the rapid changes, including increasing collaboration with external health-care organizations, creating new methods for enhanced communication, and modifying processes focused on patient safety and clinical outcomes, is described for a network of 94 LTACHs. When managed and modified correctly, LTACHs can play a vital role in managing the national health-care pandemic crisis.