Articles: intensive-care-units.
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Clinical pediatrics · Dec 1986
Should the Mobile Intensive Care Unit respond to pediatric emergencies?
Between October 1982 and October 1985, the Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) in Jerusalem responded to 625 pediatric emergencies, representing 5% of the total MICU case load. The most common medical problem was seizures, diagnosed in 205 cases (33%). The second most frequent group related to trauma (175 cases; 28%). ⋯ Almost all cardiac arrest patients were found in asystole, and most had antecedent serious medical problems. Compared with the adult population, children were less likely to require or benefit from an advanced level of prehospital care. When resources for advanced care are limited, priority should be given to adult emergencies.
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From 1981 to 1984, 1,720 patients requiring critical care were admitted to two multidisciplinary intensive care units (MDICUs) run by a department of critical care at the University of the Orange Free State, Bloemfontein. The majority (61%) were referred from outside the metropolitan area. The most important referring specialties were surgery (25%), medicine (19%), orthopaedics (14%), paediatrics (10%) and obstetrics and gynaecology (9%). ⋯ Care by the referring doctor was impractical and limited numbers of patients in each discipline make independent 'level-1' units (ICU doctor in unit at all times) undesirable. The cost of care of the 1,720 patients over 4 years was approximately R5 700,000. Demand for MDICU care increased by 40% from 1981 to 1984.