Resuscitation
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Hyperlactatemia is frequently observed in critically ill patients. A correlation of blood lactate concentrations and outcome of patients has been proven in circulatory shock, circulatory arrest, acute myocardial infarction, acute hypnotic drug poisoning and severe pancreatitis. ⋯ In individual patients, hyperlactatemia is a useful indicator pointing to the severity of illness and to superimposed complications. Blood lactate is of considerable value for the metabolic monitoring of critically ill patients.
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Plasma growth hormone, cortisol, insulin and blood glucose concentrations were measured intra- and postoperatively in ten patients who underwent open heart surgery with moderate hypothermia. Diazepam-ketamine anaesthesia for 10-20 min failed to precipitate any significant alterations in the levels of measured hormones and blood glucose. In the pre-bypass period of surgery, an increase in cortisol and a slight elevation in growth hormone levels was observed; insulin level showed no change in spite of marked hyperglycaemia. ⋯ The post-bypass period with rewarming the restoring spontaneous circulation was characterized by further marked increase in cortisol and growth hormone levels and, in spite of decreasing levels of blood glucose, by a paradoxical elevation in plasma insulin. It is suggested that hypothermia, haemodilution, reduced tissue perfusion affecting endocrine glands, as well as denaturation of some hormones in the oxygenator, participate in the moderate endocrine response, disproportionate to the stress of cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. The rise in hormone levels on terminating bypass seems to be dependent on the improved blood flow to endocrine glands due to recovered spontaneous circulation, rewarming and, as for insulin, presumably even on the reduced inhibitory effect of catecholamines.
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The interrelations among core temperatures (cardiac, esophageal, tympanic, rectal), skin temperature, and cardiovascular function (cardiac output, arterial pressure, heart rate, total peripheral resistance) were studied in a conscious subject during entry into mild hypothermia through cold water (10 degrees C) immersion, and during rewarming by three basic procedures: peripheral heat donation (bath); core heat donation (inhalation); and no exogenous heat (spontaneous). Swan-Ganz catheterization of the heart enabled measurement of cardiac temperature as well as cardiac output by the thermal dilution method. During cooling, all sites of core temperature measurement showed similar rates of entry into hypothermia. ⋯ This afterdrop coincided with cardiovascular changes including abrupt decreases in arterial pressure and total peripheral resistance, along with increases in heart rate and cardiac output. Such evidence of increased peripheral circulation was not observed with the inhalation and spontaneous methods. The findings relate to experimental evaluation of rewarming techniques and principles for resuscitation of hypothermia victims, especially in the first-aid situation.
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The authors analyse the incidence of puncture, catheterization and failures of positioning in a series of 420 central venous catheterizations performed in 388 patients, using six transcutaneous approaches: supraclavicular and infraclavicular subclavian, external and internal transjugular, antecubital and brachiocephalic. Puncture failures were recorded at 7.9% per 36 failures from 456 attempts, catheterization failures at 5.8% per 26 failures from 446 attempts, and misplacements at a rate of 5.7% per 23 misplacements during 420 catheterizations. ⋯ A high rate of failures and misplacements was recorded in the antecubital and external jugular groups. The antecubital veins, however, should be reserved for orthopnoeic sitting patients, the success rate being significantly increased if the patients are sitting.
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The authors have analysed the incidence of specific complications in a series of 420 intracaval catheters placed in 388 patients, using six transcutaneous puncture techniques: supraclavicular and infraclavicular subclavian, external and internal jugular, antecubital and brachiocephalic approaches. Strict and moderate criteria were used to evaluate the frequency of complications. Using strict criteria, the lowest rate of surgical complications (5%) was found with the antecubital and external jugular approach, followed by infraclavicular (6.7%) and supraclavicular (9.3%) subclavian techniques; the highest rate was seen with internal jugular (10%) and brachiocephalic (15%) routes. ⋯ Manifest thromboembolic complications were observed only in the brachiocephalic and antecubital groups (2.5% and 10%, respectively), the overall incidence of pulmonary embolism being 0.2%. None of the approaches used can be recommended as an exclusive method of choice. The risks of central venous catheterization should be minimalized by adherence to strict principles of placing as well as care of the indwelling intravenous catheters.