Critical care clinics
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Trauma continues to be a leading cause of nonobstetric maternal and fetal mortality worldwide. Caring for the pregnant trauma patient requires a systematic and multidisciplinary approach. ⋯ Accepted trauma guidelines for imaging and interventions should generally not be deviated from just because a patient is pregnant. Focus should be placed on injury prevention and education of at risk patients to decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with traumatic injuries in pregnant patients.
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Renal failure during pregnancy affects both mother and fetus, and may be related to preexisting disease or develop secondary to diseases of pregnancy. Causes include hypovolemia, sepsis, shock, preeclampsia, thrombotic microangiopathies, and renal obstruction. ⋯ When supportive measures and pharmacotherapy prove inadequate, dialysis may be required, with the goal being to prolong pregnancy until delivery is feasible. Outcomes and recommendations depend primarily on the underlying cause.
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Acute liver failure is a rare but life-threatening medical emergency in pregnancy whose true incidence remains unknown. Many cases of acute liver failure are caused by pregnancy-related conditions such as acute fatty liver of pregnancy and HELLP syndrome. However, acute deterioration in liver function can also be caused by drug overdose, viral infections, and an exacerbation of underlying chronic liver disease. This article provides an overview of the normal liver changes that occur during pregnancy, and summarizes the most common conditions and general management strategies of liver failure during pregnancy.
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Pregnant women are subject to the same complications as the general population, as well to specific neurologic complications associated with pregnancy, such as preeclampsia or eclampsia. The hormonal and physiologic changes during pregnancy lead to altered incidences of these complications, which usually present during the late period of pregnancy, labor, or the puerperium. In addition, the treatment of these conditions is different from that of nonpregnant women, because special attention is paid to avoid any abnormalities or death of the fetus. This article discusses the most common of these neurologic complications.
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Critical care clinics · Jan 2016
ReviewManagement of Complex Cardiac Issues in the Pregnant Patient.
Management of peripartum heart disease in the intensive care unit requires optimization of maternal hemodynamics and maintenance of fetal perfusion. This requires fetal monitoring and should address the parturient's oxygen saturation, hemoglobin, and cardiac output as it relates to uterine blood flow. ⋯ There is some evidence that surgical management of critical mitral stenosis should be percutaneous when possible because cardiac bypass is associated with increased fetal mortality. Fetal monitoring strategies should address central organ perfusion because peripheral scalp pH has not been associated with improved fetal outcomes.