Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Nov 1999
Comparative StudyHepatic and splanchnic oxygenation during liver transplantation.
To evaluate hepatic and splanchnic oxygenation during liver transplantation. ⋯ The liver grafts received well-oxygenated portal venous blood during reperfusion, despite the low values of gastric mucosal pH immediately before reperfusion. Hepatic oxygenation became adequate soon after reperfusion. In the patient with hepatic arterial thrombosis, the recovery of hepatic oxygenation was impaired and lactic acidosis persisted.
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Critical care medicine · Nov 1999
Comparative StudyDialysis and central venous catheter infections in critically ill patients: results of a prospective study.
To determine the incidence of dialysis catheter (DC)-related infections in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, and to compare the frequency of DC and central venous catheter (CVC) infections in an ICU setting. ⋯ DC-related infections are associated with DC longevity. As shown by the 5-day-interval analysis, the incidence of DC-related infections did not increase with DC duration, suggesting that the risk for DC-related infections remained unchanged with time. The characteristics of DC-related infections in ICU patients were comparable to those previously reported for CVC-related infections.
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Critical care medicine · Nov 1999
Comparative StudyAccuracy of intramucosal pH calculated from arterial bicarbonate and the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation: assessment using simulated ischemia.
To determine the accuracy of intramucosal pH (pHi) calculated using arterial bicarbonate instead of mucosal capillary bicarbonate in the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation. ⋯ In the mucosal PCO2 range usually encountered clinically, the arterial bicarbonate substitution causes underestimation of mucosal capillary pH. With moderate mucosal capillary lactic acidosis the error becomes small, and in severe regional ischemia there is significant overestimation of mucosal capillary pH.
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Critical care medicine · Nov 1999
Comparative StudyOutcomes of critically ill elderly patients: is high-dependency care for geriatric patients worthwhile?
To study the outcomes of elderly patients in a high-dependency care unit and to evaluate the costs and benefits of a geriatric high-dependency unit (GHDU). ⋯ The prognostic information that we gathered from an unselected group of critically ill elderly patients is useful. The GHDU achieved treatment results similar to those achieved by an ICU and is therefore seen as an innovative way of treating critically ill elderly patients. High-dependency care for the elderly patient is worthwhile.
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Critical care medicine · Nov 1999
Comparative Study Clinical TrialDoes gastric tonometry monitor splanchnic perfusion?
To define whether the gastric mucosal-arterial PCO2 gradient (PCO2 gap) reliably reflects hepatosplanchnic oxygenation in septic patients. ⋯ In stable septic patients, the PCO2 gap is not correlated with global indexes of gut oxygenation. The interpretation of PCO2 gap is more complex than previously thought.