Medicina intensiva
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A 34-year old woman who developed persistent and severe acute respiratory distress syndrome with underlying myelomonocytic leukemia (M4FAB) is described. After ruling out the most common causes of pulmonary infiltration in this type of patient and one week of broad spectrum antibiotics and steroids therapy, we proposed leukemic pulmonary infiltration as etiological diagnosis. ⋯ The method, arterial blood gases, hemodynamic parameters and ventilatory mechanics before and after its use are described. The patient remained on P-ELA for nine days; one week later she was extubated and ten days after she was discharged from the Intensive Care Unit the patient left the hospital in good health condition.
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Induced hypothermia in neurocritical patients is one of the most promising neuroprotective therapies in the last decade. Unfortunately, the promising results obtained in experimental studies have had an unequal reflection in the different diseases that affect the neurocritical patient. The use of therapeutic hypothermia is clearly established in patients with neurological deterioration after cardiac arrest. ⋯ Induced hypothermia has a role in the intensive care unit. Critical care physicians should be familiar with the physiologic effects, current indications, techniques, and complications of induced hypothermia. This review elaborates on the clinical implications of hypothermia research in traumatic brain injury, anoxic, brain injury, stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage.
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Infection prevention is an intervention opportunity to promote patient safety. The strategies to obtain the full implementation of available prevention measures is the main challenge in clinical practice. Using care bundles, continuing education and feedback on adherence to the measures proposed are key points to improve the safety of patients in the Intensive Care Unit.
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The echocardiography can provide important and relevant information and the critically ill patient presents a challenge for the echocardiographer: from limitations in image acquisition to interpretation in the context of rapid physiological and intervention changes. The most frequent reason for requesting an echocardiogram in the ICU is probably to assess left ventricular function. ⋯ The echocardiography also can be used to monitor the therapeutic interventions. The applications of echocardiography in the critical care setting are reviewed, with special emphasis on the assessment of cardiac physiology.