Medicina intensiva
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Despite major advances in our understanding of the physiopathology of brain death (BD), there are important controversies as to which protocol is the most appropriate for organ donor management. Many recent reviews on this subject offer recommendations that are sometimes contradictory and in some cases are not applied to other critically ill patients. This article offers a review of the publications (many of them recent) with an impact upon these controversial measures and which can help to confirm, refute or open new areas of research into the most appropriate measures for the management of organ donors in BD, and which should contribute to discard certain established recommendations based on preconceived ideas, that lead to actions lacking a physiopathological basis. Aspects such as catecholamine storm management, use of vasoactive drugs, hemodynamic objectives and monitoring, assessment of the heart for donation, and general care of the donor in BD are reviewed.
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The standard method for cardiac output measuring is thermodilution although it is an invasive technique. Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) offers a dynamic and functional alternative to thermodilution. ⋯ Results from cardiac output measurement by doppler and 2D-TEE on both MA and LVOT do not correlate with those obtained by thermodilution.
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Observational Study
National survey on the indicators of quality in Bioethics of the SEMICYUC in the departments of Intensive Care Medicine in Spain.
Multiple interventions are performed in critical patients admitted to Intensive Care Units (ICUs). This study explores the presence in the daily practice of ICUs of elements related to the 6 bioethics quality indicators of the Spanish Society of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine and Coronary Units, and the participation of their members in the hospital ethics committees. ⋯ Information supplied to relatives is adequate, although there are ICUs without an information room. Compliance with the informed consent requirements of various procedures is insufficient. The participation of ICU members in the hospital ethics committees is frequent. The results obtained suggest a chance for improvement in the bioethical quality of the ICU.