J Trauma
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
The role of ultrasound in patients with possible penetrating cardiac wounds: a prospective multicenter study.
Ultrasound is quickly becoming part of the trauma surgeon's practice, but its role in the patient with a penetrating truncal injury is not well defined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of emergency ultrasound as it was introduced into five Level I trauma centers for the diagnosis of acute hemopericardium. ⋯ Ultrasound should be the initial modality for the evaluation of patients with penetrating precordial wounds because it is accurate and rapid.
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To present a series of 30 adult trauma patients who received extracorporeal life support (ECLS) for pulmonary failure and to retrospectively review variables related to their outcome. ⋯ ECLS has been safely used in adult trauma patients with multiple injuries and severe pulmonary failure. In our series, early implementation of ECLS was associated with improved survival. Although this may represent selection bias for less intractable forms of acute respiratory distress syndrome, it is our experience that early institution of ECLS may lead to improved oxygen delivery, diminished ventilator-induced lung injury, and improved survival.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Esophageal Doppler ultrasound monitor versus pulmonary artery catheter in the hemodynamic management of critically ill surgical patients.
The pulmonary artery (PA) catheter has been used to determine hemodynamic indices; however, it has recently been criticized. This study was undertaken to evaluate an esophageal Doppler monitor (EDM) as a possible replacement for PA catheter in critically ill, mechanically ventilated patients. ⋯ Corrected flow time is a better indicator of preload than pulmonary capillary wedge pressures. EDM seems to be at least as useful as PA catheter in managing the hemodynamic status of critically ill surgical patients.
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Decreasing reimbursement provided by third-party payors necessitates reduction of costs for providing critical care services. If academic medical centers are to remain viable, methods must be instituted that allow cost reduction through practice change. ⋯ We concluded that utilization of short cycle improvement methodology provided an ongoing method for reducing costs of critical care services in our patient population with no change in mortality.