Pediatr Crit Care Me
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Oct 2014
Pulmonary Deadspace and Postoperative Outcomes in Neonates Undergoing Stage 1 Palliation Operation for Single Ventricle Heart Disease.
Increased pulmonary dead space fraction (VD/VT) has been associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation after surgery for congenital heart disease. The association of VD/VT with clinical outcomes in neonates undergoing stage 1 palliation for single ventricle congenital heart disease has not been reported. We describe changes in VD/VT, differences in VD/VT based on shunt type (right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit vs modified Blalock-Taussing shunt) and association of VD/VT with postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing stage 1 palliation. ⋯ Increased pulmonary dead space exists early after stage 1 palliation operation for single ventricle congenital heart disease. Higher VD/VT during the first 48 postoperative hours was associated with longer duration of ventilation and hospital LOS and may be a useful marker of postoperative outcomes in this population.
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Oct 2014
Reducing Blood Testing in Pediatric Patients After Heart Surgery: A Quality Improvement Project.
To safely optimize blood testing and costs for pediatric cardiac surgical patients without adversely impacting patient outcomes. ⋯ Blood testing rates were safely decreased in postoperative pediatric cardiac patients by changing laboratory ordering practices. In addition, packed RBC transfusion was decreased among the most complex patients.
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Oct 2014
Multicenter StudyNurse Decision Making Regarding the Use of Analgesics and Sedatives in the Pediatric Cardiac ICU.
To describe nurse decision making and patient responses associated with the administration of analgesics and sedatives in the pediatric cardiac ICU. ⋯ Pediatric cardiac ICU nurses use many nonspecific indicators to describe patient level of comfort collectively. Decisions for managing patient comfort were influenced by their patients' overall hemodynamic stability.