Crit Care Resusc
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The development of specialised airway tools help laryngoscopists secure the airway in intensive care units. The use of videolaryngoscopy has been suggested in simulation studies, and human studies suggest that this advanced airway tool may have an advantage for difficult airways; however, less is known about its use in the ICU. ⋯ The use of a new airway tool may not necessarily lead to immediate reduction in attempts at orotracheal intubation or in overall complication rates.
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Comparative Study
Increased blood volume following resolution of acute cardiogenic pulmonary oedema: a retrospective analysis.
Acute cardiogenic pulmonary oedema (APO) occurs due to an increase in pulmonary microvascular pressure and massive transvascular fluid filtration into the lungs, causing respiratory insufficiency. ⋯ Patients with APO are hypovolaemic at the onset relative to their state after treatment. With treatment and resolution of APO, hypovolaemia is corrected and circulating volume is restored.
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To determine the extent to which physical function is restored 6 months after intensive care unit admission, and whether this is associated with short or long ICU length of stay (LOS). ⋯ Our study showed that patients who survive treatment for life-threatening illness in an Australian ICU for more than 48 hours and are subsequently able to communicate are likely to return to their premorbid functional level (as defined by FIM score) within 6 months.
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Comparative Study
A pilot study of the epidemiology and associations of pulse pressure variation in cardiac surgery patients.
Pulse pressure variation (PPV) is an accepted measure of intravascular filling. It can now be estimated automatically. However, there is limited knowledge of the epidemiology and associations of such estimates in cardiac surgery patients. ⋯ In a tertiary ICU, among patients who had recently had cardiac surgery, automated PPV values in the likely FR range were present in over a third of measurements. Correlations with other haemodynamic and ventilation values were logical and expected.