Crit Care Resusc
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Opioid use disorder is extremely common. Many long-term opioid users will have their first exposure to opioids in hospitals. We aimed to compare long-term opioid use in patients who received fentanyl vs. morphine analgosedation and assess ICU related risk factors for long-term opioid use. ⋯ Approximately one in seven opioid-naïve patients who receive analgosedation for mechanical ventilation in ICU will be prescribed opioid medications at hospital discharge. There was no difference in discharge prescription or long-term use of opioids depending on whether fentanyl or morphine was used for analgosedation.
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To compare long-term psychological symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in intubated versus non-intubated ICU survivors. ⋯ Nearly one-in-two (47 %) of the intubated and non-intubated ICU survivors reported clinically significant psychological symptoms at 3 and 12-month follow-ups. Overall, more than 30 % at 3-months and over 20 % at 12-months of the survivors in both groups had moderate or worse problems with their usual activities and mobility. The presence of psychological symptoms and HRQOL impairments was similar between the groups.
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To describe the training and accreditation process behind an intensivist-led extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) cannulation program, and identify the rate of complications associated with the ECMO cannulation procedure. ⋯ Our experience of the first four years of an intensivist-led ECMO service demonstrates that our training process and cannulation technique result in the provision of a complex therapy with low levels of complications, on par with those in the published literature.
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We aimed to describe the characteristics, outcomes and resource utilisation of patients being cared for in an ICU after undergoing elective surgery in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). ⋯ ICU resource utilisation of patients who have undergone elective surgery is substantial. Those patients admitted directly from theatre have good outcomes and low resource utilisation. Patient admitted unplanned from the ward, although fewer, were sicker, more resource intensive and had significantly worse outcomes.
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Victoria, Australia provides a centralised state ECMO service, supported by ambulance retrieval. Equity of access to this service has not been previously described. ⋯ Victorian ECMO incidence rates were low. We did not find evidence of inequity of access to ECMO irrespective of regional area or socioeconomic status.