Intensive care medicine experimental
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Intensive Care Med Exp · Dec 2014
A novel echocardiographic imaging technique, intracatheter echocardiography, to guide veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation cannulae placement in a validated ovine model.
Echocardiography plays a fundamental role in cannulae insertion and positioning for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Optimal access and return cannulae orientation is required to prevent recirculation. The aim of this study was to compare a novel imaging technique, intracatheter echocardiography (iCATHe), with conventional intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) to guide placement of ECMO access and return venous cannulae. ⋯ iCATHe is a safe and feasible imaging technique to guide real-time VV ECMO cannulae placement and improves accuracy of return cannula positioning compared to ICE.
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Intensive Care Med Exp · Dec 2014
Can computer simulators accurately represent the pathophysiology of individual COPD patients?
Computer simulation models could play a key role in developing novel therapeutic strategies for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) if they can be shown to accurately represent the pathophysiological characteristics of individual patients. ⋯ Our results significantly strengthen the credibility of computer simulation models as research tools for the development of novel management protocols in COPD and other pulmonary disease states.
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Intensive Care Med Exp · Dec 2014
The effect of vitamin C on plasma volume in the early stage of sepsis in the rat.
Previous experimental studies have shown that vitamin C has several beneficial effects in sepsis and burns, such as decreased tissue oedema, improved endothelial barrier function and decreased transcapillary leakage of plasma markers. It has still not been investigated, though, if vitamin C has any impact specifically on plasma volume. The present study aims at testing the hypothesis that vitamin C decreases plasma volume loss in sepsis. ⋯ Vitamin C treatment did not decrease the loss of plasma volume in the septic rat. The diuretic effect of vitamin C was in accordance with previous studies.
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Intensive Care Med Exp · Dec 2014
Unilateral mechanical asymmetry: positional effects on lung volumes and transpulmonary pressure.
Ventilated patients with asymmetry of lung or chest wall mechanics may be vulnerable to differing lung stresses or strains dependent on body position. Our purpose was to examine transpulmonary pressure (P TP) and end-expiratory lung volume (functional residual capacity (FRC)) during body positioning changes in an animal model under the influence of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) or experimental pleural effusion (PLEF). ⋯ FRC did not differ among horizontal positions; however, semi-Fowler's positioning significantly raised FRC. P TP proved insensitive to mechanical asymmetry. While end-expiratory P TP was negative at PEEP1, applying PEEP10 caused a transition to positive P TP, suggestive of reopening of initially compressed lung units.
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Intensive Care Med Exp · Dec 2014
Moderately high frequency ventilation with a conventional ventilator allows reduction of tidal volume without increasing mean airway pressure.
The aim of this study was to explore if positive-pressure ventilation delivered by a conventional ICU ventilator at a moderately high frequency (HFPPV) allows a safe reduction of tidal volume (V T) below 6 mL/kg in a porcine model of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and at a lower mean airway pressure than high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV). ⋯ During protective mechanical ventilation, HFPPV delivered by a conventional ventilator in a severe ARDS swine model safely allows further tidal volume reductions. This strategy also allowed decreasing airway pressures while maintaining stable PaCO2 levels.