Tag: ICU

RRT Modality in the ICU and Renal Recovery at Hospital Discharge

In this large retrospective study, intermittent hemodialysis as an initial modality was associated with lower renal recovery at hospital discharge among patients with acute kidney injury, although the difference seems somewhat... read more

Animal-assisted Activity in the ICU

Animals are being introduced into hospital settings in ever-increasing numbers. Emerging literature suggests that incorporating trained animals to assist with medical care and rehabilitation therapies can promote patient... read more

Focus on Ventilation and Airway Management in the ICU

Airway and ventilation management are particularly challenging in the intensive care unit (ICU), and are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Figure summarizes some of the more recent findings from the literature.... read more

New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation in the Critically Ill

Kyle Enfield, MD, speaks with Travis J. Moss, MD, MSc, and J. Randall Moorman, MD, about the article, "New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation in the Critically Ill," published in the May 2017 issue of Critical Care Medicine. Drs.... read more

Is this critically ill patient elderly or too old?

Life expectancy is increasing in industrialized countries. It is forecast that in the European Union 24.4 million people will be older than 85 years in 2040, more than doubling from the 10.4 million seen in 2010. In parallel,... read more

Understanding Adrenal Crisis

Approximately 5–17 cases of adrenal crisis (AC) occur per 100 patient years in patients with primary or secondary adrenal insufficiency (AI). The mortality rate is estimated to be between 0.5% and 2%. Norwegian data indicate... read more

Alarm Fatigue in ICU Addressed in Two Studies

Alarm fatigue within the intensive care unit (ICU) can negatively impact patient safety and lead to life-threatening events. Researchers from Harlem Hospital and Maimonides Medical Center aimed to identify solutions fight... read more

Bedside Chest Radiographs in the ICU – DRw vs. CR

Critical care chest radiography with a portable wireless direct radiography (DRw) system can provide similar or superior information compared to a computed radiography (CR) system regarding clinically significant findings... read more

The Role of Physiotherapy in Enhanced Recovery After Surgery in the ICU

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is an evidence-based, multimodal approach to optimising patient outcomes following surgery. The role of physiotherapy within ERAS and intensive care units (ICU) is important. Patients... read more

Barriers to Delirium Assessment in the ICU

Many barriers exist to prevent effective assessment and management of delirium, but several of these are due to a lack of understanding or unfamiliarity with the condition and the assessment tools as well as lack of medical... read more

Severe AKI in Young ICU Patients Predicts Higher Mortality

Acute kidney injury (AKI) among critically ill children and young adults is common and is associated with higher mortality risk and other poor outcomes The condition also is associated with greater use of renal-replacement... read more

Active Noise Control Headphones to Reduce Patient’s Exposure to ICU Noise

The use of active noise cancellation, as delivered by noise-cancelling headphones, is associated with a significant reduction in noise exposure in our model of noise exposure in a cardiac ICU. This is the first study to look... read more

ICU Telemedicine Program Financial Outcomes

The ability of properly modified ICU telemedicine programs to increase case volume and access to high-quality critical care with improved annual direct contribution margins suggests that there is a financial argument to encourage... read more

Robot aims to zap out ICU infections

Hospital workers are constantly cleaning rooms to avoid Hospital Acquired Infections at Hunterdon Medical Center, but now a robot will be working to do the dirty work. In July, the hospital purchased a $100,000 Xenex... read more

Sound and Light Levels Are Similarly Disruptive in ICU and non-ICU Wards

Quieter, non-ICU wards have as many SLCs as ICUs do, which has implications for quality improvement measurements. Efforts to further reduce average noise levels might be counterproductive. Light levels in the hospital (ICU... read more

Preventing the misuse of ICU visiting hours to reduce inequities

Family participation in healthcare serves to improve outcomes across a broad spectrum of conditions. Current guidelines recommend open family presence in the intensive care unit (ICU) while citing evidence of its safety.... read more

Does Early Mobilization Reduce Time in the Surgical ICU?

Is early mobilization in the surgical intensive care unit (ICU) beneficial? Here is a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial in five university hospitals, where they recruited a total of 200 patients.... read more

Continuing Rehabilitation After ICU Discharge

This article discusses technological innovations that promote survival and enhance recovery, starting within the ICU with developments in ventilation, sedation, early mobility and ICU design. Post-ICU, the establishment of... read more

Immunoglobulin G for patients with Necrotising Soft Tissue Infection

The aim of the INSTINCT trial was to assess the effect of intravenous polyspecific immunoglobulin G (IVIG) compared with placebo on self-reported physical function in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with necrotising soft... read more

Doctors Feel What It’s Like to Be in the ICU

Immersive art project lets Mount Sinai staff hear noises and feel confined like intensive-care brain trauma patients; a new view of treating unconscious patients.... read more

Terminal weaning or immediate extubation for withdrawing mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients

This prospective observational multicentre study (ARREVE) was done in 43 French ICUs to compare terminal weaning and immediate extubation, as chosen by the ICU team. Terminal weaning was a gradual decrease in the amount of... read more

Post-ICU syndrome signals need for better transition between life-saving care and return to life

Studies show that there are a range of reactions to a stay in the ICU, from the physical wasting that patients experience when they're prone and immobilized to the emotional problems that can come with surviving a near-death... read more