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

A multicenter, randomized trial of a checklist for endotracheal intubation of critically ill adults

The verbal performance of a written, pre-procedure checklist does not increase the lowest arterial oxygen saturation or lowest systolic blood pressure during endotracheal intubation of critically ill adults compared to usual... read more

Drug does not significantly reduce duration of mechanical ventilation for COPD patients

Among mechanically ventilated patients with COPD, administration of the respiratory stimulant acetazolamide did not significantly reduce the duration of invasive mechanical ventilation.... read more

Noninvasive Ventilation in Patients With Hematologic Malignancy

Two-thirds of patients with Hematologic Malignancy and respiratory failure failed Noninvasive Ventilation (NIV) and required endotracheal intubation, and had high subsequent mortality. Patients who failed NIV had higher Paco2,... read more

Airway Management of The Morbidly Obese Patient

Obesity is a major health care dilemma. All aspects of medical care, including anesthesia, are affected by it. All physiologic systems are altered by obesity, which imparts a higher risk for complications in the perioperative... read more

Mastering Intensive Care

Is the patient the centre of every action you take in the ICU? Do you exude calm and enthusiastic energy and greet other team members warmly and genuinely? Do you seek pleasure in seeing colleagues grow to become more skilled... read more

Avoiding Intubation

Review the basic principles and physiology of Non-Invasive Ventilation and High-Flow Oxygen Systems. Critical Care Summit talk by William Bender, MD, Assistant Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Emory University School... read more

An Airway Risk Assessment Score for Unplanned Extubation in PICU

Higher Risk Assessment Scores are associated with occurrence rates of unplanned extubation. As a result of a workshop to identify common causes of unplanned extubation, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta developed a scoring... read more

Intubation During CPR was Associated with Worse Survival and Brain Health

Intubating patients in cardiac arrest is widely considered ideal care. But in this analysis, the patients who were intubated were less likely to survive (16% vs 19%) or have a good functional outcome (~11% vs ~14%). Intubation... read more

Trials directly comparing alternative spontaneous breathing trial techniques

The effect of alternative spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) techniques on extubation success and other clinically important outcomes is uncertain. Patients undergoing PS (vs T-piece) SBTs appear to be 6% (95% CI 2–10%)... read more

Effect of Noninvasive Ventilation Delivered by Helmet vs Face Mask on the Rate of Endotracheal Intubation in Patients With ARDS

Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) with a face mask is relatively ineffective at preventing endotracheal intubation in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Delivery of NIV with a helmet may be a superior strategy... read more

Video Laryngoscopy for Endotracheal Intubation of Critically Ill Adults

Endotracheal intubation (EI) in intensive care unit (ICU) patients is associated with an increased risk of life-threatening adverse events due to unstable conditions, rapid deterioration, limited preparation time, and variability... read more

Diagnostic Value of Procalcitonin on Early Postoperative Infection After Pediatric Cardiac Surgery

Procalcitonin was more accurate than C-reactive protein and WBC to predict early postoperative infection, but the diagnostic properties of procalcitonin could not be observed during the first 3 postoperative days due to the... read more

Video vs direct laryngoscopy in the ICU: are we asking the right question?

Endotracheal intubation in the operating room (OR) and the ICU are different procedures, but this is not always recognized. The ICU patient should be evaluated as a physiologically difficult airway, in contrast to the traditional... read more

Ramped Position versus Sniffing Position during Endotracheal Intubation

A Multicenter, Randomized Trial of Ramped Position versus Sniffing Position during Endotracheal Intubation of Critically Ill Adults. Hypoxemia is the most common complication during endotracheal intubation of critically ill... read more

Bi-level Ventilation: Who Needs it and Who Doesn't?

Bi-level ventilation is commonly used in patients with respiratory failure in the emergency department. This is a brief review of the indications for bi-level ventilation as well as a review of the complications of this popular... read more

Rocketamine vs. Keturonium for Rapid Sequence Intubation

Airway management is a detail-oriented sport. Minor nuances of patient positioning can be essential. Or gentle laryngeal manipulation. Apneic oxygenation can improve first-pass success. Placing the pulse oximeter on the... read more

Hemodialysis and Survival in Intubated Salicylate-Poisoned Patients

Salicylate-poisoned patients can be incredibly complex and severely ill. Secondary to the significant acid-base abnormalities that can accompany salicylate poisoning, hemodialysis (HD) is sometimes required to facilitate... read more

Post Intubation Hypotension: The AH SHITE mnemonic

Here is a crowd sourced approach that will allow most etiologies of post intubation hypotension to be identified: The AH SHITE mnemonic is something that you can quickly run through en route to the patient’s room, or at... read more

Telemedicine and e-Health

Telemedicine-Assisted Intubation in Rural Emergency Departments: A National Emergency Airway Registry Study. Intubation in rural emergency departments (EDs) is a high-risk procedure, often with little or no specialty support.... read more

Early Palliative Care in Advanced Illness

As the on-call pulmonary critical care fellow, I listened to a family member plead with me to "do right by Mama." The emergency department team consulted me for possible intensive care unit (ICU) admission on a... read more

A Call for Fresh Airway Management Standards

Anesthesiology News recently reported on a study that promoted the LMA in prone position to "avoid intubation, reduce use of relaxants and minimize airway trauma." This study reflects increasing confusion in a complex... read more