Month January 2019
CCC Critical Care compendium 340

Haemorrhage and Pregnancy

Hemorrhage and Pregnancy: gravid uterus receives 15% of Q -> bleeding can be rapid; principle causes; abruption, placenta praevia, PPH; baby more at risk than mum

CCC Critical Care compendium 340

HELLP Syndrome

HELLP Syndrome: haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and a low platelet count. There is clear overlap between pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome, and it is unclear whether the latter is a primary or secondary disease process.

CCC Critical Care compendium 340

Influenza and Pregnancy

Influenza and Pregnancy: known high incidence of morbidity and mortality in mother and foetus in H1N1 infection and severe community acquired pneumonia; multidisciplinary team approach: O&G, NICU, anaesthetics, ICU; planned delivery of foetus (although the teams may have conflicting interests)

CCC Critical Care compendium 340

Spinal Imaging

Spinal Imaging: CT is the best way to image the spine for bony injuries (will miss 6% of discoligamentous injuries). If suspected soft tissue or spinal cord injury -> patient requires an MRI

CCC Critical Care compendium 340

Stool specimens

OVERVIEW microscopy and culture is useful in community acquired diarrhoeal syndromes (not useful otherwise) in-hospital:— blood = ischaemic bowel or surgical cause— diarrhoea = rule out Clostridium difficile infection MICROSCOPY parasites, cysts, ova: giardia, cryptosporidium, blastocystis red and white cells:…

CCC Critical Care compendium 340

Bone Marrow Biopsy

Bone Marrow Biopsy: Confirm diagnosis. Allows therapy to be targeted. Needs to be done only, if the answer cannot be seen from peripheral blood already.