Tracheal displacement
Tracheal displacement from the midline may occur towards or away from the causative lesion.
Category CCC
The LITFL Critical Care Compendium is a comprehensive collection of pages concisely covering the core topics and controversies of critical care.
Diagnostic Tests in Research
Diagnostic tests and terms: sensitivity; specificity; positive predictive value; negative predictive value; likelihood ratio; receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve)
Auto Triggering of the Ventilator
OVERVIEW CAUSES Flow distortions caused by: -> always consider patient actually breathing! PRESSURE VERSUS FLOW TRIGGERING ASSESSMENT Suspect if Identify cause MANAGEMENT Prevent Auto-triggering VIDEO References and Links
Driving pressure
Driving pressure has been suggested by Amato and colleagues to be the key variable for optimisation when performing mechanical ventilation in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
Hyperchloraemia
Hyperchloraemia is usually associated with sodium and inversely to HCO3
Lung Abscess
CLINICAL FEATURES fever cough SOB sputum nonresolving pneumonia RISK FACTORS dental caries foreign body aspiration (tooth, peanut) severe necrotising pneumonia altered LOC dysphagia IV drug use (septic emboli) septic thrombophlebits (pelvic or internal jugular) tumour Tb vasculitis MANAGEMENT identify organism…
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome: cessation of airflow from nose/mouth for >10s
resulting in intermittent respiratory arrests with hypoxaemia; interruption of REM sleep; >5 episodes/h
Extubation Assessment in the ED
The general principles are the same as for extubation of ICU patients. However, the criteria for extubation in the ED are generally more stringent as most ED staff are less experienced and less familiar with the process
Swallowing
Normal swallowing requires: timing and coordination of many muscles and several cranial nerves which are under voluntary and involuntary nervous control.
Difficulty weaning from mechanical ventilation
Difficulty weaning is an important ICU challenge. 20% to 30% of patients are difficult to wean from invasive mechanical ventilation
Non-Invasive Ventilation for Weaning
Non-invasive ventilation can be used as adjunct for weaning patients from mechanical ventilation
Extubation Assessment in the ICU
The criteria used to assess a patient to determine whether they are ready for extubation is complex and multi-factorial.