The LITFL Critical Care Compendium is a comprehensive collection of pages concisely covering the core topics and controversies of critical care.
Pelvic stabilization is an important simple intervention in the management of severe pelvic trauma, and has 4 main objectives: Prevent re-injury from pathological pelvic motion (most important clinically); Decrease pelvic volume; Tamponade bleeding pelvic bones and vessels; Decrease pain
Post-splenectomy patients are at increased risk of infection from encapsulated organisms which can (very rarely) lead to overwhelming post-splenectomy sepsis (OPSS); have distinctive findings on full blood count (FBC) and the blood film
COMMON NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS COMMON NOSOCOMIAL ORGANISMS RISK FACTORS Patient Environment Organism References and Links
MYCOBACTERIUM organisms: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. bovis, M. africanum, M. microtti, and M. canetti Tb insoniazid + rifampicin + pyrazinamide + ethambutol streptomycin ciprofloxacin Non-Tb rifampicin dapsone clofazimine kansassi: ciprofloxacin fortuitum: ciprofloxacin avium-intracellulare: clarithromycin, azithromycin chelonae: clarithromycin, azithromycin INTRACELLULAR ORGANISMS Mycoplasma…
Pneumocystis pneumonia: form of pneumonia caused by the yeast-like fungus Pneumocystis jirovecii, most commonly as an opportunistic infection in the immunosuppressed
A pressure ulcer is localized injury to the skin and/or underlying tissue usually over a bony prominence, as a result of pressure, or pressure in combination with shear
Q Fever: infection caused by Coxiella burnetii
Selective Digestive Decontamination (SDD) is a prophylactic strategy to prevent or minimize nosocomial endogenous and exogenous infections in critically ill patients
Soil-related Infections
Staphylococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome: staphylococcal toxin producing infection -> intoxication of exotoxins (TSS-1, 2 or 3 enterotoxin)-> toxic shock syndrome
Staphylococcus Aureus: aerobic gram positive cocci; has developed beta-lactamase activity thus is not susceptible to penicillin (use flucloxacillin at doses of 2g 4-6 hrly)
Tetanus: potentially lethal condition characterised by muscular rigidity and spasms, caused by the tetanospasmin toxin produced by Clostridium tetani, that may lead to life-threatening respiratory failure and autonomic dysregulation in severe cases