Cranial nerve lesions DDx
Differential diagnosis of cranial nerve lesions includes central and peripheral causes. Causes vary according to which cranial nerve is affected, and whether multiple cranial nerves are involved. See also
Category CCC
The LITFL Critical Care Compendium is a comprehensive collection of pages concisely covering the core topics and controversies of critical care.
Peripheral neuropathy DDx
Diseases that affect the the peripheral nerves, either motor or sensory. Important subgroups for differential diagnosis are: predominately motor, painful peripheral neuropathies and mononeuritis multiplex
Radiculopathy DDx
A radiculopathy is sensory or motor dysfunction resulting from pathology involving a spinal nerve root. Symptoms include weakness, burning, tingling, and ‘shooting’ pain in a nerve root distribution.
Pressure vs Volume Loop
Pressure vs Volume Loop: graphical representation of relationship between pressure and volume during inspiration and expiration. Spontaneous breaths go clockwise and positive pressure go counter clockwise
Dynamic Pressure-Volume Loops
Dynamic Pressure-Volume Loops: used to estimate work of breathing in terms of expiratory and inspiratory components.
Seizures DDx
Seizures are the manifestation of abnormal hyperexcitable discharges of cortical neurons. 10 minutes of continuous seizure activity is now considered status epilepticus, which may result in neuronal damage. Seizures should be aggressively treated if they last longer than 5 minutes.
Tube securing devices
Tube securing devices: prevent dislodgement of endotracheal or tracheostomy tubes
Drowning
Drowning is the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion/immersion in liquid (WHO 2002 definition)
drowning can be due to — submersion (the airway goes below the level of the surface of the liquid) or — immersion (a liquid is splashed across a person’s face, e.g water-boarding)
Basic Life Support
Basic Life Support
Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening, generalised or systemic hypersensitivity reaction. It is characterised by rapidly developing life-threatening airway (pharyngeal or laryngeal edema) and/or breathing (bronchospasm and tachypnea) and/or circulation (hypotension and tachycardia) problems usually associated with skin and mucosal changes
Resuscitation Team Leader
The roles and priorities in a cardiac arrest situation is dependent on: the environment where arrest takes place; the nature of the cardiac arrest, ; and the skill mix of the people in the immediate environment
Hypovolaemia
DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS Detrimental effects are due to impaired cardiac output and organ perfusion and oxygen delivery oliguria -> ATN -> cortical necrosis -> ARF cerebral ischaemia -> confusion -> decreased LOC -> infarction myocardial ischaemia -> cardiogenic shock -> heart…