Interventional Radiology and the Critically Ill
Main goals of interventional radiology (IR) therapies: stop bleeding without surgery; relieve obstruction; drain collections; and insert therapeutic or prophylactic devices
Pelvic Stabilization
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 Care
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
Nosocomial Infections in ICU
COMMON NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS COMMON NOSOCOMIAL ORGANISMS RISK FACTORS Patient Environment Organism References and Links
Other Bacteria
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
Pneumocystis pneumonia: form of pneumonia caused by the yeast-like fungus Pneumocystis jirovecii, most commonly as an opportunistic infection in the immunosuppressed
Pressure Areas and Pressure Ulcers
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
Q Fever: infection caused by Coxiella burnetii
Selective Digestive Decontamination
Selective Digestive Decontamination (SDD) is a prophylactic strategy to prevent or minimize nosocomial endogenous and exogenous infections in critically ill patients
Soil-related Infections
Soil-related Infections
Staphylococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome
Staphylococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome: staphylococcal toxin producing infection -> intoxication of exotoxins (TSS-1, 2 or 3 enterotoxin)-> toxic shock syndrome
Staphylococcus Aureus
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)