Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder affecting the neuromuscular junction function and causing muscle weakness that gets worse during the day and after physical activity. The most common medication prescribed for MG treatment is pyridostigmine. Continue reading
The work of breathing (WOB) is the amount of energy, which is consumed by the respiratory muscles, in order to perform one complete respiratory cycle. In several medical conditions, WOB might rise to a critical level which could necessitate initiation of mechanical ventilation (MV) or complicate weaning of the patient from MV. Continue reading
Four patients (♂/♀: 1/3), aged 51, 52, 50 and 58 years old, who underwent general surgery procedures, suffered acute major blood loss intraoperatively. For the management of acute hemorrhage, 4ml/kg NaCl 7.5% were administered in each patient at the fastest possible rate through the existing intravenous line. Both standard monitoring and Oesophageal Doppler Monitoring (ODM) were applied and heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (BPmean), stroke volume (SV), peak velocity (PV), mean acceleration (MA) and corrected flow time (FTc) were recorded at six different phases, before blood loss (Phase 1), before and after completion of NaCl 7.5% administration (Phases 2 & 3), 10min and 20min after NaCl 7.5% administration (Phases 4 and 5) and at the end of the surgical procedure (Phase 6). Continue reading
Increased Intraabdominal Pressure (IAP) is common in critical care patients and has detrimental effects on organs and systems. Several mechanisms and causes are involved in its pathogenesis. The aim of the present study was to investigate and record IAP effects alone and in combination with sepsis on respiratory mechanics. Continue reading
Several prevention and treatment strategies have been applied in order to prevent hypoxemia after open heart surgery with comparable good results. The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of two different alveolar recruitment maneuvers [RM] for the management of oxygenation impairment in cardiac surgical patients. A total number of sixty patients were included in this study. All patients underwent cardiac surgical procedures with extracorporeal circulation and developed oxygenation impairment after withdrawal of extracirculation support and sternal closure. Patients were randomly assigned into two Groups A and B according to the applied RM. In Group A three hyperinflations of the lungs were applied at an airway pressure of 40cmH2O for 10 sec, whereas in Group B Pressure Control Ventilation was applied for 2min with the inspiratory pressure set at 40cmH2O. After application of any of the two RM, PEEP was increased from 5 to 10 cmH2O in all patients. Anesthesia induction and maintenance and mechanical ventilation settings were similar in both study Groups. Continue reading
Pneumothorax is a collection of air in the pleural space between the lungs and the chest wall and depending on its cause it could be either spontaneous or traumatic. Tension Pneumothorax (TPT) can be a cause of cardiac arrest (CA) or might be a complication after chest compressions. According to the 2015 European Resuscitation Council guidelines on resuscitation, TP is considered one of the reversible causes of CA, which should be recognized and treated during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).   Continue reading
Pericardial decompression syndrome (PDS) is a rare but eventually fatal syndrome, which occurs after pericardial drainage. In this report we describe a patient who suffered from cardiovascular collapse and pulmonary edema after pericardial drainage. A male patient aged 42yrs complained of progressive dyspnea over the past 2 months and presented with clinical signs of pericardial tamponade. The patient underwent a surgical subxiphoid pericardial drainage under general anesthesia and mechanical ventilation. After pericardial drainage of 2.2lt, the patient was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit, where he was extubated2 hours later. Immediately after extubation, he showed clinical signs of cardiovascular collapse and pulmonary edema. The patient was reintubated immediately and placed on mechanical ventilation. He was extubated after 12hrs. His postoperative course was uneventful and he was discharged from the hospital after a few days. Continue reading
Central venous pressure (CVP) measurement along with invasive arterial pressure measurement are the two most widely used monitoring parameters in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and in the operating room (OR).In contrast with left heart catheterization, right heart catheterization is a procedure which is performed in the daily clinical practice both in the OR and the ICU and with which all anesthesiologists are well familiarized. Despite the limited usefulness of absolute CVP values, analysis of the CVP waveform offers important information regarding patient’s underlying pathology.ECG tracing should be taken concurrently with CVP measurement and CVP should be evaluated and interpreted in relationship to the ECG. CVP values are affected by several parameters such as mechanical ventilation and PEEP application, which should be taken into account when interpreting CVP measurements. Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is a relatively common abnormality and in most of the cases it is asymptomatic and has no clinical significance. In regard to etiology, TR can be categorized as primary (or organic) and secondary (or functional).TR allows blood to flow backwards across the valve from the right ventricle to the right atrium during right ventricle systole. When blood backflow is significant there may be giant systolic V waves in the CVP waveform. In case of severe TR, the giant systolic V waves are so prominent that the CVP waveform resembles the right ventricular pressure contour. This is called ventricularization of the right atrial pressure waveform. In contrast with the giant V waves in the CVP waveform, ventricularization of the right atrial pressure waveform is the most specific diagnostic criterion of severe TR. TR disease is diagnosed and thoroughly evaluated by echocardiography, which can give us information about its etiology and severity. However, CVP waveform may be indicative of TR and therefore could trigger further investigation and evaluation by echocardiography. Continue reading

Η βελτίωση των χειρουργικών τεχνικών αλλά κυρίως των χημειοθεραπευτικών σχημάτων αύξησε κατά πολύ την επιβίωση των ασθενών με κακοήθη νόσο των πνευμόνων. Οι ασθενείς που έχουν υποβληθεί σε θωρακοχειρουργική επέμβαση για κακοήθη νόσο πνευμόνων, έχουν αυξημένη πιθανότητα να υποβληθούν σε μια νέα διαγνωστική ή θεραπευτικήεπέμβαση, λόγω υποτροπής της αρχικής νόσου, ή εμφάνισης ενός δεύτερου πρωτοπαθούς όγκου του πνεύμονα.

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Increased IAP often coexists with sepsis in severely ill patients in the ICU, under mechanical ventilation and pharmaceutical support of the circulation with inotropes and vasoactive drugs. Both conditions have an unfavorable effect on the cardiovascular system. The purpose of this experimental study was to record the effect of increased intra-abdominal pressure on the cardiovascular system of pigs, with or without additional sepsis. Sixteen male pigs were randomly assigned in two groups A and B. In both groups, after induction to anesthesia and mechanical ventilation, the intra-abdominal pressure was increased to 25mmHg by helium insufflation in the peritoneal cavity, and that level of IAP was preserved until the end of the experiment. In Group A no other intervention apart from the increase in IAP was made, whereas in Group B, 60 minutes after the increase in IAP, 100μg/kg LPS were administered. Data were recorded after induction of anesthesia and initiation of mechanical ventilation (baseline measurement/measurement 0) and thereafter every 20 min after intra-abdominal pressure increase. The last measurement (measurement 9) was obtained immediately before release of pneumoperitoneum. Parameters measured or calculated included HR, BP(s,d,m), RVPs, PAP(s,d,m), PΑWP, CO, SV, SVR, PVR, SvO2, ETCO2. HR increased statistically significantly only in Group B, 60 minutes after the administration of LPS. BP (s, d, m) presented a significant change only in Group B, an initial increase immediately after LPS administration, followed by a decrease. CVP, RVPs and PAP (s, d, m) increased in both groups after IAP increase, whereas they presented an additional increase in Group B, after LPS administration. PΑWP changed only in Group B, after LPS administration. CO and SV were dramatically reduced in Group B, immediately after LPS administration, but gradually recovered their initial values until the end of the experiment. SVR changed only in Group B. They increased after LPS administration and then they gradually decreased. PVR increased dramatically after LPS administration and, despite gradual decrease they remained at high values until the end of the experiment. SvO2 decreased in Group B after LPS administration but gradually recovered its initial values. At the conditions of this particular experiment, the increase in intra-abdominal pressure was well tolerated by the laboratory animals. On the contrary, sepsis induction by LPS administration had an unfavorable effect on the cardiovascular system.

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