[Application of Lund concept in treating brain edema after severe head injury].

OBJECTIVE: To explore if the new treatment with Lund concept could reduce the mortality of patients after severe brain injury. METHODS: This study included 68 severe brain injury patients in whom Gloasgow coma score (GCS) was 3-8, and in 30 of them Lund concept was adopted, and the other 38 patients were taken care of by the conventional treatment in controlling intracranial pressure (ICP). Furthermore, in patients of the Lund group and control group ICP and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) were monitored continuously for 5 days. RESULTS: The amount of mannitol (g) used was markedly smaller in Lund group than that in the control group (139.6±25.0 vs. 587.5±31.8, P<0.01). The 28-day mortality of Lund group was significantly lower than that in control group (30.0% vs. 57.9%, P<0.05). In Lund group, the incidence of ICP exceeding 25 mm Hg (1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa) or 35 mm Hg or lowering of CPP by 50 mm Hg observed in the non-survivors (n=9) was greater than that observed in the survivors [n=21, (45.0±23.2)% vs. (7.2±3.6)%, (40.2±18.6)% vs. (2.2±1.6)%, (35.9±12.9)% vs. (3.1±2.4)%, all P<0.05]. CONCLUSION: By adopting the Lund concept, it is possible to reduce postoperative mortality after severe head injury.

[Effect of high volume hemofiltration on respiration, hemodynamics and oxygen metabolism in sepsis with acute respiratory distress syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of continuous high volume hemofiltration (HVHF) on respiration, hemodynamics, and oxygen metabolism in severe sepsis patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). METHODS: Twelve adult patients with ARDS received mechanical ventilation and HVHF (80 mlxkg(-1)xh(-1)) lasting 12-18 hours every day. The cardiac output (CO), systemic vascular resistance (SVR), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), mean pulmonary arterial pressure (MPAP), pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP), arterial oxygen content (CaO(2)), O(2) content of mixed venous blood (CvO(2)), oxygen consumption (VO(2)), oxygen delivery (DO(2)) and oxygen extraction rate (O(2)ER) were measured with the aid of a Swan-Ganz catheter, the thoracic fluid content (TFC) were measured with BioZ(r) Cardio Dynamics. Concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8 and IL-10 were measured pre-continuous HVHF and after continuous HVHF by enzyme linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA). Acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHEII) scores, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) evaluation scores and PaO(2)/FiO(2) were observed before and after HVHF. RESULTS: There were significant lowering of concentrations of TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-8 after HVHF at 72 hours (all P<0.05), and also in MPAP, PVR and TFC after 48 hours (all P<0.05). DO(2), VO(2) and O(2)ER were stabilized at 72 hours with amelioration of partial pressure of oxygen in artery (PaO(2)), PaO(2)/FiO(2) and peak airway pressure (Ppeak) (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Continuous HVHF shows significant beneficial effects on pulmonary function of severe sepsis patients with ARDS as a result of removal of cytokines, decrease of TFC and amelioration of disturbance in respiration, hemodynamics and oxygen metabolism.