Effects of cold spray on thirst, frequency of oral care, and pain of general surgery intensive care unit patients.

This study aims to investigate the effects of intraoral cold water spray on thirst, frequency of oral care and postoperative period pain at surgical incision site in patients having abdominal surgery. The study was carried out as a randomized controlled trial, registered under Clinical Trial Number: NCT05940818. The study involved 110 participants, divided equally into two groups (n = 55): the experimental group and the control group. Data were collected using patient information form, NRS, Intensive Care Oral Care Frequency Assessment Scale (ICOCFAS) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The severity of thirst at 1st, 8th, 16th h of post-operative period (p < 0.01) and the frequency of oral care application at 16th h were statistically significantly decreased in the experimental group when compared to the control group (p < 0.01).There wasn't statistically significant difference between the patients in the experimental and control groups in terms of pain at surgical incision site (p > 0.05). The patient's thirst and need for frequent oral care in the postoperative period were reduced by the application of a cold water spray. In patients undergoing abdominal surgery, the use of cold water spray application may be recommended to reduce thirst and the need for frequency of oral care application.

Volatile versus propofol sedation after cardiac valve surgery: a single-center prospective randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Optimal intensive care of patients undergoing valve surgery is a complex balancing act between sedation for monitoring and timely postoperative awakening. It remains unclear, if these requirements can be fulfilled by volatile sedations in intensive care medicine in an efficient manner. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the time to extubation and secondary the workload required. METHODS: We conducted a prospective randomized single-center trial at a tertiary university hospital to evaluate the postoperative management of open valve surgery patients. The study was randomized with regard to the use of volatile sedation compared to propofol sedation. Sedation was discontinued 60 min after admission for critical postoperative monitoring. RESULTS: We observed a significantly earlier extubation (91 ± 39 min vs. 167 ± 77 min; p < 0.001), eye-opening (86 ± 28 min vs. 151 ± 71 min; p < 0.001) and command compliance (93 ± 38 min vs. 164 ± 75 min; p < 0.001) using volatile sedation, which in turn was associated with a significantly increased workload of a median of 9:56 min (± 4:16 min) set-up time. We did not observe any differences in complications. Cardiopulmonary bypass time did not differ between the groups 101 (IQR 81; 113) versus 112 (IQR 79; 136) minutes p = 0.36. CONCLUSIONS: Using volatile sedation is associated with few minutes additional workload in assembling and enables a significantly accelerated evaluation of vulnerable patient groups. Volatile sedation has considerable advantages and emerges as a safe sedation technique in our vulnerable study population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical trials registration (NCT04958668) was completed on 1 July 2021.

The Effect of Delay Following the Clinical Decision to Perform Tracheostomy in the Critical Care Setting.

BACKGROUND: Tracheostomy in patients who are critically ill is generally performed due to prolonged mechanical ventilation and expected extubation failure. However, tracheostomy criteria and ideal timing are poorly defined, including equivocal data from randomized controlled trials and median intubation to tracheostomy times that range from 7-21 d. However, a consistent finding is that only ∼50% of late tracheostomy groups actually undergo tracheostomy, with non-performance due to recovery or clinical deterioration. Unlike in many jurisdictions, elective surgical procedures in our institution require a court-appointed guardian, which necessitates an approximately 1-week delay between the decision to perform tracheostomy and surgery. This offers a unique opportunity to observe patients with potential tracheostomy during a delay between the decision and the performance. METHODS: ICU patients who were ventilated were identified for inclusion retrospectively by an application for guardianship relating to tracheostomy, the intention-to-treat point. The main outcomes of tracheostomy, extubation, or death/palliative care after inclusion were noted. Demographics, outcomes, and event timing were compared for the 3 outcome groups. RESULTS: Tracheostomy-related guardianship requests were made for 388 subjects. Of these, 195 (50%) underwent tracheostomy, whereas 127 (33%) were extubated and 66 (17%) either died before tracheostomy (46 [12%]) or were transitioned to palliative care (20 [5%]). The median time (interquartile range) from guardianship request until a defining event was the following: 6.2 (4.0-11) d for tracheostomy, 5.0 (2.9-8.2) d for extubation (P < .001 as compared to tracheostomy group), and 6.5 (2.5-11) d for death/palliative care (P = .55 as compared to tracheostomy). Neurological admissions were more common in the tracheostomy group and less common in the palliative group. Other admission demographics and hospitalization characteristics were similar. Hospital mortality was higher for subjects undergoing tracheostomy (58/195 [30%]) versus extubation (24/127 [19%]) (P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Delay in performing tracheostomy due to legal requirements was associated with a 50% decrease in the need for tracheostomy. This suggests that decision-making with regard to ideal tracheostomy timing could be improved, saving unnecessary procedures.

[Medical nutrition therapy in surgical critical ill patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction: challenges and strategies].

Gastrointestinal dysfunction(GID) is frequently seen in critically ill patients and is associated with worse clinical outcomes. Medical nutrition therapy (MNT) is an integral part of critical care, which may be associated with improved clinical outcomes. The international practical guidelines or consensus for critically ill patients were recommended based on the results of previous investigations. However, the rationale of these recommendations was controversial by the findings of the most recent studies. This review discusses the current developments and controversy about nutritional assessment of critically ill patients prior to medical nutrition therapy, early enteral nutrition, target of trophic feeding, and time to target achievement. This review summarizes the available evidence of MNT in critically ill patients and offers suggestions for clinical practice and future research.

Critical Care Alarm Fatigue and Monitor Customization: Alarm Frequencies and Context Factors.

BACKGROUND: Alarm fatigue among nurses working in the intensive care unit has garnered considerable attention as a national patient safety priority. A viable solution for reducing the frequency of alarms and unnecessary noise is intensive care unit alarm monitor customization. LOCAL PROBLEM: A 24-bed cardiovascular and thoracic surgery intensive care unit in a large academic medical center identified a high rate of alarms and associated noise as a problem contributing to nurse alarm fatigue. METHODS: An alarm monitor quality improvement project used both alarm frequency and nurse surveys before and after implementation to determine the effectiveness of interventions. Multimodal interventions included nurse training sessions, informational flyers, organizational policies, and an alarm monitor training video. Unexpected results inspired an extensive investigation and secondary analysis, which included examining the data-capturing capabilities of the alarm monitors and the impact of context factors. RESULTS: Alarm frequencies unexpectedly increased after the intervention. The software data-capturing features of the alarm monitors for determining frequency did not accurately measure nurse interactions with monitors. Measured increases in patient census, nurse staffing, and data input from medical devices from before to after the intervention substantially affected project results. CONCLUSIONS: Alarm frequencies proved an unreliable measure of nurse skills and practices in alarm customization. Documented changes in context factors provided strong anecdotal evidence of changed circumstances that clarified project results and underscored the critical importance of contemporaneous collection of context data. Designs and methods used in quality improvement projects must include reliable outcome measures to achieve meaningful results.

The effect of ice-cold water spray following the model for symptom management on postoperative thirst in patients admitted to intensive care unit: A randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative thirst is common in patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Existing methods like wet cotton swabs or oral care prove ineffectual or operationally intricate. Currently, an efficacious postoperative thirst alleviation method remains elusive. Exploring a prompt, safe, and efficacious solution is of paramount importance. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of ice-cold water spray applied following a symptom management model on postoperative thirst and to establish a framework for mitigating thirst in intensive care unit patients. RESEARCH DESIGN: Single-center randomized controlled study. SETTING: Surgical intensive care unit in a university-affiliated hospital. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: 56 intensive care unit patients were selected and equally randomized. The experimental group received ice-cold water spray in conjunction with eight symptom management strategies, while the control group underwent standard care involving wet cotton swabs. Thirst intervention was initiated 0.5 hours after postoperative extubation, followed by subsequent interventions at 2-hour, 4-hour, and 6-hour intervals post-extubation. Thirst intensity, oral comfort, and the duration of relief from thirst were assessed and compared between groups before and 0.5 hours after each thirst intervention. RESULTS: Across different interventions, the experimental group exhibited superior scores in thirst intensity and oral comfort compared to the control group. Additionally, the nursing time required to alleviate thirst in the experimental group was significantly shorter than that in the control group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Ice-cold water spray following the model for symptom management can effectively mitigate the postoperative thirst intensity in intensive care unit patients, improve oral comfort, and reduce the nursing time for relieving thirst. IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: Clinical nurses can employ ice-cold water spray following the model for symptom management to ameliorate postoperative thirst intensity in ICU patients while enhancing oral comfort. Furthermore, the utilization of ice-cold water spray can reduce the nursing time required for relieving postoperative thirst in intensive care unit patients.

Determinants of fluid use and the association between volume of fluid used and effect of balanced solutions on mortality in critically ill patients: a secondary analysis of the BaSICS trial.

PURPOSE: Fluid use could modulate the effect of balanced solutions (BS) on outcome of intensive care unit (ICU) patients. It is uncertain whether fluid use practices are driven more by patient features or local practices. It is also unclear whether a "dose-response" for the potential benefits of balanced solutions exists. METHODS: The secondary analysis of the Balanced Solution in Intensive Care Study (BaSICS) compared 0.9% saline versus Plasma-Lyte 148® (BS) for fluid therapy in the ICU. The relative contribution of patient features and enrolling site (the random effect) on the volume of fluid used up to day 3 after admission was assessed using different methods, including a Bayesian regression, a frequentist mixed model, and a random forest, all adjusted for relevant patient confounders. Subsequently, a variety of methods were used to assess whether volume of fluid used modulated the effect of BS on 90-day mortality, including a traditional subgroup analysis for patients that remained alive and in the ICU up to 3 days, a Bayesian network accounting for competing risks, and an analysis based on site practices. RESULTS: 10,505 patients were analyzed. Median fluid use in the BS arm and in the 0.9% saline arm were 2500 mL and 2488 mL, respectively. The random effect in the Bayesian regression explained 0.32 (95% credible intervals (CrI) 0.24-0.41) of all model variance (0.33, 95% credible intervals from 0.32-0.35). Frequentist and random forest models produced similar results. In the analysis including only patients alive and in the ICU at 3 days, there was a strong suggestion of interaction between fluid use and the effect of BS, driven mostly by a lower mortality with BS compared to 0.9% saline as fluid use increased for patients with sepsis. These results were consistent in the Bayesian network analysis and in an analysis based on site practices, where septic patients enrolled to BS at high fluid use sites had a lower mortality (absolute risk reduction of - 0.13 [95% credible interval - 0.27 to - 0.01]; 0.98 probability of benefit). CONCLUSION: Baseline patient characteristics collected in the BaSICS trial explain less of the variance of fluid use during the first 3 days than the enrolling site. Volume of fluid used and the effects of BS appear to interact, mostly in the sepsis subgroup where there was a strong association between fluid use after enrollment and the effect of BS on 90-day mortality.

Management of swallowing disorders in ICU patients - A multinational expert opinion.

BACKGROUND: Dysphagia is common in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, yet it remains underrecognized and often unmanaged despite being associated with life-threatening complications, prolonged ICU stays and hospitalization. PURPOSE: To propose an expert opinion for the diagnosis and management of dysphagia developed from evidence-based clinical recommendations and practitioner insights. METHODS: A multinational group of dysphagia and critical care experts conducted a literature review using a modified ACCORD methodology. Based on a fusion of the available evidence and the panel's clinical experience, an expert opinion on best practice management was developed. RESULTS: The panel recommends adopting clinical algorithms intended to promote standardized, high-quality care that triggers timely systematic dysphagia screening, assessment, and treatment of extubated and tracheostomized patients in the ICU. CONCLUSIONS: Given the lack of robust scientific evidence, two clinical management algorithms are proposed for use by multidisciplinary teams to improve early systematic detection and effective management of dysphagia in ICU patients. Additionally, emerging therapeutic options such as neurostimulation have the potential to improve the quality of ICU dysphagia care.

Intensive care utilisation after elective surgery in Australia and New Zealand: getting the balance right.

Of the total intensive care unit (ICU) admissions in Australia and New Zealand, 36.6% occur following an elective surgical procedure. How best to use ICU services in this setting is not clear, despite this being an expensive and resource-intensive method of care delivery. The literature relating to this area has not demonstrated a clear association between improved outcomes and routine ICU utilisation. It has, however, demonstrated that methods of care delivery in this setting vary at the local, national and international level. There is now an increased interest in how we can offer safe, efficient care to patients who need ICU-level support after elective surgery, as well as where and when that care can be offered. We had previously performed a literature review relating to ICU utilisation in the elective surgical post-operative setting. This perspective piece arises from this literature review as well as extensive clinical experience from the authors. We discuss the need for a move towards an evidence-based indication for ICU admission and how this may be achieved. We then move on to the various alternative models of care that could be offered, briefly discussing their positives and potential drawbacks. We finish by outlining the research priorities and how these might be implemented in clinical practice. Getting the balance right between ICU admission and higher acuity ward-level care for post-operative elective surgical patients is difficult. However, this is an important challenge that we as a healthcare community must be working to answer.

The rate of ward to intensive care transfer and its predictors among hospitalized COPD patients, a retrospective study in a local tertiary center in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and its predictors among hospitalized chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. METHODS: An observational retrospective study was conducted. All patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COPD according to the GOLD guidelines between 28 and 2020 and 1 March 2023 at Al-Noor Specialist Hospital were included in this study. Patients were excluded if a preemptive diagnosis of COPD was made clinically without spirometry evidence of fixed airflow limitation. Descriptive results were presented as frequency (percentage) for categorical variables and mean (SD) for continuous variables and to estimate prevalence of ICU admission. Predictors of ICU admission among hospitalized COPD patients were determined using logistic regression analysis. A SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) version 25 was used to perform all statistical analysis. RESULTS: A total of 705 patients with COPD were included in this study. The mean age was 65.4 (25.3) years. Around 12.4% of the hospitalized patients were admitted to the ICD. Logistic regression analysis identified that older age (OR; 1.92, (1.41-2.62)), smoking (OR; 1.60 (1.17-2.19)), and having specific comorbidities (Hypertension (OR; 1.98 (1.45-2.71)), Diabetes mellitus (OR; 1.42 (1.04-1.93)), GERD (OR; 2.81 (1.99-3.96)), Ischemic heart disease (OR; 3.22 (2.19-4.75)), Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OR; 2.14 (1.38-3.33)), stroke (OR; 4.51 (2.20-9.26))) were predictors of ICU admissions among patients with COPD. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that a step-up approach to inpatient COPD management requires admission to the ICU in 12.4%, for which age, smoking status, cardiovascular, and stroke were important predictors. Further clinical research is needed to provide a validated model that can be incorporated into clinical practice to monitor this patient population during their admission and identify at-risk individuals for early transfer to higher acuity settings and intensive care units.

ICU Delirium in Cardiac Patients.

Delirium is a prevalent complication in critically ill medical and surgical cardiac patients. It is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, prolonged hospitalizations, cognitive impairments, functional decline, and hospital costs. The incidence of delirium in cardiac patients varies based on the criteria used for the diagnosis, the population studied, and the type of surgery (cardiac or not cardiac). Delirium experienced when cardiac patients are in the intensive care unit (ICU) is likely preventable in most cases. While there are many protocols for recognizing and managing ICU delirium in medical and surgical cardiac patients, there is no homogeneity, nor are there established clinical guidelines. This review provides a comprehensive overview of delirium in cardiac patients and highlights its presentation, course, risk factors, pathophysiology, and management. We define cardiac ICU patients as both medical and postoperative surgical patients with cardiac disease in the ICU. We also highlight current controversies and future considerations of innovative therapies and nonpharmacological and pharmacological management interventions. Clinicians caring for critically ill patients with cardiac disease must understand the complex syndrome of ICU delirium and recognize the impact of delirium in predicting long-term outcomes for ICU patients.

Sedation Weaning Initiative Targeting Methadone Exposure: Single Center Improvements in Withdrawal Symptoms and Hospital Length of Stay for Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care.

OBJECTIVES: Sedation and pain medications are necessary in the management of postoperative pediatric cardiac patients. Prolonged exposure to these medications can lead to negative side effects including withdrawal. We hypothesized that standardized weaning guidelines would decrease exposure to sedation medications and decrease withdrawal symptoms. The primary aim was to decrease average days of methadone exposure to within goal for moderate- and high-risk patients within 6 months. DESIGN: Quality improvement methods were used to standardize sedation medication weaning in a pediatric cardiac ICU. SETTING: This study took place at Duke Children's Hospital Pediatric Cardiac ICU in Durham, North Carolina from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021. PATIENTS: Children less than 12 months old admitted to the pediatric cardiac ICU who underwent cardiac surgery. INTERVENTIONS: Sedation weaning guidelines were implemented over the course of 12 months. Data were tracked every 6 months and compared with the 12 months pre-intervention. Patients were stratified into low, moderate, and high risk withdrawal categories based on duration of opioid infusion exposure. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Total sample size was 94 patients in the moderate and high risk categories. Process measures included documentation of Withdrawal Assessment Tool scores and appropriate methadone prescription in patients which increased to 100% post-intervention. For outcome measures, we observed decreased dexmedetomidine infusion duration, decreased methadone wean duration, decreased frequency of elevated Withdrawal Assessment Tool scores, and decreased hospital length of stay post-intervention. For the primary aim, methadone wean duration consistently decreased after each study period. Our intervention did not adversely impact balancing measures. CONCLUSIONS: A quality improvement initiative to standardize sedation weaning in a Pediatric Cardiac ICU was successfully implemented and was correlated with decreased duration of sedation medications, decreased withdrawal scores, and decreased length of stay.

Management Strategies Based on Multi-Modality Neuromonitoring in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

Secondary brain injury after neurotrauma is comprised of a host of distinct, potentially concurrent and interacting mechanisms that may exacerbate primary brain insult. Multimodality neuromonitoring is a method of measuring multiple aspects of the brain in order to understand the signatures of these different pathomechanisms and to detect, treat, or prevent potentially reversible secondary brain injuries. The most studied invasive parameters include intracranial pressure (ICP), cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), autoregulatory indices, brain tissue partial oxygen tension, and tissue energy and metabolism measures such as the lactate pyruvate ratio. Understanding the local metabolic state of brain tissue in order to infer pathology and develop appropriate management strategies is an area of active investigation. Several clinical trials are underway to define the role of brain tissue oxygenation monitoring and electrocorticography in conjunction with other multimodal neuromonitoring information, including ICP and CPP monitoring. Identifying an optimal CPP to guide individualized management of blood pressure and ICP has been shown to be feasible, but definitive clinical trial evidence is still needed. Future work is still needed to define and clinically correlate patterns that emerge from integrated measurements of metabolism, pressure, flow, oxygenation, and electrophysiology. Pathophysiologic targets and precise critical care management strategies to address their underlying causes promise to mitigate secondary injuries and hold the potential to improve patient outcome. Advancements in clinical trial design are poised to establish new standards for the use of multimodality neuromonitoring to guide individualized clinical care.

Risk factors for medical device-related pressure injury in ICU patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Medical device-related pressure injury (MDRPI) in intensive care unit (ICU) patients is a serious issue. We aimed to evaluate the risk factors for MDRPI associated with ICU patients through systematic review and meta-analysis, and provide insights into the clinical prevention of MDRPI. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WanFang Database, and China BioMedical Literature Database (CBM) (from inception to January 2023) for studies that identified risk factors of MDRPI in ICU patients. In order to avoid the omission of relevant literature, we performed a secondary search of the above database on February 15, 2023. Meta-analysis was performed using Revman 5.3. RESULTS: Fifteen studies involving 4850 participants were selected to analyze risk factors for MDRPI in ICU patients. While conducting a meta-analysis, we used sensitivity analysis to ensure the reliability of the results for cases with significant heterogeneity among studies. When the source of heterogeneity cannot be determined, we only described the risk factor. The risk factors for MDRPI in ICU patients were elder age (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.03-1.10), diabetes mellitus (OR = 3.20, 95% CI: 1.96-5.21), edema (OR = 3.62, 95% CI: 2.31-5.67), lower Braden scale score (OR = 1.22, 95%CI: 1.11-1.33), higher SOFA score (OR = 4.21, 95%CI: 2.38-7.47), higher APACHE II score (OR = 1.38, 95%CI: 1.15-1.64), longer usage time of medical devices (OR = 1.11, 95%CI: 1.05-1.19), use of vasoconstrictors (OR = 6.07, 95%CI: 3.15-11.69), surgery (OR = 4.36, 95% CI: 2.07-9.15), prone position (OR = 24.71, 95% CI: 7.34-83.15), and prone position ventilation (OR = 17.51, 95% CI: 5.86-52.36). Furthermore, we found that ICU patients who used subglottic suction catheters had a higher risk of MDRPI, whereas ICU patients with higher hemoglobin and serum albumin levels had a lower risk of MDRPI. CONCLUSION: This study reported the risk factors for MDRPI in ICU patients. A comprehensive analysis of these risk factors will help to prevent and optimize interventions, thereby minimizing the occurrence of MDRPI.

Can Fetuin-A Deficiency Predict the Severity of COVID-19 Disease in Kidney Transplant Recipients?

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate whether fetuin A deficiency predicts the prognosis of COVID-19 disease in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). METHOD: The study was conducted on 35 hospitalized KTRs with COVID-19 pneumonia between November 2020 and June 2021. Serums were collected for fetuin-A measurement at admission and after six months of follow-up. The demographic and laboratory data of the patients were recorded and analyzed with the appropriate statistical method. RESULTS: A total of 35 KTRs, 23 of which (65.7%) were men, were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 51.6 ± 14.0 years. Seventeen (48.6%) patients had severe disease criteria and required intensive care (ICU) support. Biopsy-proven acute rejection developed in 6 (17.1%) patients in the follow-up. At admission, the median fetuin-A value was 173.5 mcg/mL (143.5-199.25) in the moderate disease group and 126.0 mcg/mL (89.4-165.5) in the severe patient group (p = 0.005). While the Median fetuin-A value at the time of diagnosis was 173.5 mcg/mL (143.5-199.25), and in the 6th month was 208 mcg/mL [184-229] (p<0.001). By ROC analysis, the effect of serum fetuin-A level in predicting the severity of COVID-19 disease was significant (AUC: 0.771, p = 0.006, 95% CI: 0.615-0.927). When serum fetuin-A cut-off value was taken as 138 mcg/mL to determine disease severity, it was shown to have 83.3% sensitivity and 64.7% specificity. CONCLUSIONS: Serum fetuin-A level can predict disease severity in kidney transplant recipients in the presence of active COVID-19 disease.

Standardized perioperative management in acute abdominal surgery: Swedish SMASH controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Acute high-risk abdominal surgery is common, as are the attendant risks of organ failure, need for intensive care, mortality, or long hospital stay. This study assessed the implementation of standardized management. METHODS: A prospective study of all adults undergoing emergency laparotomy over an interval of 42 months (2018-2021) was undertaken; outcomes were compared with those of a retrospective control group. A new standardized clinical protocol was activated for all patients including: prompt bedside physical assessment by the surgeon and anaesthetist, interprofessional communication regarding location of resuscitation, elimination of unnecessary factors that might delay surgery, improved operating theatre competence, regular epidural, enhanced recovery care, and frequent early warning scores. The primary endpoint was 30-day mortality. Secondary endpoints were duration of hospital stay, need for intensive care, and surgical complications. RESULTS: A total of 1344 patients were included, 663 in the control group and 681 in the intervention group. The use of antibiotics increased (81.4 versus 94.7 per cent), and the time from the decision to operate to the start of surgery was reduced (3.80 versus 3.22 h) with use of the new protocol. Fewer anastomoses were performed (22.5 versus 16.8 per cent). The 30-day mortality rate was 14.5 per cent in the historical control group and 10.7 per cent in the intervention group (P = 0.045). The mean duration of hospital (11.9 versus 10.2 days; P = 0.007) and ICU (5.40 versus 3.12 days; P = 0.007) stays was also reduced. The rate of serious surgical complications (grade IIIb-V) was lower (37.6 versus 27.3 per cent; P = <0.001). CONCLUSION: Standardized management protocols improved outcomes after emergency laparotomy.

Atención integral por cuidados paliativos para pacientes con ventilación mecánica asistida SARS-CoV-2 severos y sus beneficios / Comprehensive care for palliative care for patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 assisted mechanical ventilation and its benefits

Resumen Objetivo. Esta investigación tiene como objetivo describir la población atendida y los beneficios del programa "Lineamiento de atención integral por Cuidados Paliativos en el Área de Salud de Palmares, para pacientes con SARS-CoV-2 severo" con ventilación mecánica asistida, hospitalizados en unidades de cuidados intensivos de la Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social durante la pandemia en Costa Rica, del 10 de junio al 31 de octubre del 2021. Métodos. Estudio descriptivo mixto de la población y los beneficios del programa por medio de indicadores cuantitativos obtenidos del informe de aplicación y cualitativos a través de la realización de una encuesta de satisfacción a usuarios en el período de estudio. Resultados. El programa atendió a 13 pacientes, brindó apoyo en manejo del duelo a los familiares de cinco pacientes que ya habían fallecido y a los cuidadores de ocho pacientes hospitalizados, también ofreció 70 consultas médicas en un período promedio de 62 días. La edad promedio de los pacientes fue de 55 años; doce pacientes presentaban algún factor de riesgo, siendo la obesidad y la falta de esquema de vacunación completo (dos dosis) los más frecuentes. Durante la implementación del programa fallecieron cinco pacientes más, obteniendo una tasa de mortalidad del 78%. A los pacientes que sobrevivieron se les atendió en promedio por 135 días. Con el apoyo del equipo, los pacientes lograron la recuperación clínica de las complicaciones respiratorias y funcionales. Lograron independencia total de actividades básicas de la vida diaria y reinserción social en menos de tres meses después del alta hospitalaria. En general, se documentó una percepción positiva del programa en el 100% de los usuarios, con cambios en el nivel de sufrimiento manifestado por las familias y el apoyo en el manejo del duelo. Conclusión. Con la optimización de uso de los recursos ya existentes en la Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social y la participación social, este programa abordó aspectos no atendidos previamente para los pacientes que sufrieron COVID 19 severo, como el manejo del sufrimiento y/o duelo durante la hospitalización y al egreso. Además, el programa colaboró en la recuperación clínica y funcional de los usuarios sobrevivientes y documentó múltiples beneficios percibidos por el paciente, sus familias, la institución y la sociedad, como el abordaje del sufrimiento, la adecuada atención al duelo, la organización de los recursos asistenciales y la pronta recuperación física, emocional y social del paciente sobreviviente.

Abstract Aim. This research aims to describe the population served and the benefits of the program "Guidelines for integral care for patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 by Palliative Care at the Area de Salud de Palmares " to patients with assisted mechanical ventilation, hospitalized in intensive care units of the Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social during the pandemic in Costa Rica, from June 10 to October 31, 2021. Methods. This study is a mixed descriptive investigation that analyzes quantitative indicators from the report on the program's application and qualitative indicators from a satisfaction survey for the users in the study period. Results. The program treated 13 patients, provided grief management support to the relatives of five patients who had already died and to the caregivers of eight hospitalized patients, and offered 70 medical consultations in an average period of 62 days. The average age of the patients was 55 years; twelve patients had some risk factors, and obesity and lack of a complete vaccination schedule (two doses) were the most frequent. During the program implementation, five more patients died, obtaining a mortality rate of 78%. The average treatment day for surviving patients was 135 days. Through the team's support, patients accomplished clinical recovery from respiratory and functional complications. They got independent basics activities of daily living and social reintegration in less tan three months after discharge. A positive perception of the program was documented in 100% of the program's users, with changes in the level of suffering manifested by the families and the support in grief management. Conclusion. With the optimization of the use of existing resources in the the Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social and the social participation, this program addressed aspects not previously attended to patients who suffered severe COVID 19, such as the management of suffering and/or grief during hospitalization and upon discharge. In addition, the program helped in the clinical and functional recovery of the surviving users, and documented multiple benefits perceived by the patient, their families, the institution, and society, such as the approach to suffering, adequate bereavement care, organization of care resources, and early physical, emotional and social recovery of the survivor patient.

Multimodal Neuromonitoring in Pediatric Neurocritical Care: Current Perspectives.

Children with neurological illness in the critical care unit are always at higher risk of developing secondary brain injury (SBI). Brain insult can lead to changes in cerebral autoregulation, intracranial pressure (ICP), cerebral oxygenation, and metabolism. This can cause a raised ICP, cerebral ischemia, hypoxia, excitotoxicity, cellular energy failure, and nonconvulsive status epilepticus. Simultaneous and continuous assessment of these parameters will help to improve patient care and neurological outcomes. Even though clinical examination and neuroimaging can help in the initial diagnosis of the neurological illness, they may not be helpful in continuous monitoring of cerebral pathophysiological changes. The ideal single neuromonitoring device to detect these real-time changes is currently unavailable. However, a range of invasive and noninvasive monitors are available to monitor these cerebral functional parameters. Invasive monitoring techniques include invasive ICP monitoring, cerebral autoregulation monitoring, brain tissue partial oxygen pressure, and cerebral microdialysis. Noninvasive-monitoring techniques include pupillometry, brain and ocular ultrasonography, near-infrared spectroscopy, and electrophysiological monitoring. Multimodal (MM) neuromonitoring involves incorporating these techniques and tools for the early identification and treatment of primary and secondary brain insults. The utility and feasibility of most of these techniques are well described in adult neurocritical care. Even though the evidence on their usage in children is primarily available in pediatric traumatic brain injury, the emerging data help to further expand their utility in pediatric nontraumatic coma. MM neuromonitoring aims to provide clinical and pathophysiological information to the intensivists to improve their understanding of the child's neurological status and to formulate patient-specific treatment approaches.

Ciprofol: A Novel Alternative to Propofol in Clinical Intravenous Anesthesia?

Ciprofol is a novel compound that was independently developed in China. According to the Chinese product instructions approved by the China National Medical Products Administration and the information of official website, indications for ciprofol include sedation and anesthesia during the surgical/procedure of nontracheal intubation, induction and maintenance of general anesthesia, and sedation during intensive care. Ciprofol is a short-acting intravenous sedative based on the structural modification of propofol. Ciprofol has high efficacy, good selectivity, and fewer adverse reactions, indicating good clinical application potential. A series of clinical studies have been conducted to evaluate the sedative effect of ciprofol in various procedures and settings, including gastroscopy and colonoscopy, fiber-optic bronchoscopy, general anesthesia in elective surgeries, and mechanical ventilation in intensive care units. This review summarizes the chemical structure, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetic properties of ciprofol. We also assessed the efficacy and safety of ciprofol by synthesizing the relevant clinical trial data.