Other bulletins in this series include:

Breast Surgery

Thursday 12 January 2012

Prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia or ventilator-associated complications

Prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia or ventilator-associated compliations: A worthy, yet challenging goal. Critical care medicine, Jan 2012, Vol. 40(1), p.271-277.

Kollef, M.H.

http://journals.lww.com/ccmjournal/Abstract/2012/01000/Prevention_of_ventilator_associated_pneumonia_or.40.aspx

Ventilator-associated pneumonia is a difficult diagnosis to establish in the critically ill patient because of the presence of underlying cardiopulmonary disorders (e.g., pulmonary contusion, acute respiratory distress syndrome, atelectasis) and the nonspecific radiographic and clinical signs associated with this infection.

The role of the medical emergency team in end-of-life care

The role of the medical emergency team in end-of-life care: A multicenter, prospective, observational study. Critical care medicine, Jan. 2012, Vol. 40(1), p.98-103.

Jones, D.A., et al.

http://journals.lww.com/ccmjournal/Abstract/2012/01000/The_role_of_the_medical_emergency_team_in.15.aspx

Objective: To investigate the role of medical emergency teams in end-of-life care planning. Design: One month prospective audit of medical emergency team calls. Setting: Seven university-affiliated hospitals in Australia, Canada, and Sweden.

Delayed enteral feeding impairs intestinal carbohydrate absorption in critically ill patients

Delayed enteral feeding impairs intestinal carbohydrate absorption in critically ill patients. Critical care medicine, Jan 2012, Vol. 40(1), p.50-54

Nguyen, N.Q., et al.

http://journals.lww.com/ccmjournal/Abstract/2012/01000/Delayed_enteral_feeding_impairs_intestinal.9.aspx

Delay in initiating enteral nutrition has been reported to disrupt intestinal mucosal integrity in animals and to prolong the duration of mechanical ventilation in humans. However, its impact on intestinal absorptive function in critically ill patients is unknown.

Critical care in pregnancy

Critical care in pregnancy. Critical care, 2011, 15:1014.

Plaat, F. & Naik, M.

http://ccforum.com/content/15/6/1014/abstract

Childbirth is a major event in the lives of mothers and their families. Critical illness in pregnancy is uncommon but may arise from conditions unique to pregnancy, conditions exacerbated by pregnancy and coincidental conditions.

Early or late parenteral nutrition

Early or late parenteral nutrition: ASPEN vs ESPEN. Critical care, 2011, 15:317.

Cove, M.E. & Pinsky, M.R.

http://ccforum.com/content/pdf/cc10591.pdf

Critically ill patients are often unable to feed themselves, and frequently present in a fasting state. Failure to feed these patients eventually guarantees starvation and, if enough time lapses, death. However, it is less certain when fasting becomes starvation.

Rationing in the intensive care unit: To disclose or disguise?

Rationing in the intensive care unit: To disclose or disguise? Critical care medicine, Jan 2012, Vol. 40(1), p.261-266.

Young, M.J., et al.

http://journals.lww.com/ccmjournal/Abstract/2012/01000/Rationing_in_the_intensive_care_unit___To_disclose.38.aspx

Growing pressures to ration intensive care unit beds and services pose novel challenges to clinicians. Whereas the question of how to allocate scarce intensive care unit resources has received much attention, the question of whether to disclose these decisions to patients and surrogates has not been explored.