Twelfth rib resection as an approach for portal vein cannulation in sheep. (1/3997)

A surgical technique involving resection of the twelfth rib was used to insert silastic cannulas into the portal veins of three sheep to study amino acid metabolism. Good exposure to the vein was achieved by this method although it required positive ventilation due to the penetration of the thoracic cavity. All cannulas were buried subcutaneously and exteriorized near the dorsal midline. This facilitated continuous infusion into the portal cannula without disturbing cannula placement.  (+info)

The impact of a multidisciplinary approach on caring for ventilator-dependent patients. (2/3997)

OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical and financial outcomes of a highly structured multidisciplinary care model for patients in an intensive care unit (ICU) who require prolonged mechanical ventilation. The structured model outcomes (protocol group) are compared with the preprotocol outcomes. DESIGN: Descriptive study with financial analysis. SETTING: A twelve-bed medical-surgical ICU in a non-teaching tertiary referral center in Ogden, Utah. STUDY PARTICIPANTS: During a 54 month period, 469 consecutive intensive care patients requiring mechanical ventilation for longer than 72 hours who did not meet exclusion criteria were studied. INTERVENTIONS: A multidisciplinary team was formed to coordinate the care of ventilator-dependent patients. Care was integrated by daily collaborative bedside rounds, monthly meetings, and implementation of numerous guidelines and protocols. Patients were followed from the time of ICU admission until the day of hospital discharge. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients were assigned APACHE II scores on admission to the ICU, and were divided into eight diagnostic categories. ICU length of stay, hospital length of stay, costs, charges, reimbursement, and in-hospital mortality were measured. RESULTS: Mortality in the preprotocol and protocol group, after adjustment for APACHE II scores, remained statistically unchanged (21-23%). After we implemented the new care model, we demonstrated significant decreases in the mean survivor's ICU length of stay (19.8 days to 14.7 days, P= 0.001), hospital length of stay (34.6 days to 25.9 days, P=0.001), charges (US$102500 to US$78500, P=0.001), and costs (US$71900 to US$58000, P=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a structured multidisciplinary care model to care for a heterogeneous population of ventilator-dependent ICU patients was associated with significant reductions in ICU and hospital lengths of stay, charges, and costs. Mortality rates were unaffected.  (+info)

Trigeminal and carotid body inputs controlling vascular resistance in muscle during post-contraction hyperaemia in cats. (3/3997)

1. In anaesthetized cats, the effects of stimulation of the receptors in the nasal mucosa and carotid body chemoreceptors on vascular resistance in hindlimb skeletal muscle were studied to see whether the responses were the same in active as in resting muscle. The measurements of vascular resistance were taken, first, in resting muscle, and second, in the immediate post-contraction hyperaemic phase that followed a 30 s period of isometric contractions. 2. Stimulation of the receptors in the nasal mucosa caused reflex apnoea and vasoconstriction in muscle. The latter response was attenuated when the test was repeated during post-contraction hyperaemia. 3. Stimulations of the carotid bodies were made during a period of apnoea evoked reflexly by electrical stimulation of both superior laryngeal nerves. This apnoea prevented any effects of changes in respiration on the carotid body reflex vascular responses. Stimulation of the carotid bodies evoked hindlimb muscle vasoconstriction. In the post-contraction hyperaemic period, the response was reduced or abolished. A similar attenuation of the reflex vasoconstrictor responses occurred in decentralized muscles stimulated through their motor roots in the cauda equina. 4. Evidence is presented that the attenuation of the vasoconstrictor responses evoked by the two reflexes is a phenomenon localized to the contracting muscles themselves resulting from an interaction between sympathetic neuronal activity and the local production of metabolites. 5. The results are discussed in relation to the metabolic needs of tissues in relation to asphyxial defence mechanisms such as occur in the diving response.  (+info)

Renal and hemodynamic effects of losartan in conscious dogs during controlled mechanical ventilation. (4/3997)

In 12 conscious dogs, we investigated whether the angiotensin II-receptor antagonist losartan increases renal sodium excretion and urine volume during controlled mechanical ventilation (CMV) with positive end-expiratory pressure. In four experimental protocols, the dogs were extracellular volume (ECV) expanded (electrolyte solution, 0.5 ml. kg-1. min-1 iv) or not and received losartan (100 micrograms. kg-1. min-1 iv) or not. They breathed spontaneously during the 1st and 4th hour and received CMV with positive end-expiratory pressure (mean airway pressure 20 cmH2O) during the 2nd and 3rd hours. In the expansion group, dogs with losartan excreted approximately 18% more sodium (69 +/- 7 vs. 38 +/- 5 micromol. min-1. kg-1) and 15% more urine during the 2 h of CMV because of a higher glomerular filtration rate (5.3 +/- 0.3 vs. 4.5 +/- 0.2 ml. min-1. kg-1) and the tubular effects of losartan. In the group without expansion, sodium excretion (2.0 +/- 0.6 vs. 2.6 +/- 1.0 micromol. min-1. kg-1) and glomerular filtration rate (3.8 +/- 0.3 vs. 3.8 +/- 0.4 ml. min-1. kg-1) did not change, and urine volume decreased similarly in both groups during CMV. Plasma vasopressin and aldosterone increased in both groups, and plasma renin activity increased from 4.9 +/- 0.7 to 7.8 +/- 1.3 ng ANG I. ml-1. h-1 during CMV in nonexpanded dogs without losartan. Mean arterial pressure decreased by 10 mmHg in nonexpanded dogs with losartan. In conclusion, losartan increases sodium excretion and urine volume during CMV if the ECV is expanded. If the ECV is not expanded, a decrease in mean arterial blood pressure and/or an increase in aldosterone and vasopressin during CMV attenuates the renal effects of losartan.  (+info)

Outcome for cancer patients requiring mechanical ventilation. (5/3997)

PURPOSE: To describe hospital survival for cancer patients who require mechanical ventilation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective, multicenter observational study was performed at five academic tertiary care hospitals. Demographic and clinical variables were obtained on consecutive cancer patients at initiation of mechanical ventilation, and information on vital status at hospital discharge was acquired. RESULTS: Our analysis was based on 782 adult cancer patients who met predetermined inclusion criteria. The overall observed hospital mortality was 76%, with no statistically significant differences among the five study centers. Seven variables (intubation after 24 hours, leukemia, progression or recurrence of cancer, allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, cardiac arrhythmias, presence of disseminated intravascular coagulation, and need for vasopressor therapy) were associated with an increased risk of death, whereas prior surgery with curative intent was protective. The predictive model based on these variables had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.736, with Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit statistics of 7.19; P = .52. CONCLUSION: This model can be used to estimate the probability of hospital survival for classes of adult cancer patients who require mechanical ventilation and can help to guide physicians, patients, and families in deciding goals and direction of treatment. Prospective independent validation in different medical settings is warranted.  (+info)

Continuous arterial P(O2) and P(CO2) measurements in swine during nitrous oxide and xenon elimination: prevention of diffusion hypoxia. (6/3997)

BACKGROUND: During nitrous oxide (N2O) elimination, arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) decreases because of the phenomenon commonly called diffusive hypoxia. The authors questioned whether similar effects occur during xenon elimination. METHODS: Nineteen anesthetized and paralyzed pigs were mechanically ventilated randomly for 30 min using inspiratory gas mixtures of 30% oxygen and either 70% N2O or xenon. The inspiratory gas was replaced by a mixture of 70% nitrogen and 30% oxygen. PaO2 and carbon dioxide tensions were recorded continuously using an indwelling arterial sensor. RESULTS: The PaO2 decreased from 119+/-10 mm Hg to 102+/-12 mm Hg (mean+/-SD) during N2O washout (P<0.01) and from 116+/-9 mm Hg to 110+/-8 mm Hg during xenon elimination (P<0.01), with a significant difference (P<0.01) between baseline and minimum PaO2 values (deltaPaO2, 17+/-6 mm Hg during N2O washout and 6+/-3 mm Hg during xenon washout). The PaCO2 value also decreased (from 39.3+/-6.3 mm Hg to 37.6+/-5.8 mm Hg) during N2O washout (P<0.01) and during xenon elimination (from 35.4+/-1.6 mm Hg to 34.9+/-1.6 mm Hg; P< 0.01). The deltaPaCO2 was 1.7+/-0.9 mm Hg in the N2O group and 0.5+/-0.3 mm Hg in the xenon group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Diffusive hypoxia is unlikely to occur during recovery from xenon anesthesia, probably because of the low blood solubility of this gas.  (+info)

Early inhaled glucocorticoid therapy to prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia. (7/3997)

BACKGROUND: The safety and efficacy of inhaled glucocorticoid therapy for asthma stimulated its use in infants to prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia. We tested the hypothesis that early therapy with inhaled glucocorticoids would decrease the frequency of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, multicenter trial of inhaled beclomethasone or placebo in 253 infants, 3 to 14 days old, born before 33 weeks of gestation and weighing 1250 g or less at birth, who required ventilation therapy. Beclomethasone was delivered in a decreasing dosage, from 40 to 5 microg per kilogram of body weight per day, for four weeks. The primary outcome measure was bronchopulmonary dysplasia at 28 days of age. Secondary outcomes included bronchopulmonary dysplasia at 36 weeks of postmenstrual age, the need for systemic glucocorticoid therapy, the need for bronchodilator therapy, the duration of respiratory support, and death. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-three infants received beclomethasone, and 130 received placebo. The frequency of bronchopulmonary dysplasia was similar in the two groups: 43 percent in the beclomethasone group and 45 percent in the placebo group at 28 days of age, and 18 percent in the beclomethasone group and 20 percent in the placebo group at 36 weeks of postmenstrual age. At 28 days of age, fewer infants in the beclomethasone group than in the placebo group were receiving systemic glucocorticoid therapy (relative risk, 0.6; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.4 to 1.0) and mechanical ventilation (relative risk, 0.8; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.6 to 1.0). CONCLUSIONS: Early beclomethasone therapy did not prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia but was associated with lower rates of use of systemic glucocorticoid therapy and mechanical ventilation.  (+info)

An isolated perfused rat lung preparation. (8/3997)

An isolated perfused rat lung preparation (IPL) is described and its physiologic status is evaluated. The evaluation includes light and electron microscopy after perfusion and estimations of substrate utilization. ATP content, lactate production, and incorporation of glucose carbons into lipids and CO2. It is concluded that the IPL is useful for short-term metabolic and physiologic experiments and offers some unique advantages in evaluating effects of reactive gases upon lung function.  (+info)