Organ donation
Chapter 93 Organ donation Stephen J. Streat Intensivists often have responsibility for the care of organ transplant recipients and have seen the benefits they obtain from transplantation. Clinical results continue…
Principles of antibiotic use
Chapter 64 Principles of antibiotic use Jeffrey Lipman The intensive care unit (ICU) is always the area of any hospital associated with the greatest use of antibiotics. Much of this…
Metabolic response to injury and infection
Chapter 86 Metabolic response to injury and infection Ian K S. Tan Injury and infection evoke in the host a hypermetabolic inflammatory response and a compensatory hypometabolic hypoimmune response. The…
Severe and multiple trauma
Chapter 66 Severe and multiple trauma James A. Judson Trauma can be defined as physical injury from mechanical energy. It is usually categorised as blunt or penetrating. In Western countries,…
Nosocomial infection
Chapter 62 Nosocomial infection Neil Soni Nosocomial or hospital-acquired infections are a major problem in hospitals, affecting up to 9% of inpatients at any one time. Intensive care units (ICUs)…
Humidification and inhalation therapy
Chapter 28 Humidification and inhalation therapy Andrew D. Bersten The upper airway normally warms, moistens and filters inspired gas. When these functions are impaired by disease, or when the nasopharynx…
Biochemical terrorism
Chapter 78 Biochemical terrorism Munita Grover, Michael E. Pelly Biochemical terrorism is defined as the use of biological or chemical agents to intimidate, incapacitate or eradicate crops, livestock, civilian and…
Acute gastrointestinal bleeding
Chapter 36 Acute gastrointestinal bleeding Joseph J Y. Sung Acute gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a common admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and a major cause of morbidity and…
Near drowning
Chapter 72 Near drowning Cyrus Edibam DEFINITIONS The American Heart Association Guidelines for Resuscitation1 suggest that the term ‘submersion victim’ be used to describe a person who experiences some swimming-related…
Abdominal and pelvic injuries
Chapter 71 Abdominal and pelvic injuries Colin McArthur Although important abdominal injuries are present in only 16–27% of hospital trauma admissions,1 abdominal and pelvic injuries can represent up to 60%…
