Gastroesophageal Balloon Tamponade for Acute Variceal Hemorrhage Marie T. Pavini Juan Carlos Puyana Gastroesophageal variceal hemorrhage is an acute and catastrophic complication that occurs in one third to one half…
Paracentesis and Diagnostic Peritoneal Lavage Lena M. Napolitano Abdominal Paracentesis Indications Abdominal paracentesis is a simple procedure that can be easily performed at the bedside in the intensive care unit…
Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Alexander J. Eckardt Wahid Wassef Gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy has evolved into an essential diagnostic and therapeutic tool for the treatment of critically ill patients in the new millennium….
Tracheostomy Scott E. Kopec Ciaran J. McNamee The terms tracheotomy and tracheostomy are interchangeable. Derived from the Greek words tracheia arteria (rough artery) and tome (incision), tracheotomy refers to the…
Arterial Puncture for Blood Gas Analysis Kimberly A. Robinson Deborah H. Markowitz Richard S. Irwin Analysis of a sample of arterial blood for pHa, partial arterial carbon dioxide pressure (Paco2),…
Thoracentesis Mark M. Wilson Richard S. Irwin Thoracentesis is an invasive procedure that involves the introduction of a needle, cannula, or trocar into the pleural space to remove accumulated fluid…
Bronchoscopy Stephen J. Krinzman Richard S. Irwin Since its commercial introduction for clinical use in 1968, flexible bronchoscopy has had a dramatic impact on the approach and management of patients…
Chest Tube Insertion and Care Robert A. Lancey Chest tube insertion (tube thoracostomy) involves placement of a sterile tube into the pleural space to evacuate air or fluid into a…
Pericardiocentesis Richard C. Becker Pericardiocentesis is a potentially life-saving procedure performed in the critical care setting. It is not carried out with sufficient frequency, however, to allow most physicians to…
Cardioversion and Defibrillation Naomi F. Botkin The use of electric countershock to terminate arrhythmia was described over 200 years ago. Thanks to the pioneering work of Zoll et al. [1],…
