Chapter 51 Diabetes insipidus and other polyuric syndromes Craig Carr Diabetes insipidus (DI: literal translation, ‘tasteless siphon’) refers to a syndrome characterised by pathological polyuria, excessive thirst and polydipsia. Polyuria…
Chapter 94 Liver transplantation Elizabeth Sizer, Julia Wendon Liver transplantation has revolutionised the care of patients, with both acute and chronic end-stage liver disease becoming the treatment of choice in…
Chapter 89 Colloids and blood products Michael Mythen Colloids are plasma expanders used to expand the blood volume. Hydrostatic and osmotic forces dictate movement of fluid between the different compartments…
Chapter 85 Fluid and electrolyte therapy Anthony Delaney, Simon Finfer The management of patients’ fluid and electrolyte status requires an understanding of body fluid compartments as well as an understanding…
Chapter 91 Haemostatic failure James P. Isbister Failure of haemostasis is common in critically ill patients and may be complex and multifactorial in pathogenesis. As haemostatic failure may complicate a…
Chapter 102 Neurological emergencies in children Anthony J. Slater Neurological emergencies are the most common life-threatening emergencies in children. In developed societies after the first year of life, the leading…
Chapter 50 Diabetic emergencies Richard T. Keays Diabetes mellitus is due to an absolute or relative deficiency of insulin. The sustained effect of poor glycaemic control results in a wide…
Chapter 31 Acute severe asthma David V. Tuxen, Matthew T. Naughton Acute severe asthma is a medical emergency associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The majority of adverse outcomes are…
Chapter 99 Paediatric fluid and electrolyte therapy Frank A. Shann Children need a much higher intake of water and electrolytes per kilogram of body weight than adults; this makes children…
Chapter 63 Severe soft-tissue infections Hugo Sax, Didier Pittet The skin is the largest organ and acts as an excellent barrier against infection. It consists of the epidermis and dermis…
