Central venous catheter (CVC) placement in the intensive care unit (ICU) is a common practice and is being increasingly used also in general wards. Its use is associated with both mechanical and infectious complications.OBJECTIVE:To determine the infectious and mechanical complication rate of central venous catheterization in an ICU.DESIGN:A retrospective study about complications of 1319 central venous catheter placements.SETTING:An 11-bed adult medical, surgical, neuro-trauma ICU at salmaniya medical complex, Bahrain.MATERIALS AND METHODS:This was a retrospective review of all central venous catheter inserted over 4 year's period from October 2002 to December 2006.RESULTS:There were 12 mechanical complications and 128 infectious complications total of 1319 CVCs placed.CONCLUSIONS:The CVC can be performed safely in an ICU if done by a competent physician with all aseptic precautions.
The current mortality rate of patients suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is between 45% and 92%, with most dying within the first two weeks of the illness. In an effort to combat such an alarmingly high mortality rate, various treatment therapies such as low tidal volume ventilation strategies, corticosteroid therapy, and use of nitric oxide (NO) have been attempted in the management of patients with ARDS. Three cases which were admitted to the ICU and confirmed to have ARDS were unable to be weaned from ventilatory support, and nitric oxide therapy was initiated. It improved patients' oxygenation for short periods of time but did not affect the mortality. The patients could not be weaned from the ventilator and expired.
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