IntroductionIn the ICU, peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) may be an alternative option to standard central venous catheters, particularly in patients with coagulation disorders or at high risk for infection. Some limits of PICCs (such as low flow rates) may be overcome with the use of power-injectable catheters.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed all of the power-injectable PICCs inserted in adult and pediatric patients in the ICU during a 12-month period, focusing on the rate of complications at insertion and during maintenance.ResultsWe collected 89 power-injectable PICCs (in adults and in children), both multiple and single lumen. All insertions were successful. There were no major complications at insertion and no episodes of catheter-related bloodstream infection. Non-infective complications during management were not clinically significant. There was one episode of symptomatic thrombosis during the stay in the ICU and one episode after transfer of a patient to a non-intensive ward.ConclusionPower-injectable PICCs have many advantages in the ICU: they can be used as multipurpose central lines for any type of infusion including high-flow infusion, for hemodynamic monitoring, and for high-pressure injection of contrast media during radiological procedures. Their insertion is successful in 100% of cases and is not associated with significant risks, even in patients with coagulation disorders. Their maintenance is associated with an extremely low rate of infective and non-infective complications.

BackgroundAcutely ill patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) constantly require at least one fast and reliable peripheral intravenous (PIV) access. In many conditions (morbid obesity, underweight state, chronic diseases, intravenous drug abuse, adverse local conditions, etc.), PIV placement may be challenging.Ultrasound guidance is a useful tool for obtaining a peripheral intravenous access in the emergency department, particularly when superficial veins are difficult to identify by palpation and direct visualization, though standard peripheral intravenous cannulas are not ideal for this technique of insertion and may have limited duration.Long polyurethane catheters inserted with ultrasound guidance and direct Seldinger technique appear to have several advantages over short cannulas in terms of success of insertion and of duration.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on all the ultrasound-guided peripheral venous accesses obtained by insertion of long polyurethane catheters in patients admitted to the emergency department of our university hospital during 1 year. The main indication to the procedure was the urgent need of a peripheral venous access in patients with superficial veins difficult to palpate and/or visualize. All relevant data concerning the insertion and the maintenance of these peripheral lines were collected from the chart.ResultsSeventy-six patients were included in this review. The success rate of insertion was 100 %, with an average of 1.57 punctures per each successful cannulation. The mean time needed for the complete procedure was 9.5 min. In 73 % of patients, the catheter was used for more than 1 week; a minority of catheters were removed prematurely for end of use. No major infective or thrombotic complication was reported.ConclusionsIn our experience, 8- to 10-cm-long polyurethane catheters may offer a fast and reliable peripheral venous access in the emergency department, if placed by ultrasound guidance and with the Seldinger technique. Further studies with prospective, randomized, and controlled design are warranted to confirm our results.

Ketamine is a non-competitive antagonist to the phencyclidine site of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor for glutamate, though its effects are mediated by interaction with many others receptors. It has been introduced in clinical use since 1960's but today it is not largely employed as a general anaesthetic for its undesired psychic effects (emergence reactions) occurring in approximately 12% of patients. In the last decade, there has been a renewed interest in the use of subanaesthetic doses of ketamine for the treatment of acute and chronic pain. In the late 1990's, multiple prospective, randomised, controlled study has shown the efficacy of low dose of ketamine for postoperative pain relief, for analgesia during regional or local anaesthesia, and for opioid-sparing effect. At present, non-definitive conclusion can be drawn. More data are needed to define the possible long term effects and the clinical goal of ketamine use.

PurposeQuantitative and qualitative changes of skeletal muscle are typical and early findings in trauma patients, being possibly associated with functional impairment. Early assessment of muscle changes—as evaluated by muscle ultrasonography—could yield important information about patient’s outcome.MethodsIn this prospective observational study, we used ultrasonography to evaluate the morphological changes of rectus femoris (RF) and anterior tibialis (AT) muscles in a group of young, previously healthy trauma patients on enteral feeding.ResultsWe studied 38 severely injured patients (median Injury Severity Score = 34; median age = 40 y.o.) over the course of the ICU stay up to 3 weeks after trauma. We found a progressive loss of muscle mass from day 0 to day 20, that was more relevant for the RF (45%) than for the AT (22%); this was accompanied by an increase in echogenicity (up to 2.5 by the Heckmatt Scale, where normal echogenicity = 1), which is an indicator of myofibers depletion.ConclusionsUltrasound evaluation of skeletal muscles is inexpensive, noninvasive, simple and easily repeatable. By this method, we were able to quantify the morphological changes of skeletal muscle in trauma patients. Further studies may rely on this technicque to evaluate the impact of different therapeutic strategies on muscle wasting.

P Pu ur rp po os se e: : Stress response to surgery is modulated by several factors, including magnitude of the injury, type of procedure (e.g., laparoscopy vs laparotomy) and type of anesthesia. Our purpose was to compare intra-and postoperative hormonal changes during isoflurane vs sevoflurane anesthesia, in a clinical model of well defined operative stress (laparoscopic pelvic surgery). M Me et th ho od d: :In this prospective randomized clinical study, 20 women requiring laparoscopic pelvic surgery for benign ovarian cysts received either a standard isoflurane plus fentanyl (Group A) or sevoflurane plus fentanyl anesthesia (Group B). Blood samples were collected preoperatively, 30 min after the beginning of surgery, at the end of surgery after extubation, and two and four hours after the end of surgery. Intra-and postoperative plasma levels of norepinephrine, epinephrine, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL) were measured. R Re es su ul lt ts s: : Catecholamine levels and postoperative pain were similar in both groups. Nonetheless, in comparison to Group A, Group B showed a significant decrease of ACTH, cortisol and GH levels (A vs B at the end of surgery: ACTH 160 ± 45 vs 100 ± 40 pg·mL -1 ; cortisol 45 ± 8 vs 23 ± 7 µg·dL -1 ; GH 3 ± 2 vs 0.8 ± 0.4 ng·mL -1 ; P < 0.001 for all), but enhanced PRL levels (A vs B, at 30 min after the beginning of surgery: 139 ± 54 vs 185 ± 22 ng·mL -1 ; at the end of surgery: 100 ± 27 vs 141 ± 45 ng·mL -1 ; P < 0.001 for both).C Co on nc cl lu us si io on ns s: : In the clinical setting of low stress laparoscopic surgery, the type of volatile anesthetic significantly affected the stress response; the changes associated with sevoflurane suggested a more favourable metabolic and immune response compared to isoflurane. Objectif Méthode : L'étude clinique, prospective et randomisée, a été faite auprès de 20 femmes devant subir une intervention par laparoscopie pelvienne pour des kystes bénins de l'ovaire. Les patientes ont reçu, soit une anesthésie normale à l'isoflurane avec du fentanyl (groupe A), soit au sévoflurane avec du fentanyl (groupe B). Le sang a été prélevé avant l'opération, 30 min après le début, à la fin après l'extubation et, deux et quatre heures après l'opération. Les niveaux plasmatiques peropératoire et postopératoire de noradrénaline, d'adrénaline, d'hormone adrénocorticotrope (ACTH), de cortisol, d'hormone de croissance (GH) et de prolactine (PRL) ont été mesurés.Résultats : Les niveaux de catécholamine et la douleur postopéra-toire ont été similaires dans les deux groupes. Néanmoins, comparé au groupe A, le groupe B a affiché une baisse significative d' ACTH, GH 3 ± 2 vs 0,8 ± 0,