The results of the present study demonstrate that pre-emptive epidural ketamine is effective in reducing intra- and postoperative analgesic requirements, hyperalgesia and touch allodynia.

Aim: In this study, we aimed to analyse the epidemiological and demographic features, prognosis and length of stay of patients admitted to the hospital ICU with poisoning over a two-year period. Materials and Methods: Patients accepted to the ICU with poisoning from 1 January, 2008-1 January, 2011 were evaluated according to their demographic characteristics, ethology, admission time to emergency service and length of stay in the ICU. Results: Seventy-six (70.4%) of 108 patients who were accepted to the ICU with poisoning were female and 32 (29.6%) were male. The mean age was 27.9 years. Eightyseven percent of all patients were drug overdoses as suicide attempts; 64.90% of these patients took multiple drugs and 35.10% took one kind of drug. The most frequent drug combination were antidepressants and NSAIDs. Four of the patients were exposed to carbon monoxide, five to mushrooms, three to insecticides, one to methanol and there was one case of honey intoxication. The mean admission time to the emergency department was 4.4 hours, while the mean time for ICU admission was 2.4 hours. The mean duration of stay in the ICU was 2.7 days. Antidotes were used in 100 patients, six patients were intubated and one patient died. The mortality rate was 0.92%. Conclusion: Cases of poisoning admitted to the ICU with a drug overdose as a suicide attempt were mostly young women. The most common agents were NSAIDs and antidepressants. With this retrospective study, we determined the patient profile for intoxication cases in our ICU and also we have a chance of self-evaluation. (Yoğun Bakım Derg 2011; 3: 59-62)

The incidence of HAI in the ICU of our hospital was high, compared to the Turkish overall rates obtained at the Refik Saydam Center in 2007. When the rates of device-related infections between 2007 and 2008 were compared, they were higher in 2007. The rates of device-related infections were diminished in 2008 to below-national mean rates by infection control measures. Since the rate of urinary catheter-related infections are still high, we should exert continuous efforts for infection control.

Propofol-ketamine combination is an advantageous choice in means of achieving sedation in a shorter period of time, a better hemodynamic stability, less nausea and vomiting and respiratory complication rates. Yet it seems that this choice might be related with longer recovery duration.

The incidence of HAI in the ICU of our hospital was high, compared to the Turkish overall rates obtained at the Refik Saydam Center in 2007. When the rates of device-related infections between 2007 and 2008 were compared, they were higher in 2007. The rates of device- related infections were diminished in 2008 to below-national mean rates by infection control measures. Since the rate of urinary catheter-related infections are still high, we should exert continuous efforts for infection control.