Search

Background Ventilator weaning protocols have been shown to reduce the duration of mechanical ventilation (MV), intensive care unit length of stay, and resource use. However, weaning protocols have not significantly affected mortality or reintubation rates. The extubation process is a critical component of respiratory care in patients who receive MV. Post-extubation respiratory failure (PERF) is a common event associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We hypothesized that a comprehensive protocol for ventilator weaning and extubation would be effective for preventing PERF and reintubation and reducing mortality in critically ill patients. Methods A ventilator weaning and extubation protocol was developed. The protocol consisted of checklists across four evaluations: spontaneous breathing trial, extubation, prophylactic non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV), and evaluation after extubation. Observational data were collected after implementing the protocol in patients admitted to the Advanced Emergency and Critical Care Center of Shinshu University Hospital. Not only outcomes of patients but also influences of each component of the protocol on the clinical decision-making process were investigated. Further, a comparison between PERF and non-PERF patients was performed. Results A total of 464 consecutive patients received MV for more than 48 h, and 248 (77 women; mean age, 65 ± 17 years) were deemed eligible. The overall PERF and reintubation rates were 9.7% and 5.2%, respectively. Overall, 54.1% of patients with PERF received reintubation. Hospital stay and mortality were not significantly different between PERF and non-PERF patients (p = 0.16 and 0.057, respectively). As a result, the 28-day and hospital mortality were 1.2% and 6.9%, respectively. Conclusions We found that the rates of PERF, reintubation, and hospital mortality were lower than those in previous reports even with nearly the same degree of severity at extubation. The comprehensive protocol for ventilator weaning and extubation may prevent PERF and reintubation and reduce mortality in critically ill patients.

Aim To study the most effective body position for Heimlich maneuver. Methods A choking simulation manikin was connected to a laryngeal model of a child or an adult, and a differential pressure transducer recorded the airway pressure and waveform during the maneuver. A konjac jelly was placed on the larynx to mimic complete supralaryngeal obstruction. The maneuver (five successive compressions) was carried out six times each in standing, prone, and supine positions. For cases of children, we added a supine position with a pillow under the back. Results In the adult model, airway obstruction was more frequently relieved in the supine and prone positions than in the standing position (P < 0.001). In the child model, airway obstruction was more frequently relieved in the supine position, with a pillow, and in the prone position, than in the standing position (P < 0.001). Without relief, successive Heimlich maneuvers made the airway pressure increasingly negative (adult, from −21.9 ± 6.5 cmH2O to −31.5 ± 9.1 cmH2O in the standing position [P < 0.001]; child, from −15.0 ± 9.5 cmH2O to −30.0 ± 9.2 cmH2O in the standing position [P < 0.001] and from −35.0 ± 17.4 cmH2O to −47.3 ± 25.1 cmH2O in the supine position without a pillow [P = 0.002]). Conclusions The Heimlich maneuver was more effective in the supine and prone positions. In children, the prone position may be most effective. Successive Heimlich maneuvers may be harmful when the airway is not relieved after the first compression.

Aim The efficacy of non‐invasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains unclear. Variation in both the etiology of ARDS and patient factors has resulted in inconsistent application of NPPV. We have developed a protocol‐based NPPV strategy as a first‐line intervention for ARDS. The aim of this observational study was to determine if protocol‐based NPPV improves the outcome in patients with ARDS. Methods We identified patients with ARDS treated by protocol‐based NPPV at our institution between March 2006 and March 2010 and categorized them according to NPPV success or failure. Success was defined as avoidance of intubation and remaining alive during NPPV. Results Eighty‐eight of 169 patients diagnosed with ARDS during the study period were treated using the protocol. Fifty‐two (76%) of 68 patients who were eligible for the study were successfully treated and did not require endotracheal intubation. The overall mortality rate at 28 days after initiation of NPPV was 12%. The mortality rate was significantly lower in the success group than in the failure group (P, The aim of this observational study was to determine whether protocol‐based non‐invasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) could be effective for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The success rate was higher and the mortality was lower in patients than in historical controls. Protocol‐based NPPV can be effective in patients with ARDS.

The raw data of this study; the airway pressure, the number of opened cases and unopend cases in the child and adult model, and the expiratory volume produced from the manikin by the Heimlich manoeuvre in the absence of a foreign body.

The in-hospital mortality rate of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is improving. In Japan, little information exists concerning the incidence and mortality of AMI. Therefore, our population-based analysis examined the incidence and mortality rate in AMI cases in individuals that lived in the Matsumoto region in 2002. We studied 169 AMI patients who were admitted within 14 days after a non-out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (non-OHCA group) and 63 patients with an AMI-related out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA group). The in-hospital mortality rate of the non-OHCA group was 9.5% (reperfusion therapy [+] 3.4%, [-] 22.7%, P < 0.0001). The rate of return of spontaneous circulation and the survival rate were 21% and 1.6%, respectively, in the OHCA group. The incidence of AMI in the non-OHCA and OHCA groups combined was 55.2 to 63.1 events/100,000 people annually and the mean age of AMI patients was 70 ± 13 years. The population-based mortality rate of AMI was 34% to 42%. The mortality rate of AMI remains high, and most deaths occur outside of the hospital. Prehospital care may lower the mortality rate of AMI.

Background: Acute aortic dissection (AAD) classically presents as sudden, severe chest, back, or abdominal pain. However, there have been several documented cases presenting with atypical features. The clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with painless AAD were investigated. Methods and Results: The study group comprised 98 patients (53 males, 45 females; 66±12 years) with AAD admitted to hospital from 2002 to 2007: 16 patients (17%) had no pain (Painless group) and 82 patients had pain (Painful group). In 81% of the Painless group and 70% of the Painful group there was a type A dissection. The Painless group more frequently had a persistent disturbance of consciousness (44% vs. 6%, P

Nitric oxide (NO) is increasingly being used in medical treatments of high blood pressure, acute respiratory distress syndrome and other illnesses related to the lungs. Currently a NO inhalation system consists of a gas cylinder of N2 mixed with a high concentration of NO. This arrangement is potentially risky due to the possibility of an accidental leak of NO from the cylinder. The presence of NO in the air leads to the formation of nitric dioxide (NO2), which is toxic to the lungs. Therefore, an on-site generator of NO would be highly desirable for medical doctors to use with patients with lung disease. To develop the NO inhalation system without a gas cylinder, which would include a high concentration of NO, NAMIHIRA et al have recently reported on the production of NO from room air using a pulsed arc discharge. In the present work, the temperature of the pulsed arc discharge plasma used to generate NO was measured to optimize the discharge condition. The results of the temperature measurements showed the temperature of the pulsed arc discharge plasma reached about 10,000 K immediately after discharge initiation and gradually decreased over tens of microseconds. In addition, it was found that NO was formed in a discharge plasma having temperatures higher than 9,000 K and a smaller input energy into the discharge plasma generates NO more efficiently than a larger one.

脳卒中は発症から治療開始までの時間が重要である. 2006年に松本広域圏で発症した脳梗塞救急搬送記録より発症様式や搬送時間を調査・検証した. 初発片麻痺患者は388例で全脳梗塞の46%であった. 年齢は平均75歳で, 75歳未満は40%を占めた. 発症時刻は, 確定例33%・推定例52%・推測不能例15%であった. 健常状態最終確認から発見まで60分, 片麻痺認知 (発見) から119番通報まで14分, 通報から病院到着まで31分であった (いずれも中央値). 55%が発症から3時間以内に病院到着した. JCS100以上は18%, 重度片麻痺は52%であった. rt-PAは, 慎重項目である年齢や意識・片麻痺の重症度から10%が対象となった. 病院前救護における時間短縮は, (1) 市民・救急隊へ脳卒中徴候と治療法の教育, (2) 救急搬送中の病歴聴取と家族同乗強化, (3) medical controlによる病院選定, が挙げられた.

A 68-year-old woman with no history of cardiac events suffered acute myocardial infarction after surgery for middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion manifesting as transient left motor weakness. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging revealed multiple infarctions in the right cerebral hemisphere. Magnetic resonance angiography and cerebral angiography demonstrated an occlusion at the horizontal segment of the right MCA and no collateral circulation. Cerebral blood flow study 6 weeks after the initial presentation indicated decreased blood flow in the right cerebral hemisphere. Superficial temporal artery-MCA anastomosis was conducted to prevent recurrent cerebral infarction. Two hours after surgery, her systolic blood pressure fell to 60 mmHg and her consciousness worsened. Emergency coronary angiography indicated occlusion of the right coronary artery. Percutaneous coronary intervention was successfully performed and the subsequent course was uneventful. Preoperative evaluation of the coronary artery may be necessary before surgery for cerebral ischemic disease in both the intracranial and extracranial arteries.

次亜塩素酸ナトリウム(SHC)を含むトイレ漂白剤飲用後の消化器障害の報告は多い。しかし,急性呼吸促迫症候群(ARDS)の報告はまれである。症例は72歳の女性。SHCを含むトイレ漂白剤を自殺目的で飲み,近医にて処置後,本院へ搬送された。来院時,口腔などの発赤と両肺野に水泡性ラ音を認めた。気管挿管下での人工呼吸管理を開始したが,入院8時間後にはPaO2/FIO2は185mmHgと低下し,胸部X線上両肺野の浸潤影を認めた。ARDSに対しシベレスタットナトリウムの投与を開始し,第8病日には人工呼吸器を離脱できた。SHCは誤嚥による直接的な腐食による化学性肺炎からARDSを起こす可能性があるだけでなく,塩酸や塩素ガスを発生しARDSを起こす可能性がある。さらに,SHCそのものが肺組織内の還元型グルタチオンを枯渇させARDS引き起こす可能性もある。SHC飲用例ではARDSの発症に十分な注意が必要である。

Nitric monoxide (NO) is increasingly being used in medical applications. Currently, a gas cylinder of N/sub 2/ mixed with a high concentration of NO is used. This arrangement is potentially risky due to the possibility of accidental leak of NO from the cylinder. The presence of NO in air leads to the formation of nitric dioxide (NO/sub 2/), which is toxic to the lungs. Therefore, an on-site generation of NO would be very desirable for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome and other related illnesses. We have recently reported on the production of NO using a pulsed arc discharge. In the present work, the discharge reactor was made simpler and smaller. NO was generated using a pulsed arc discharge in dry air and in mixtures of oxygen and nitrogen. The composition of the gas mixture after treatment with an arc discharge followed by exposure to heated molybdenum was 540 ppm of NO, 48 ppm of NO/sub 2/, and the balance dry air at 0.1 MPa and 300 /spl plusmn/ 3 K. No ozone was detected at the outlet of the system by UV absorption. The density of the brass particles emitted from the electrodes, which had diameters over 0.3 /spl mu/m, was less than 1.39 /spl mu/g/L. A filter could readily capture and thus remove the brass particles.

Objective To compare the utilization and outcomes of critical care services in a cohort of hospitals in the United States and Japan. Design Prospective data collection on 5,107 patients and detailed organizational characteristics from each of the participating Japanese study hospitals between 1993 and 1995, with comparisons made to prospectively collected data on the 17,440 patients included in the US APACHE (acute physiology and chronic health evaluation) III database. Setting Twenty-two Japanese and 40 US hospitals. Patients Consecutive, unselected patients from medical, surgical, and mixed medical/surgical ICUs. Measurements Severity of illness, predicted risk of in-hospital death, and ICU and hospital length of stay (LOS) were assessed using APACHE III. Japanese ICU directors completed a detailed survey describing their units. Main results US and Japanese ICUs have a similar array of modalities available for care. Only 1.0% (range, 0.56 to 2.7%) of beds in Japanese hospitals were designated as ICUs. The organization of the Japanese and US ICUs varied by hospital, but Japanese ICUs were more likely to be organized to care for heterogeneous diagnostic populations. Sample case-mix differences reflect different disease prevalence. ICU utilization for women is significantly lower (35.5% vs 44.8% of patients) and there were relatively fewer patients ≥85 years old in the Japanese ICU cohort (1.2% vs 4.6%), despite a higher per capita rate of individuals ≥85 years old in Japan. The utilization of ICUs for patients at low risk of death significantly less in Japan (10.2%) than in the United States (12.9%). The APACHE III score stratified patient risk. Overall mortality was similar in both national samples after accounting for differences in hospital LOS, utilizing a model that was highly discriminating (receiver operating characteristic, 0.87) when applied to the Japanese sample. The application of a US-based mortality model to a Japanese sample overpredicted mortality across all but the highest (> 90%) deciles of risk. Significant variation in expected performance was noted between hospitals. Risk-adjusted ICU LOS was not significantly longer in Japan; however, total hospital stay was nearly twice that found in the US hospitals, reflecting differences in hospital utilization philosophies. Conclusions Similar high-technology critical care is available in both countries. Variations in ICU utilization reflect differences in case-mix and bed availability. Japanese ICU utilization by gender reflects differences in disease prevalence, whereas differences in utilization by age may reflect differences in cultural norms regarding the limits of care. Such differences provide context from which to assess the delivery of care across international borders. Miscalibration of predictive models applied to international data samples highlight the impact that differences in resource use and local practice cultures have on outcomes. Models may require modification in order to account for these differences. Nevertheless, with large databases, it is possible to assess critical care delivery systems between countries accounting for differences in case-mix, severity of illness, and cultural normative standards facilitating the design and management such systems.

Background In a rural region with few medical resources, we have promoted the strategy that if an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patient is likely reversible, he or she should be transported directly from the scene of cardiac arrest to the only tertiary care center where extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is readily available. We investigated 1-month survival and neurological outcomes after ECPR in OHCA patients at this center. Methods We implemented a retrospective review of OHCA patients of heterogeneous origin in whom ECPR was performed. Demographic characteristics, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, ECPR details, and neurological outcomes were evaluated. Cerebral performance categories were used to assign each patient to favorable or unfavorable outcome groups. Results Fifty OHCA patients underwent ECPR. Presumed causes of OHCA were cardiac etiology in 32 patients, accidental hypothermia in 7 patients, and other causes in 11 patients. Overall, 13 patients (26%) survived and 10 patients (20%) had favorable outcomes. Of the 32 patients with OHCA of cardiac origin, 5 patients (16%) had favorable outcomes. Of the seven patients with OHCA of hypothermic origin, five patients (71%) had favorable outcomes. No clinically reliable predictors to identify ECPR candidates were found. However, all nine OHCA patients over 70 years of age had unfavorable outcomes (P = 0.224). In addition, all seven patients who satisfied the basic life support termination-of-resuscitation rule had unfavorable outcomes (P = 0.319). Conclusions ECPR can be a useful means to rescue OHCA patients who are unresponsive to conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a rural tertiary care center, in a manner similar to that observed in the urban regions.

The dynamic aspects of circulating cytokines and cytokine modulators and their relationship with development of multiple organ failure (MOF) in patients with acute pancreatitis were analyzed. All cytokine and C-reactive protein levels in the circulation were higher than those in the MOF group. In particular, plasma concentrations of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors (sTNF-RI and sTNF-RII) were significantly higher in patients with MOF than in those without even at admission. Furthermore, plasma concentrations of sTNF-Rs and interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) were much higher than those of their counterparts, TNFalpha and IL-beta, respectively. These results suggest that the plasma concentrations of sTNF-Rs are useful predictors for the development of MOF, and actions of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta could be regulated by their modulators (soluble receptor and receptor antagonist, respectively) in the pathologic condition of severe acute pancreatitis.

Nitric monoxide (NO) is widely used in medical treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The production of NO is of interest to the medical community. In the present work, NO is generated by pulsed discharges between two rod electrodes in a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen. An arc discharge having a temperature of about 10000 K was produced, which was sufficient to generate NO. Some of the important parameters affecting the production of NO have been investigated. These include the percentage of O/sub 2/ (6-94%) in the mixture of Na and O/sub 2/, the energy of the discharge (0.5-12 J/pulse), the pulse repetition rate (0.54.5 pps) and the flow rate (1.35-5.4 l/min) of the gas mixture. NO/sub 2/ produced in the discharge was successfully changed to NO using a heated molybdenum tube, NO/sub 2/ must be extracted from the gas before clinical inhalation. The concentration of ozone was completely eliminated by bubbling the gas mixture through water. A maximum of NO and a minimum of NO/sub 2/ concentrations were generated when the proportion of O/sub 2/ in the gas mixture was in the range of 20-27%. The concentrations of NO and NO/sub 2/ increased with increasing pulse repetition rate and with decreasing flow rate of the mixture. In all cases, No/sub 2/ was effectively removed using a heated molybdenum tube.

Nitric oxide (NO) is increasingly being used in medical applications. Currently, a gas cylinder of N2 mixed with a high concentration of NO is used in the NO inhalation system. However, this arrangement is potentially risky due to the possibility of accidental leak of NO from the cylinder. The presence of NO in air leads to the formation of nitric dioxide (NO2), which is toxic to the lungs. Therefore, an on-site generation of NO would be very desirable for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome and other related illnesses. Previously, our group reported the production of NO using a pulsed arc discharge. In this work, the prototype of the on-site NO generator was developed and the performances of the NO generator were demonstrated for medical applications.

Transport of a patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a crucial problem. A 17-year-old severe hypoxemic woman was transported successfully using mobile extracorporeal lung assist (mobile ECLA). The patient was injured in a massive landslide and admitted to a municipal hospital far about 103km away from our hospital. On admission, a right tension pneumothorax, hemothorax, 2-7 rib fractures and pulmonary contusion were diagnosed. Although intensive therapies were performed, ARDS developed and her oxygenation deteriorated on the 5th hospital day. Arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) was 35 mmHg with a fractional inspired oxygen (FIO2) of 1.0 and a positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 8cmH2O. After the initiation of veno-venous ECLA with a centrifugal pump, her PaO2 increased to 232mmHg. She was successfully transported under mobile ECLA during the 2.5 hour transport from the municipal hospital to our ICU. We believe that mobile ECLA is a useful method for inter-hospital transport of a patient with ARDS. To our knowledge, this may be the first case of long distant inter-hospital transport on mobile ECLA in Japan.

The relationships between oxygen delivery (DO2), oxygen consumption (VO2), and the extraction rate (ER = VO2/DO2 x 100) in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) may differ from the normal physiologic state due to the oxygen debt acquired during CPB. Blood gas analysis and hemodynamic parameters were repeatedly measured for the determination of DO2 and VO2 in 40 patients undergoing CPB, every 8 h during the first 48 h postoperatively. As a control, 20 patients who had suffered acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were also studied using the same protocol. In the CPB group, a regression analysis showed that VO2 was significantly dependent on DO2, even within the physiologic range of DO2 (500 ml/min per m2); VO2 = 121.4 + 0.0844 x DO2 (r = 0.254, P = 0.023). Conversely, in the AMI group, no such supply-dependent consumption was observed within the same range of DO2. At an ER of 30%, which is the optimal value in general, the DO2 of the CPB group was 575 ml/min per m2 and that of the AMI group was 493 ml/min per m2. All these results suggest that patients undergoing CPB need a much higher oxygen supply to recover from the oxygen debt acquired during open heart surgery.

肝切除後の黄疸3例に対し高気圧酸素療法を施行した. 症例1は65歳の胆嚢癌患者で, 肝右葉切除後黄疸が遷延し, T-Bilは18.1mg/dlまで上昇した. 13回の高気圧酸素療法を施行しT-Bilは5.4mg/dlまで改善し, 以後正常に復した. 症例2は69歳の胆管癌の患者で, 肝右葉切除後黄疸が遷延しT-Bilは19.3mg/dlまで上昇した. 16回の高気圧酸素療法を施行したところT-Bilは3.3mg/dlまで改善し, 以後正常に復した. 症例3は64歳の肝内結石症, 胆汁性肝硬変の患者で肝切除後の再発結石を破砕中にT-Bilは21.1mg/dlまで上昇し高気圧酸素療法を施行したところ, T-Bilは11.5mg/dlまでいったんは改善したが胆管炎が増悪しT-Bilは再上昇し肝不全で死亡した. 高気圧酸素療法は予備能の低下した硬変肝には無効であったが非硬変肝の肝切除後の黄疸に対してはその有効性が認められた.

We experienced a plasma cell leukemia (PCL) patient complicated with high output cardiac failure (HOCF), proved as his elevated cardiac index and pulmonary artery wedge pressure and decreased systemic vascular resistance index in a hemodynamic study. We found no possible causes of HOCF. Interestingly, HOCF was improved as PCL responded to intensive chemotherapy. On the other hand, he showed consciousness disturbance, and had frequent attacks of generalized seizure. His electroencephalogram showed slow waves, and a spike and wave complex. Hyperammonemia and abnormal amino acid distribution were also found. This abnormal serum amino acid distribution, especially elevated glycine level, was different from that seen in chronic liver failure, and he had no hepatic disease. After intensive chemotherapy, the serum ammonia level and glycine level decreased. In this patient, PCL seemed to be responsible for HOCF, hyperammonemia, and abnormal amino acid distribution. We experienced two more cases of multiple myeloma (MM) with HOCF, hyperammonemia, abnormal serum amino acid distribution, and consciousness disturbance of unknown origin. Those two cases showed slow waves in the electroencephalogram. Improvement was seen in their HOCF, hyperammonemia, and abnormal amino acid levels after chemotherapy. The possibility of MM as a cause of HOCF is discussed.

Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) was used to treat three patients with near-fatal status asthmaticus who did not respond to aggressive medical therapies and mechanical ventilation under controlled permissive hypercapnia. ECLS was instituted in patient 1 because Paco 2 was excessively high and pH was excessively low, in patient 2 because hypoxemia and shock were not responsive to treatment, and in patient 3 because of sustained severe hypotension. ECLS supported adequate gas exchange until pulmonary function improved, diminishing the need for mechanical ventilation and preventing pulmonary complications. Pulmonary dysfunction improved markedly after only 21 to 86 hours of ECLS. Aggressive medical treatments were continued during ECLS. Our findings indicate that ECLS is a useful method for preventing death in patients with near-fatal status asthmaticus.

During nitric oxide (NO) inhalation therapy, toxicity may be produced by the reactive metabolite nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The purpose of the present study was to determine the NO2 concentration in a NO inhalation system used for respiratory failure in children at relatively low concentrations of NO (< 20 ppm). The production of NO2 in the NO inhalation system using the Servo Ventilator 900C connected to the test lung under each of 30 combinations of NO concentrations (0, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 19 ppm) and inspired oxygen (O2) concentrations (21, 40, 60, 80, and 100%). Pressure controlled ventilation was used with a respiratory rate of 20 breaths/min. NO and NO2 measurements were obtained on the inspiratory side of the Y-piece connected to the test lung. At a given NO level, increases in the concentration of inspired O2 resulted in increases in the concentration of NO2 produced, as did increases in the amount of NO at a given concentration of O2. The mean NO2 concentration at the inspiratory site of the Y-piece did not exceed 0.05 ppm (the limit of NO2 as an outdoor air pollutant in the United States) when the NO concentration did not exceed 8 ppm, regardless of the O2 concentration. NO inhalation therapy for children with severe respiratory failure using the Servo Ventilator 900C can be performed safely when the concentration of NO does not exceed 8 ppm.

Nitric oxide (NO) inhalation and high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) has been indicated in infants with severe respiratory failure. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the safety of an NO inhalation system with HFOV in terms of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) production. The NO inhalation system consisted of a high frequency oscillatory ventilator, a neonatal circuit and a test lung. The NO concentration was changed from 0 to 19 p.p.m. At each level of NO, the oxygen (O2) concentration was changed from 21 to 100%. The NO and NO2 concentrations were measured with a chemiluminescence analyzer using a molybdenum converter. The NO2 concentration was increased when either the O2 or the NO concentration was increased. The interposition of the endotracheal tubes increased NO2 concentrations at 4 p.p.m. NO. The high stroke volume and high mean airway pressure produced a significant increase in NO2 production at 4 p.p.m. NO. The increase in NO2 production was prevented by placing a one-way valve at the joint of the NO gas line to the inspired limb. It was concluded that the NO inhalation system with HFOV can be safely used when a one-way valve is placed at the joint of the NO gas line to the inspired limb and when inhaled NO is at a relatively low concentration.

We present a case of pharyngeal foreign body in an infant. A 6-month-old girl whose oropharyngeal space was occupied by a cuttlefish hook, was sent to our intensive care unit. The double-banked, radial needles were stuck in the base of the tongue as well as the middle pharynx and were seen on a roentgenogram. Neither a laryngoscope nor even a small bronchofiberscope could be inserted into the oral space occupied by the foreign body. Prior to transoral removal of the foreign body, tracheostomy was performed. Intravenous anesthesia using ketamine and diazepam combined with the local anesthesia was chosen for the tracheostomy. A small dose of atropine was effective in reducing secretions and maintaining the patency of the upper airway. Induction of anesthesia was followed by isoflurane, nitrous oxide, and oxygen after tracheostomy, then surgery was performed successfully within 90 minutes. Tracheostomy is indicated for a patient in whom endotracheal intubation is difficult to perform. Upper airway management during tracheostomy is the main issue in such a case, especially in an infant with a large pharyngeal foreign body.

Inhaled nitric oxide (NO) therapy is becoming an indispensable measure in neonatal intensive care to rescue critically ill neonates with hypoxemic respiratory failure. Inhaled NO improves oxygenation and reduces pulmonary hypertension, but it also may have the following beneficial effects: (1) decreasing pulmonary capillary pressure; (2) inhibiting pulmonary microvascular leaks; (3) inhibiting pulmonary leukocyte aggregation and adhesion; (4) inhibiting pulmonary platelet aggregation and adhesion; and (5) inhibiting hypertensive pulmonary vascular changes. Inhaled NO therapy has been receiving much attention as a preventive measure for acute respiratory distress syndrome and pulmonary hypertensive diseases. The indices for improvement of oxygenation and the measures for augmentation of oxygenation during inhaled NO are beginning to be described, but no device for inhaled NO therapy exists which can be used easily and safely by anyone. Aerosolized prostaglandin therapy has not yet been established either. Neither therapy should be performed without obtaining informed consent and institutional approval.

Ileus and intestinal obstruction are common diseases for the elderly. Ileus is caused as the results of severe pain, infections and medications. Intestinal obstruction is one of the first etiologies of surgical emergency procedures. Intestinal obstruction is mainly due to the abdominal wall hernias and oncologic problems in the elderly. The fatal intestinal obstruction is not negligible in the elderly. Intestinal obstruction, especially in the demented elderly, can present late and with deceptively minimal signs and symptoms. We described the features and notes of ileus and intestinal obstruction in the elderly emergency patients.

We investigated the factors associated with cerebral dysfunction in patients undergoing extracorporeal life support (ECLS) following conventional advanced cardiac life support (ACLS). The subjects were 9 patients in whom ECLS was started following ACLS because of intractable cardiac arrest. We investigated whether the irreversibility of cerebral dysfunction during ECLS was related to the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) time, arterial pH and blood gases, hemoglobin concentration (Hb), peak arterial pressure (PAP) before the start of ECLS and total doses of epinephrine and sodium bicarbonate administered during CPR. Two of the 3 patients who recovered consciousness were weaned from ECLS and survived, while all 6 patients who did not recover from coma were not weaned and died. There was no difference in the CPR time, Hb and PAP before the start of ECLS along with total doses of epinephrine and sodium bicarbonate administered during CPR between the patients who recovered consciousness and those who did not. In addition, there was no difference in arterial pH and blood gases except the arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) between the groups. The PaO2 values before the start of ECLS in the patients who remained in coma ranged from 34 to 58 mmHg, whereas those in the patients who recovered consciousness ranged from 132 to 442 mmHg. The PaO2 values before the start of ECLS in the patients who remained in coma were less than 60 mmHg, whereas those in the patients who recovered consciousness were over 60 mmHg. The present study suggests that hypoxemia during CPR may play a major role in severe cerebral dysfunction in patients undergoing ECLS and PaO2 during CPR.

We examined the incidence of nasel MRSA carriers who were admitted to the ICU during about 6 months. The nasal organisms of 25 medical staffs were also examined during this period. Of 83 patients, 8 (9.6%) had MRSA. Of 25 medical staffs, 1 (4%) had MRSA. Patients who had MRSA were isolated to the single room and their nasal cavities were wiped with 10% popidon iodine solution.The routine inspection of nasal organisms in critically-ill patients on admission to the ICU and in staffs was useful to determine MRSA carrier and to prevent the prevalence of MRSA infections.Three adult patients received intravenous infusion of 0.5g vancomycin for 90 minutes twice a day. This prescription was sufficient to maintain the minimum inhibitory concentration of vancomycin for adult patients without impairing renal function.

The purpose of this study was to determine the mortality rate in 527 critically ill patients with multiple organ failure (MOF), treated in our ICU between August, 1986 and January, 1992, and to compare it with the results obtained in a group of patients studied who had been treated between October, 1978 and July, 1986. The relationship between the mortality rate and each type of organ failure and the extent of organ system involvement was also investigated. The overall mortality rate was 25%, and the rate increased with the number of failed organs. Sepsis and disseminated intravascular coagulation were closely associated with the development of MOF. The mortality rate of patients with the failure of two organs in the present study was significantly lower than that found in those in the previous study. Although artificial organ mechanical life support technology other than that for patients with renal failure is still unsatisfactory, these results suggest that the prognosis of patients with MOF is improving.

The in-hospital mortality rate of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is improving. In Japan, little information exists concerning the incidence and mortality of AMI. Therefore, our population-based analysis examined the incidence and mortality rate in AMI cases in individuals that lived in the Matsumoto region in 2002. We studied 169 AMI patients who were admitted within 14 days after a non-out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (non-OHCA group) and 63 patients with an AMI-related out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA group). The in-hospital mortality rate of the non-OHCA group was 9.5% (reperfusion therapy [+] 3.4%, [-] 22.7%, P0.0001). The rate of return of spontaneous circulation and the survival rate were 21% and 1.6%, respectively, in the OHCA group. The incidence of AMI in the non-OHCA and OHCA groups combined was 55.2 to 63.1 events/100,000 people annually and the mean age of AMI patients was 70 ± 13 years. The population-based mortality rate of AMI was 34% to 42%. The mortality rate of AMI remains high, and most deaths occur outside of the hospital. Prehospital care may lower the mortality rate of AMI.

From November 1987 to February 1992, extracorporeal life support (ECLS) was used for four patients undergoing prolonged external cardiac massage following cardiac arrest. Their underlying diseases consisted of acute pulmonary embolism, pulmonary arterial thrombosis due to protein C deficiency, acute inferior left ventricular infarction accompanied by right ventricular infarction and thoracic contusion. After the initiation of ECLS, hemodynamic variables and metabolic acidosis improved in all of the cases. The case of pulmonary embolism and the case of acute myocardial infarction were successfully weaned from ECLS without complications. They were later discharged ambulatory from the hospital. The patient with pulmonary arterial thrombosis, who was comatose, became alert after the initiation of ECLS. However the patient finally died due to diffuse and massive pulmonary arterial thrombosis, which was probably related to protein C deficiency. The patient with thoracic contusion was also comatose before ECLS. He did not recover from the coma and died soon after the disconnection of ECLS. The latter two cases were suspected to have had irreversible organ failures not responsive to mechanical support of both circulation and respiration. We conclude that ECLS is a very useful method for patients requiring prolonged cardiac massage following cardiac arrest.

Acute aortic dissection (AAD) classically presents as sudden, severe chest, back, or abdominal pain. However, there have been several documented cases presenting with atypical features. The clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with painless AAD were investigated.The study group comprised 98 patients (53 males, 45 females; 66 ± 12 years) with AAD admitted to hospital from 2002 to 2007: 16 patients (17%) had no pain (painless group) and 82 patients had pain (painful group). In 81% of the painless group and 70% of the painful group there was a type A dissection. The painless group more frequently had a persistent disturbance of consciousness (44% vs. 6%, P0.001), syncope (25% vs. 1%, P0.001) and a focal neurologic deficit (19% vs. 2%, P = 0.006) as presenting symptoms. Imaging study findings were not significantly different. Cerebral ischemia (50% vs. 1%, P0.001) and cardiac tamponade (38% vs. 13%, P = 0.01) were more frequent complications in the painless group. In-hospital mortality was not significantly different (19% vs. 15%). However, the painless group had a more unfavorable functional outcome on overall performance category (P0.001).Painless AAD may be more frequent than previously reported. Painless AAD patients often present with a disturbance of consciousness or a neurologic deficit, and have a higher morbidity than painful AAD patients.

Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) has been suggested to be associated with adverse outcomes in emergency patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF), possibly because of a delay in tracheal intubation (TI). We hypothesized that protocol-based NPPV (pNPPV) might improve the outcomes, compared with individual physician-directed NPPV (iNPPV).To guide decision making regarding the use of NPPV, we developed an NPPV protocol. Observational data were collected before and after protocol implementation in consecutive patients with ARF and compared between the pNPPV and the iNPPV groups.The results for pNPPV (n = 37) were compared with those for iNPPV (n = 37). No significant baseline differences in patient characteristics were observed between the two groups except for mean age, which was higher in the pNPPV group than in the iNPPV group (P = 0.02). Rate of TI and duration of mechanical ventilation were similar in the two groups. However, the time from the start of NPPV until TI tended to be shorter in the pNPPV group than in the iNPPV group (P = 0.11). The hospital mortality rate was significantly lower in the pNPPV group than in the iNPPV group (P = 0.049). Although the length of hospital stay was shorter in the pNPPV group than in the iNPPV group, this trend did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.14).The present study suggests that pNPPV is effective and likely to improve the mortality rate of emergency patients with ARF.

A morbidly obese 44-year-old man, weighing 100 kg and 172 cm tall, was admitted to our hospital with severe burn. Forty-seven % of the total body surface area and respiratory tract were injured. Burn index was estimated to be 37. In the emergency room, his trachea was urgently intubated without muscle relaxant and sedatives to manage difficult airway from morbid obesity and airway burn. Pressure support ventilation was started using a ventilator, SAVINA (Dräger, Germany). Simultaneously, sivelestat sodium hydrate was administered for acute lung injury (ALI). On day 3, early skin grafting under general anesthesia was scheduled. The ICU ventilator, SAVINA, was used continuously during anesthesia because his respiratory management had been successful with SAVINA. Total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) was performed using propofol, fentanyl and vecuronium. To avoid high airway pressure and improve arterial oxygenation, he was positioned at reverse-Trendelenburg's position during anesthesia. Anesthesia and the post-operative course was uneventful.