Manual of Intensive Care Medicine

Abstract

This manual is a collection of critical care topics. The text is geared toward a bedside approach to diagnosis and treatment and should be a valuable tool for practicing clinicians, especially house officers who may provide direct care to critically ill patients. The chapters are organized so that need to know items can be quickly indexed. The text begins with descriptions of commonly performed special procedures, including endotracheal intubation and central venous, arterial, and pulmonary artery catheterizations. Indications for each procedure are delineated, as are contraindications and complications. Some practical but often overlooked comments are also included. For example, an 8-mm or larger endotracheal tube should be used if bronchoscopy is considered, and the tendency for pulmonary catheters to migrate peripherally as the catheter softens because of body temperature is discussed. Diagrams are kept to a minimum and are simple, eg, anatomy of the great vessels and the neck and