1.6 – ICM Case Summaries

A 50-year-old man was brought to the emergency department. He had sustained a burn affecting 55% of his total body surface area and a significant inhalational injury. In the emergency department he was intubated and ventilated, central venous, arterial and urinary catheters were placed and resuscitation begun using the Parkland formula.

He was transferred to burns intensive care. Fluid resuscitation was continued using Hartmann’s solution. A bronchoscopy was performed; 1.26% sodium bicarbonate was used for lavage. He became increasingly tachycardic and hypotensive. He was oliguric. His haematocrit was 0.45. Fluid status was difficult to assess clinically; he felt warm to touch. An oesophageal Doppler probe was sited which demonstrated low stroke volume and corrected flow time. His Doppler parameters improved with each 250ml bolus of Hartmann’s solution but the effect was short lived. Noradrenaline and then adrenaline infusions were used in an attempt to maintain blood pressure. After a significant volume of crystalloid had been given, approximately 12 hours after the time of injury, 4.5% human albumin solution was requested. This seemed to have a more prolonged effect than Hartmann’s solution. Over the next 12 hours the patient’s haemodynamic status stabilised and he was able to undergo initial surgical management of his burn 36 hours after presentation.

What is the evidence for the use of human albumin solution for fluid resuscitation in critically ill patients.Read More »

A 30-year-old man with no significant past medical history was admitted to ED from a house fire started by a piece of faulty electrical equipment. There were superficial skin burns only but some evidence of a possible inhalation injury with singed nasal hairs and a hoarse voice. Coughing resulted in expectoration of carbonaceous sputum with some haemoptysis. Arterial blood gas analysis revealed a PaO₂ of 10.4 kPa on 40% oxygen a carboxyhaemoglobin level of 18%.

Semi-elective endotracheal intubation was performed using an uncut orotracheal tube. Ventilatory parameters were adjusted to give a tidal volume of 6-8 ml/kg and plateau pressure of less than 30 cmH₂0. Recruitment manouveres were performed to give an optimum compliance in the region of 40-50 ml/cmH₂0 with a positive end-expiratory pressure of 8 H₂0. The inspired fraction of oxygen was kept high (i.e. greater than 60%) until there was a fall of the carboxyhaemoglobin level to less than 5% at which point downwards titration was performed as guided by a target SpO₂ of 94%.

Fibreoptic bronchoscopy was performed approximately six hours after admission to intensive care which demonstrated carbonaceous colonisation of the lower respiratory tract and areas of erythematous and denuded epithelium. Within 12 hours of intubation significant oedema of the face and upper airway had developed. A restrictive fluid regimen was instituted and there was gradual resolution of this swelling over the next 3 days. At this time, gas exchange was satisfactory and the patient was successfully extubated before being discharged to the high-dependency unit.

How is inhalational injury managed on the ICU?Read More »