Lung Point Sign in Ultrasound Diagnostics of Pneumothorax: Imitations and Variants.

Background: Pulmonary ultrasound plays a key role in the diagnosis of pneumothorax in emergency and intensive-care medicine. The lung point sign has been generally considered a pathognomonic diagnostic sign. Recently, several other situations have been published that can mimic the lung point, as well as a few different variants of the true lung point sign.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation survival: External validation of current predictive scoring systems focusing on influenza A etiology.

Despite increasing clinical experience with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), its optimal indications remain unclear. Here, we externally evaluated all currently available ECMO survival-predicting scoring systems and the APACHE II score in subjects undergoing veno-venous ECMO (VV ECMO) support due to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with influenza (IVA) and non-influenza (n-IVA) etiologies. Our aim was to find the best scoring system for influenza A ARDS ECMO success prediction.

Vasopressin in Patients with Septic Shock and Dynamic Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction.

Purpose: Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) is a relatively uncommon but severe condition that may lead to hemodynamic impairment. It can be elicited by morphological (left ventricular hypertrophy, sigmoid septum, prominent papillary muscle, prolonged anterior mitral valve leaflet) and functional (hypovolemia, low afterload, hypercontractility, catecholamines) factors. We sought to determine the incidence of the most severe form of LVOTO in septic shock patients and describe the therapeutic effects of vasopressin.

Management of accidental hypothermia: an established extracorporeal membrane oxygenation centre experience.

Introduction: Data on management of severe accidental hypothermia published from an established high-volume extracorporeal membrane oxygenation centre are scarce.

Methods: A total of 28 patients with intravesical temperature lower than 28°C on admission were either treated with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or rewarmed conservatively.

Results: A total of 10 patients rewarmed on veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (age: 37 ± 12.

A Rare Case of Severe Metabolic Alkalosis with Unusual Hyperproteinemia Treated with Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy and Regional Citrate Anticoagulation.

A 23-year-old woman was referred to the tertiary centre with acute kidney injury and severe metabolic alkalosis following an accidental ethylene glycol poisoning. The patient had been treated with continuous haemodiafiltration and regional citrate anticoagulation, and a tracheostomy was performed due to pneumonia. Besides severe metabolic alkalosis and hypernatremia, the laboratory tests revealed total protein of 108 g/L on admission to the tertiary centre.

Management of arrhythmia in sepsis and septic shock.

The occurrence of supraventricular arrhythmias is associated with an unfavourable prognosis in septic shock. Available trials are difficult to apply in sepsis and septic shock patients due to included cohorts, control groups and because "one size does not fit all". The priorities in the critically ill are maintenance of the sinus rhythm and diastolic ventricular filling.

Mechanism of paracetamol-induced hypotension in critically ill patients: a prospective observational cross-over study.

Objective: To elucidate the mechanism of hypotension following intravenous administration of paracetamol (acetaminophen) to patients on the Intensive Care Unit.

Design: Prospective observational cross-over study.

Setting: Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital Královské Vinohrady, Prague, Czech Republic.