Reduction of renal function during mechanical ventilation of healthy lungs in an animal biomodel.

OBJECTIVES: To identify factors involved in reno-pulmonary interactions during mechanical ventilation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included a total of 25 domestic piglets. The animals were divided into three groups based on different strategies of ventilation. Group A; spontaneously breathing piglets; group B animals ventilated with tidal volume of 6 ml.kg-1 and group C with animals ventilated with tidal volume 10 ml.kg-1. Clinical monitoring and laboratory tests were performed for all groups at baseline and then at 1 hour and 12 hours for groups B and C. Ventilation indices, hemodynamics, urine output, creatinine clearance, glomerular filtration index, fractional excretion of sodium, free water clearance and tissue samples were recorded. The data obtained were statistically analysed. RESULTS: Lower creatinine clearance and renal indices were seen in group B (p < 0.05) and in group C (p < 0.001) at 1 hour, and a difference in urine output for group C (p < 0.01) compared to group A was observed. At 12 hours, there was a further reduction in creatinine clearance and renal indices for group B (p < 0.05) and group C (p < 0.01). The lung mechanics and hemodynamics were not significantly influenced. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed a causal relationship between renal dysfunction and positive pressure mechanical ventilation with respect to tidal volume and time (Tab. 4, Fig. 2, Ref. 17).

Different cardiac loading conditions and haemodynamic monitoring in animal models.

OBJECTIVE: To develop models of various cardiac loading conditions in an experimental study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 78 piglets, average weight 24 kg were divided into 4 groups under different cardiac loading conditions: Group A were spontaneously breathing pigs without haemodynamic changes, Group B were ventilated animals with increased left ventricular afterload, Group C ventilated with increased right ventricular preload and Group D ventilated with increased afterload of both heart ventricles. Haemodynamic parameters were invasively measured at 60 and 120 minutes. RESULTS: Groups B, C and D demonstrated higher preload of both ventricles, compared with Group A. Group C demonstrated higher preload and afterload of both ventricles in comparison with Groups B and D. CONCLUSION: Haemodynamic measured data confirmed the expected changes in cardiac loading and corresponded to human clinical situations. These models may be used for future experimental haemodynamic studies (Tab. 1, Fig. 3, Ref. 8).

Changes of airway obstruction parameters in healthy children caused by mother's smoking during pregnancy.

The present study was aimed at the assessment of the impact of mother smoking during pregnancy on changes of phase angle (phi) and T(me)/T(E) index in healthy children. A hundred and twenty seven children, divided according to age (<6 months and >6 months of age) and mother smoking anamnesis were investigated by noncalibrated respiratory inductive plethysmography in the supine position. We found statistically significant changes of phi (p<0.05) and T(me)/T(E) in healthy children of non-smoking mothers against a group of smoking mother's children of up to 6 months of age. These differences were not confirmed in children older than 6 months. Moreover, in the smoking mother group, we found statistically significant changes (P<0.05) of phi and T(me)/T(E) in children of up to 6 months of age in comparison with children older than 6 month. The results revealed a negative impact of mother smoking during pregnancy represented by changes in airway obstruction parameters, which appeared especially in the group of youngest children.

Hemodynamic monitoring using PiCCO system in a 10 months old infant suffering from serious burn injury.

In this study, authors present a case report of a 10 months old patient with burn injuries involving 20.5 % body surface area, grades 2a and 2b. According to the continuous monitoring of hemodynamic parameters by PiCCO (Pulsion Medical Systems, Munich, Germany), fluid therapy was successfully managed. Despite of an increasing EVLWI (extravascular lung water index) it was possible to preserve the child from lung edema and subsequent artificial lung ventilation by the early targeted therapeutic interventions. Moreover, the study analyzes the possibilities and indications of less invasive hemodynamic monitoring supplied by PiCCO in children (Tab. 2, Fig. 3, Ref. 7). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk.

Penile block in children, our first experience.

Penile block has been in use in penile surgery as a technique for perioperative analgesia for 25 years. The authors reintroduced penile block on the Department of Paediatric Anaesthetics and Intensive Care at the University Children's Hospital in Bratislava, Slovakia in June 2004 after 8 years. This prospective open observational study presents their experience with penile block for elective penile surgery in 96 paediatric patients (Tab. 3, Ref. 14).