Heat and moisture exchangers in intensive care: benefits and risks of their use in mechanically ventilated critically ill patientsReview Article

Línková Š., Rambousková K., Jiroutková K., Duška F.

Anest. intenziv. Med. 2024;35(1):31-37 | DOI: 10.36290/aim.2024.001  

The upper airway naturally warms and humidifies inspired air. For patients with artificial airways, this function is assumed by respiratory care devices, utilizing passive (HME, Heat and Moisture Exchangers) or active humidification. Despite no observed differences in clinical outcomes between these methods in randomised trials with critically ill patients, each has its particular benefits. HME, being technically simpler, is favoured in patients without respiratory pathologies, who are expected to be on only short-term mechanical ventilation (< 4 days). For other ventilated patients, active humidification might be more appropriate, especially when...

Advanced bloodless clinical procedures proven in practiceReview Article

Slipac J.

Anest. intenziv. Med. 2024;35(1):19-30 | DOI: 10.36290/aim.2023.079  

A better understanding of risks associated with allogeneic blood transfusions along with a growing population of patients seeking surgical care without the use of blood transfusion has led to the development of complex clinical strategies, intending to minimize blood loss, conserve autologous blood, enhance hematopoiesis, and augment tolerance of anemia. Advances in surgical technique, current technology, knowledge, and perioperative management significantly contributed to the fact that successful treatment without transfusion is a realistic option but it does require a concerted patient-centered effort from the multidisciplinary team. In this review,...

Determination of the correlation between ultrasonographically obtained indices of cervical vessels and central venous pressure in critically ill pediatric patientsOriginal Article

Bělohlávek T., Grendár M., Cibulka M., Heinige P., Berčáková I., Nosáľ S.

Anest. intenziv. Med. 2024;35(1):12-18 | DOI: 10.36290/aim.2024.010  

Objective: The study aimed to determine the correlation between noninvasively ultrasonographically obtained cervical vessel indices and invasively measured central venous pressure in critically ill pediatric patients. Design: Prospective observational study. Setting: Department of pediatric intensive care, university hospital. Material and methods: 77 patients aged 0 to under 19 years with inserted central venous catheter and central venous pressure monitoring requiring admission to the department of intensive care medicine were included in the study. Both spontaneously ventilating patients and patients on artificial pulmonary ventilation, hemodynamically...

ICU design analysis: Are we really moving forward?Original Article

Harazim M.

Anest. intenziv. Med. 2024;35(1):8-11 | DOI: 10.36290/aim.2024.003  

This paper analyses the spatial layout of adult intensive care units (ICUs) that were built in the Czech Republic in 2023 under the REACT 98 call. A comparative evaluation was performed to compare the design features of these units with the latest recommendations of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine from 2011. The investigation focuses on key parameters such as spatial layout, bed capacity, area dedicated around the patient's bed, access to natural light, availability of toilet facilities for the patient, family areas. The study concludes that most of the evaluated projects do not fulfil the proposed recommendations in the parameters...

Česká intenzivní medicína v roce 2024Editorial

doc. MUDr. Martin Balík, Ph.D., EDIC

Anest. intenziv. Med. 2024;35(1):4-5 | DOI: 10.36290/aim.2024.007  

ČSARIM v roce 2024 - naplňování priorit výboruEditorial

prof. MUDr. Vladimír Černý, Ph.D., FCCM, FESAIC

Anest. intenziv. Med. 2024;35(1):3 | DOI: 10.36290/aim.2024.012