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Intensive care after fresh water immersion accidents in children
Author(s) -
PFENNINGER J.,
SUTTER M.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1982.tb01779.x
Subject(s) - medicine , hypocapnia , anesthesia , coma (optics) , respiratory distress , pneumonia , dexamethasone , intracranial pressure , mechanical ventilation , assisted ventilation , surgery , intensive care medicine , hypercapnia , physics , acidosis , optics
Summary Six children who remained in deep coma after immersion accidents in fresh water received therapy to maintain normal intracranial pressure (ICP). This involved controlled ventilation to ensure hypocapnia and hyperoxaemia, maintenance of low normothermia, fluid restriction, dexamethasone (1–1.5 mg/kg initially, 1–1.5 mg/kg/day as maintenance) and barbiturates (phenoharbitone and thiopentone). The latter were given in a wide range of dosage. Increased ICP was common to all patients, but could always be kept at acceptable levels. All patients suffered from pulmonary oedema; three developed bronchopneumonia and two developed adult respiratory distress syndrome. All children survived with good recovery, two needed active rehabilitation for several months.