[Ministry of Health Intensive Care Medicine Commission: proposals for the development of the discipline].

Intensive care medicine in Chile is still in its dawn. It has experienced a progressive growth in the last decade, but continues to be weak. Although investments in the discipline have increased fivefold, there is still a severe deficiency of intensive care specialists.

[Invasive candidiasis in critically ill adult patient].

Invasive infections by Candida strains are a relevant pathology in critically ill patients. Candida should be considered where a high risk of infection is present for a critical early diagnosis. Despite the incorporation of new drugs in the therapeutic armamentarium over the last decade, mortality remains high.

[Fiberoptic bronchoscopy assisted percutaneous tracheostomy: report of 100 patients].

Background: Development of percutaneous techniques for tracheostomy have facilitated its implementation in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Aim: To evaluate the safety of performing percutaneous tracheostomy (PT) using the Ciaglia Blue Rhino technique with fiberoptic bronchoscopy assistance in patients with prolonged mechanical ventilation.

Patients And Methods: Prospective evaluation of 100 consecutive patients aged 62+/-16 years (38 women) subjected to percutaneous tracheostomy.

[Small intestine bacterial overgrowth in patients with chronic pancreatitis].

Background: Previous reports describe 30-40% of small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP), SIBO is a cause of persistent symptoms in this group of patients even when they are treated with pancreatic enzymes.

Aim: To asses the frequency of SIBO in patients with CP.

Patients And Methods: We studied 14 patients with CP using an hydrogen breath test with lactulose to detect SIBO, a nonabsorbable carbohydrate, whose results are not influenced by the presence of exocrine insufficiency.

[Protocol based sedation versus conventional treatment in critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation].

Background: Sedatives and analgesic drugs give comfort and allow adequate respiratory support to critically ill patients in mechanical ventilation (MV). Its improper use may increase the duration of MV. Clinical guidelines suggest implementation of protocols, however this is seldom done in clinical practice.

[Pancreatic exocrine function in diabetes mellitus. Determination of fecal elastase].

Background: One of the complications of diabetes mellitus is the development of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency.

Aim: To study pancreatic exocrine function in diabetics patients.

Material And Methods: Seventy two diabetic patients were included in the protocol, but two were withdrawn because an abdominal CAT scan showed a chronic calcified pancreatitis, previously undiagnosed.

[Factors associated with the severity of liver damage in chronic hepatitis C].

Background: Twenty percent of patients with chronic hepatitis C evolve to cirrhosis in 10 to 20 years. The degree of steatosis and hepatic iron stores in liver biopsy increase the risk. Age, high body mass index, diabetes mellitus and alcohol consumption are factors associated to the severity of liver damage.