Transcutaneous electrical diaphragmatic stimulation reduces the duration of invasive mechanical ventilation in patients with cervical spinal cord injury: retrospective case series.

Study Design: Retrospective case series.

Objectives: To compare individuals with cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) submitted to transcutaneous electrical diaphragmatic stimulation (TEDS) or a standard weaning protocol (SWP) according to the following variables: invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) time, ventilator weaning time, intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay, and overall hospital length of stay.

Settings: Tertiary university hospital.

The prognostic accuracy evaluation of SAPS 3, SOFA and APACHE II scores for mortality prediction in the surgical ICU: an external validation study and decision-making analysis.

Background: The early postoperative period is critical for surgical patients. SOFA, SAPS 3 and APACHE II are prognostic scores widely used to predict mortality in ICU patients. This study aimed to evaluate these index tests for their prognostic accuracy for intra-ICU and in-hospital mortalities as target conditions in patients admitted to ICU after urgent or elective surgeries and to test whether they aid in decision-making.

Inspiratory Muscle Training in the Intensive Care Unit: A New Perspective.

Background: Prolonged use of mechanical ventilation (MV) leads to weakening of the respiratory muscles, especially in patients subjected to sedation, but this effect seems to be preventable or more quickly reversible using respiratory muscle training. The aims of the study were to assess variations in respiratory and hemodinamic parameters with electronic inspiratory muscle training (EIMT) in tracheostomized patients requiring MV and to compare these variations with those in a group of patients subjected to an intermittent nebulization program (INP).

Methods: This was a pilot, prospective, randomized study of tracheostomized patients requiring MV in one intensive care unit (ICU).

Interobserver agreement rate of the spontaneous breathing trial.

Purpose: During the mechanical ventilation weaning process, the spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) is the confirmatory test of patients' capability to breathe unassisted. However, the SBT interobserver agreement rate (its reliability) is unknown, and our objective was to evaluate it.

Materials And Methods: This is a prospective, multicentric and observational study.

Comparison of the rapid shallow breathing index (RSBI) calculated under direct and indirect form on the postoperative period of cardiac surgery.

Objectives: To compare and to analyze whether the values of rapid shallow breathing index (RSBI) determined by a ventilator display and a digital ventilometer were correlated.

Methods: Twenty-two adult patients (17 males and 5 females) in the postoperative period of cardiac surgery and in mechanical ventilation were studied. Prior to the data collection, each patient was evaluated, received physical therapy, in order to promote bronchial hygiene and pulmonary reexpansion, and was positioned in elevated dorsal recumbent at 45º.

[Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in the relief of pain related to physical therapy after abdominal surgery.].

Background And Objectives: There are few studies on transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS) as an adjunct to postoperative physical therapy. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of TENS on relieving pain related to physical therapy after abdominal surgery.

Methods: A clinical, randomized, prospective study was undertaken with 48 patients on the first postoperative day, who presented a pain score > 3 on the visual analogic scale (VAS).