The routine use of preoperative non-contrast chest computerized tomography and carotid arteries Doppler prior to cardiac surgery.

Introduction: There is no consensus as to which patients should undergo Non-Contrast Chest Computerized Tomography (NCCCT) and carotid arteries Doppler (CD) prior to cardiac surgery. The objective of this study was to examine whether preoperative imaging modalities provide clinical benefits and a change in surgical strategy.

Methods: We routinely performed NCCCT and CD in all non-urgent cardiac surgery patients.

Emergency Physician-Administered Sedation for Thoracostomy in Children With Pleuropneumonia.

Background: Thoracostomy drainage is sometimes required in children with pleuropneumonia who have large parapneumonic effusion. This procedure is usually performed under sedation. The aim was to report sedation adverse events (SAEs) in pneumonia patients sedated for thoracostomy by pediatric emergency physicians.

Noninvasivepositive pressure ventilation vsinvasive mechanical ventilation as first-line therapy for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure in cancer patients.

Purpose: The objective was to describe the characteristics and outcomes of critically ill cancer patients who received noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) vs invasive mechanical ventilation as first-line therapy for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure.

Material And Methods: A retrospective cohort study of consecutive adult intensive care unit (ICU) cancer patients who received either conventional invasive mechanical ventilation or NIPPV as first-line therapy for hypoxemic respiratory failure.

Results: Of the 1614 patients included, the NIPPV failure group had the greatest hospital length of stay, ICU length of stay, ICU mortality (71.