Challenging Concepts in Critical Care Cases with Expert Commentary

A case-based guide with expert commentary, Challenging Concepts in Critical Care shows how the experts approach and deal with real-life clinical scenarios. Each chapter presents a clinically challenging case complete with a case history, evidence based tips, and up-to-date learning points. To give further insight into the field, each chapter has commentary from an expert who identifies and explains the key points and controversies of the case.

Practical yet rich in detail, Challenging Concepts in Critical Care is a key title for anyone preparing for intensive care exams. For each case, key information is highlighted through the use of boxes to stimulate interest and facilitate learning: 'Learning points', 'Clinical tips', 'Evidence base', and 'Expert commentary'. With new information on key trials, clinical practise, and evidence based research, this book is also an invaluable resource for experienced critical care clinicians looking for a concise update on a wide range of challenging topics in the field. In addition, it is of high value to senior ICU nurses, allied health professionals, and anyone with an interest in intensive care medicine.

Christopher Gough, Registrar in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Foundation, Bath, UK,Justine Barnett, Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Foundation, Bath, UK,Tim Cook, Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Foundation, Bath, UK,Jerry Nolan, Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Foundation, Bath, UK

Christopher Gough is a senior trainee in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine in the South West region of the UK. Within anaesthesia his interests include regional and paediatric anaesthesia, and within Intensive Care Medicine he has a interest in education and echocardiography, and is currently completing BSE accreditation in Critical Care Echocardiography.


Justine Barnett has been a Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine at the Royal United Hospital Bath for 5 years. She trained in Bristol, Cambridge and Melbourne, and has a particular interest in safety in medicine and learning from incidents.


Tim Cook has been a DGH consultant, employed full time, in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine for the last 20 years. He is the director of the National Audit Projects of the Royal College of Anaesthetists. In this or previous roles he has played a leading role in the last four 'NAPs' examining major complications in anaesthesia and in ICU: NAP3 on epidurals/spinal anaesthesia; NAP4 on airway management; NAP5 on accidental awareness during general anaesthesia and NAP6 on life-threatening perioperative -perioperative anaphylaxis. He also has 20 years of experience in clinical research for patient benefit.

Jerry Nolan is a consultant in anaesthesia and intensive care medicine at the Royal United Hospital, Bath and Honorary Professor of Resuscitation Medicine at the University of Bristol. He is Chairman of the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) and the immediate past Co-chairman of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR). Jerry is Editor-in-Chief of the journal Resuscitation. His research interests are in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, airway management, and post-cardiac arrest treatment.

List of Contributors
List of Abbreviations
Case 1 Sepsis Laith Malhas and Ron Daniels
Case 2 Acute heart failure Amy Krepska and Deirdre Murphy
Case 3 Acute respiratory failure Catherine Bryant and Sanjoy Shah
Case 4 Early management of multi- trauma Marius Rehn and David J. Lockey
Case 5 Severe traumatic brain injury Virginia Newcombe and Jamie Cooper
Case 6 Post- cardiac arrest care and prognostication Justine Barnett and Jerry Nolan
Case 7 Subarachnoid haemorrhage Matthew A. Kirkman and Martin Smith
Case 8 Acute-on-chronic respiratory failure Richard Hunt and Peter MacNaughton
Case 9 Multiple organ support in an ageing population Matt Oliver and Dave Murray
Case 10 Sedation and delirium Nim Pathmanathan and Paul Nixon
Case 11 Acute-on-chronic liver failure Tasneem Pirani and Julia Wendon
Case 12 Acute pancreatitis and renal replacement therapy Clinton Lobo, Kim Gupta, and Matt Thomas
Case 13 Feeding, access, and thromboprophylaxis Martin Huntley and Ramani Moonesinghe
Case 14 Malignancy and critical illness Nishita Desai and Gary Wares
Case 15 Major burns Sian Alys Moxham and Amber E. Young
Case 16 Prolonged mechanical ventilation and delayed weaning Patrick B. Murphy and Nicholas Hart
Case 17 Pandemic planning and critical care Lucinda Gabriel and Jeremy Farrar
Case 18 Organ donation and transplantation Andrew Ray and Alex Manara
Index