Laryngospasm is an acute life-threatening condition caused by reflex closure of the rima glotidis by the vocal cords. Presence of saliva, blood, stomach contents, supraglottic airway device and manipulation with laryngoscope in the hypopharynx in state of partial consciousness may contribute to the development of this condition. Laryngospasm occurs more often in children, young adults or in obese people during extubation procedure when the patient is not yet fully recovered from general anaesthesia. The following algorithm introduces a recommended management of severe laryngospasm.
The Caesarean section is an operation, when the baby is delivered by a surgical way. There are many indications for this medical help. Our algorithm follows three types of anaesthesiology (general, epidural and spinal), which can be used, and the complications, which can come during the operation. Unpreparedness and insufficient help could be dangerous not just for the baby, but also for the patient.
Life-threatening haemorrhage can be defined in many aspects: by extent of blood loss- loss of blood volume during 24 hours (in an adult of about 10 units of RBC transfusion) or a loss of 50% of blood volume during three hours or continuous blood loss of over 150 ml / min; by the presence of clinical and laboratory signs of tissue hypoperfusion or signs of organ functions failure. Sometimes bleeding is not associated with major blood loss, but it threatens the life by localization of bleeding to the regions important for maintaining vital functions (eg. CNS).
Acid base balance is dynamic balance between the formation and elimination of sour and alkaline substances in organism. It is regulated very accurately which is necessary for the right course of a range of metabolic pathways and physiological processes. Disorders of acid base balance are always a complex problem where the whole internal environment of the patient is changing. The ability of timely recognition and of proper solution of those deviations is absolutely radical in clinical practice. Our algorithm is going to show you how to go about it.
Not every gravidity would end up with labor at term. During pregnancy there could be many complications, either with mother or child, that result in premature birth. One of these complications can be hypoxia of baby. In that case premature birth ends with delivering hypoxic baby with very low Apgar score. In Algorithm „Newborn resuscitation“ you can try what to do in such a situation.
Childhood is characterized by the occurrence of large amounts of infectious diseases, some of them even life-threatening. The occurrence of menacing acute epiglottitis in children was reduced by the introduction of vaccination against Haemofillus influenzae B and therefore it is far more frequent to encounter an obstruction of the upper airway caused by acute laryngitis. It starts suddenly from full health or follows catarrh of the upper respiratory tract. Most often occurs at night as inspiratory dyspnea with inspiratory stridor. Now you can learn how to deal with this serious clinical condition through our algorithm.
Craniocerebral trauma is the most severe injury group, which is associated with high mortality and severe permanent consequences. At present, the frequency of brain and skull injury is increasing,it often occurs as a part of a polytrauma. In our algorithm you will get familiar with direct acute brain injury and its treatment.
Sepsis is systemic inflammatory response syndrome of organism caused by infection. It can easily extend to a stage of severe sepsis and septic shock with the signs of multiple organ dysfunction even failure requiring extensive organ functions´ support . Increasing number of septic patients revers to the fact that the amount of predisposed individuals in various ways is increasing: patients suffering from imunosupression, undergoing invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Early diagnose and immediate and accurate therapy is crucial.
