An intermediate respiratory care unit for spinal cord-injured patients. A retrospective study

Spinal Cord
J Romero-GanuzaC Gambarrutta

Abstract

Patients with cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) may need prolonged mechanical ventilation (MV) and a long stay in the Intensive Care Unit. An intermediate respiratory care unit (IRCU) can shorten that stay, optimizing hospital resources. The aim of our work has been to evaluate the activity of such a unit in our hospital. This is a descriptive retrospective study based on the data of patients with SCI and respiratory failure discharged from our IRCU between 1 July 2010 and 28 February 2013. We have analysed data from 146 patients with SCI, adding up to 228 admissions (68 first admissions and 160 readmissions due to complications or scheduled review visits). Sixty-three out of the 68 newly admitted patients survived their first admission (92.6%). Length of hospitalization was 195.6±110.4 days, 22 were admitted to monitor their respiratory status and 46 were on MV on admission. Of these, 26 (38.2%) were admitted to attempt weaning from the respirator and 20 (29.4%) to enter a programme of permanent respiratory support. Weaning was successful in 23 out of 26 patients (88.4%), the process taking 47.2±49.3 days. Forty of them (58.8%) were discharged to their home. An IRCU can manage a substantial number of severe SCI patients who ne...Continue Reading

References

Jan 29, 1999·American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation·O C MerveilleW D George
Apr 13, 2004·Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development·Charles J GutierrezFred Haines
Jan 16, 2007·Chest·David J ScheinhornUNKNOWN Ventilation Outcomes Study Group
Sep 15, 2007·The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine·M Beth ZimmerHarry G Goshgarian
Jun 15, 2010·Respiratory Medicine·Nicoletta CarpenèNicolino Ambrosino
May 9, 2012·European Journal of Internal Medicine·Raffaele Scala
Sep 19, 2012·Respirology : Official Journal of the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology·Liam M HannanMark E Howard
Mar 6, 2013·Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation·Sandra Lynn WongJames Crew

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