Coda Change

Summary By: Oli Flowers

Mervyn Singer entertains the SMACC crowd with tales of MODS (Multi Organ Dysfunction Syndrome). With videos of Raquel Welch, stories from the Battle of Trafalgar and lessons from evolution, he makes us think about the important physiology underlying critical illness. This lecture precedes the latest SIRS definition and really puts them into context and leads on to the promise of precision medicine.

Scott Weingart's lecture at SMACC-Chicago was on OODA loops and the supremacy of System I for resuscitation. Check more here

A patient's death maybe certain but the timing isn't.

Ashley Shreves talk is on the difficult subject of dying, and how best to understand and help diagnose when the battle is lost.

Shreves discusses the correlating patterns present in the functional decline in end of life patients, with particular reference to the type of disease a patient is suffering from. Shreves suggests, that understanding these patterns is paramount to understanding the care and medical intervention require, at certain points of a patients disease lifecycle.

Summary by: Jim Manning

Selective Aortic Arch Perfusion (SAAP) is an endovascular-extracorporeal perfusion resuscitation technique designed specifically to treat cardiac arrest. SAAP involves the blind insertion of a large-lumen balloon occlusion catheter into the descending thoracic aortic arch via a femoral artery. With the SAAP catheter balloon inflated in the thoracic aorta, the heart and brain are relatively isolated for resuscitative perfusion through the SAAP catheter lumen with an oxygen-carrying fluid (such as blood, hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier or fluorocarbon emulsion). SAAP promotes restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) by the heart while protecting the brain from further ischemic insult. SAAP can be used to treat both hemorrhage-induced traumatic cardiac arrest and medical, non-traumatic cardiac arrest.

In traumatic cardiac arrest, SAAP provides the combination of (1) thoracic aortic balloon occlusion for control of hemorrhage below the diaphragm, (2) rapid volume replacement in hemorrhage-induced hypovolemia to restore normovolemia and (3) perfusion of the heart and brain in an effort to achieve ROSC. SAAP also allows titration of small doses of intra-aortic adrenaline or other medications to achieve ROSC.

In medical cardiac arrest, SAAP catheter balloon occlusion of the thoracic aorta limits the distribution of oxygenated perfusate toward the heart and brain. Since medical cardiac arrest patients are not typically hypovolemic, SAAP with an exogenous oxygen-carrier is a volume loading intervention that can only be used for a short time period (5-10 min). If ROSC is not achieved with the limited volume of exogenous oxygen-carrier, femoral venous access during initial SAAP infusion allows venous blood withdrawal for continued SAAP support to promote ROSC without further volume loading (autologous blood SAAP or, essentially, aortic arch ECMO). Intra-aortic adrenaline and anti-reperfusion agents can also be used. Even if ROSC is not rapidly achieved, SAAP serves as a bridge that limits hypoperfusion until cannulation for full body ECMO can be achieved.

Historical prospective provides a great appreciation and understanding of Prehospital Medicine. Stefan cleverly highlights the journey of a specialty from its roots on the battlefield to the present day, where prehospital medicine has not only begun to influence, but also dictate, in hospital medicine. A brief and fascinating look at "How far we've come”.

PHARM Physician, Per Bredmose, provides an in-depth look at Ketamine in the prehospital setting. Per discusses the uses, benefits and potential complications of Ketamine, providing tips and tricks from his wealth of experience.

Dr. Karel Habig of Sydney HEMS, leads a global panel in the discussion of the retrieval of patient with a difficult airway in a rural ED. Additional discussion surrounds the capabilities of HEMS services around the world. Participants include: Dr. Geoff Healy, Dr. Stephen Hearns, Dr. Craig Bates, Dr. Mike Abernethy, Dr. Minh Le Cong, Crystal Upshaw.

Justin Bowra - The elephant in the living room

Justin Bowra takes a break from ultrasound to broach the uncool but crucial subject of health care economics. Health care spending make up a large proportion of the budgets of OECD nations, and it is increasing in relation to GDP. This is an unsustainable situation and something has got to give.

In part 1 of Justin’s talk, he asks the question, where is the money going? The commonly asserted points of the aging population, better medical treatments, litigation and corporatisation of health care contribute. Justin argues, however, that the biggest problem is the system itself. To acknowledge the elephant in the living room is to acknowledge that we as doctors contribute to the problem, but we also have the greatest responsibility to be part of the solution.

In part 2, Justin briefly discusses ways in which the system can be fixed. He touches on taming special interests, shared decision making, surrendering autonomy and to look at the big picture - remembering that what we do for each individual patient has consequences for everyone else.

Tom Bleck - Subarachnoid haemorrhage: what matters?

Tom Bleck gives an overview of the pertinent facts regarding the complications and management of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH).

The complications of aneurysmal SAH can be divided into immediate, early and late. The risk of re-bleeding is maximal on the first day, it is fatal in 75% of patients and the best management is to secure the aneurysm by coiling or clipping. Blood pressure control is utilised widely but parameters are arbitrary and the data is scarce.

Early complications (days 1 - 3) include early brain injury in its various forms, stress cardiomyopathy, neurogenic pulmonary oedema and cerebral salt wasting. The most important late complication (day 4 onwards) is vasospasm.

Tom briefly discusses the mechanisms and manifestations of SAH-associated brain injury including ischaemia, blood brain barrier breakdown, sustained depolarisation, hydrocephalus, vasospasm, seizures, hyperglycaemia and fever. He goes on to discuss in more detail the management of vasospasm, the associated evidence and the importance of distinguishing between clinically detectable and subclinical vasospasm.

Dr. Brian Burns of Sydney HEMS, facilitates a global discussion on blunt abdomino-pelvic trauma 30 minutes away from ED, leading this incredible panel of experts on a hypothetical trauma case. Participants include: Dr Gareth Grier, Dr Howie Mell, Dr Thomas Dolven, Derek Sifford, NREMT-P, Dr Clare Richmond.