title: Recently published papers: an ancient debate, novel monitors and post ICU outcome in the elderly.
abstract: Tracheostomies have been around for close to 3000 years, so one would hope that the controversies might have been thrashed out by now, but apparently not. Judging by some recent publications it would appear that we still do not know when or how to insert them. Monitoring is fundamental to critical care; two papers describe novel/modified techniques for assessing traumatic brain injury and cardiac output. The intensive care unit imposes a heavy treatment burden, particularly on the elderly. What impact does this have on the lives of the survivors?
authors.affiliation: University Hospitals of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sadler
authors.forename: Gareth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D034462:Dissent and Disputes; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D018805:Sepsis / Q000628:therapy; D014139:Tracheostomy / Q000379:methods