title: Recently published papers: Tracheostomy: why rather than when? Obesity: does it matter? And stroke: diagnosis, thrombosis and prognosis.
abstract: Three studies explore the case for tracheostomies in the intensive care unit (ICU). Tracheostomies appear to have no effect on ICU survival, according to a prospective observational cohort study that used a propensity score. In obese patients, surgical tracheostomies were associated with an increased risk of complications, although these patients appeared to have a lower mortality in the ICU. A third study failed to show that tracheostomies reduced sedation requirements. MRI appears to be the investigation of choice for the diagnosis of acute stroke and thrombolysis is a safe and effective treatment for acute ischaemic strokes. Virtually all patients with a stroke may benefit from ongoing care in a stroke unit.
authors.affiliation: Worthing Hospital, Lyndhurst Road, Worthing BN11 2DH, UK.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McCormick
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Venn
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate; D014139:Tracheostomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality*