ICU playlist

The impact of resuscitation strategies on the gut is often neglected, as attention to circulatory and respiratory support takes priority. Leading ICU dietitian Varsha Asrani joins Todd to chat about the implications of gut ischaemia for the longterm recovery of our patients. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Plasmapheresis can be a life saving intervention in a number of ICU conditions.  Two potential methods are available – centrifugal plasmapheresis and membrane therapeutic plasma exchange.  But what do we know about the applicability, utilisation and complications of the latter? On this episode, Todd is joined by Mitul Chavda and Alpesh Patel, who recently published 6 years worth of...

Part 2 of this interview with CLIP-2 chief investigator Michael Reade explores the structure of CLIP-2, some of the challenges the project has had to overcome, and the workings of a non-inferiority trial. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Platelets are a critical component of haemostatic resuscitation, but there are significant challenges involved in their use, most notably, their short shelf life. Could frozen platelets be the answer? Michael Reade is an anaesthetist, intensivist and clinical researcher from the University of Queensland and the Australian Defence Force, and he joins Todd to discuss his research program in this are...

Ketamine is regarded as a bit of a wonder drug in emergency and critical care areas, but is it all that it’s cracked up to be. Andrew Casamento is an Intensivist  / Emergency Physician at the Northern, Austin, Warringal Private and Bendigo Hospitals in Victoria, and is the author of a recent review of the role of ketamine in mechanically ventilated ICU patients.  He joins Todd on t...

Delirium and sleep deprivation are known to go hand in hand in the ICU. Could melatonin, a readily available, safe and cheap hormonal therapy, improve sleep, and thereby delirium, in a general population of ICU patients? Lead investigator of the recently released ProMEDIC study Dr Brad Wibrow joins Todd to discuss the results of his study. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interstitial Lung Disease is like a black box for many intensivists.  The complexity of the pathology seems to be only matched by the complexity of the diagnostic classification, and the drug names used to treat them.   James Lindstrom is a dual trained intensivist and respiratory physician in Geelong, Australia, and he joins me to explore some of the issues related to ILD in the ICU See...

It has been said that more people suffer harm from our management of diabetic ketoacidosis than those that do from the disease itself. So how do we avoid these pitfalls in the emergency department? Adan Atriham is an emergency physician from Houston, Texas See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unstable patients with tachyarrhythmias may need urgent cardioversion in the emergency department. Dr Eleni Salakidou is a specialist in emergency medicine at the University General Hospital of Heraklion, and she joins Todd on the podcast to share her tips for safe and successful cardioversion. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Necrotising fasciitis is a scary disease for even the most experienced of emergency physicians. Dr Michael Gleenberg is an emergency physician and Residency Director at the Assuta Ashdod University Hospital in Israel, and he joins Todd to discuss the identification and management of this important disease process See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Medication errors are a significant challenge to the safety of patients.  Pre-filled syringes represent an opportunity to prevent errors related to medication preparation, and may have additional cost and efficiency savings. Dr Rhys Thomas is an anaesthetist and the Quality and Safety Fellow at John Hunter Hospital in New South Wales.  He joins Todd to share his experiences with pre-fill...

The critically ill bleeding patient who is taking novel oral anticoagulant medications is a difficult clinical challenge. Dr Barbra Backus is an emergency physician from The Netherlands, and she joins Todd to discuss some of the important issues in managing this problem. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Acute cardiogenic pulmonary oedema is a common presenting complaint in the emergency department. Dr Roberto Cosentini is an emergency physician from Bergamo in Italy.  He joins Todd to discuss the use of NIV in the management of these patients. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcutaneous pacing is an important emergency skill.  In this podcast, senior emergency medicine trainee Dr Tim Balfour joins Todd to discuss the indications for pacing, describe the process of applying and adjusting it, and share some tips and tricks for its use. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Indirect Calorimetry becomes more practical at the bedside, how will it influence nutritional prescription? Oana Tatucu is a senior ICU dietitian and a research fellow at the ANZICS Research Centre.  She joins Todd on the podcast to discuss the role of IC now and into the future.   Baxter Healthcare has provided an educational grant to sponsor this podcast. The content was developed i...

Patients with chronic pulmonary hypertension can present to hospital acutely unwell. What are the principles of managing these patients? Cardiologist Dr Kavitha Muthiah joins Todd on the podcast to discuss the underlying causes, precipitants, management and rescue options for these patients. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bronchopleural fistula is an important diagnosis to consider in patients with persistent and high volume pneumothoraces. Dr Izzy Seneviratne is a dual trained Intensivist and Respiratory Physician who joins Todd on the podcast to talk about the diagnosis and management of this important condition. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Targeted temperature management has become a mainstay of treatment for resuscitated patients following cardiac arrest. Manoj Saxena is an intensivist and clinician researcher from Sydney, Australia, and was part of the team that delivered the TTM-2 trial earlier in 2021.  He joins Todd on the podcast to discuss the premise of TTM-2, the results and what comes next. See omnystudio.com/listener...

As the world wrestles with the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s clear that much depends on our ability to vaccinate a large proportion of the population. Like all medications, vaccines have their side effects, and the most notable at present is an unusual syndrome of intravascular clotting associated with thrombocytopaenia. Dr Tim Brighton is a consultant haematologist with New South Wales Health, an...

The importance of adequate antibiotic dosing in sepsis and pneumonia is well known.  However, changes in the pharmacokinetics and dynamics of antibiotics makes it challenging to ensure the appropriate doses are given. Dr Jason Roberts is an internationally renowned ICU pharmacist and researcher, and he joins Todd to discuss these important issues, and some potential solutions. See omnystudio....

Manipulating the ventilator to protect the critically ill ARDS patient from harm, while simultaneously improving their condition, is one of the dark arts of intensive care practice. Airway Pressure Release Ventilation is a somewhat novel mode of mechanical ventilation which seeks to enhance lung recruitment while reducing lung injury.  Ed Litton is an Intensivist and researcher from the Fiona...

Traditionally we’ve measured the performance of the health system machine on hard endpoints such as mortality, and this is particularly so in ICU. In recent years however, we’ve begun to focus more on the patient experience, including their functional outcomes.  Narrative and qualitative research has provided us with a better understanding of the emotional, psychological and physi...

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an increasingly available therapy, though it remains restricted to tertiary centres.  So what does this mean for smaller peripheral units? Dr Sara Allen is an intensivist and anaesthetist from the Auckland City Hospital in New Zealand, and she joins Todd to discuss referrals for ECMO. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The intravenous cannula may be the most common procedure performed in healthcare.  You probably perform several of them a day, without thinking twice. However, without attention to detail, it’s possible the humble cannula could cause your patient harm. Gillian Ray-Barruel is an experienced nurse researcher at Griffith University in Australia. Among her numerous research interests, Gilli...

Large and persistent bronchopleural fistulae are one of the more challenging problems to manage in ICU practice. In this enlightening interview, Intensivist and Respiratory Physician Dr Michael Putt discusses the principles of management, and the role of bronchoscope intervention. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.