Biomedical subjects

C E Bekes

Publications and source records attributed to C E Bekes.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

ARDS following acute lithium carbonate intoxication.

Lithium is a two-edged sword; it is on the one hand a unique drug with invaluable psychoactive potential and on the other a drug which can cause multisystem toxicity and even death. We present a case of severe lithium intoxication with multiple organ involvement. Our patient developed the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (DI), distinctive neurological abnormalities, and hyperglycemia. We believe that this is a case of ARDS due to lithium toxicity in which elevated left atrial pressures were excluded by right heart catheterization and suggest a causal relationship between lithium and ARDS.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Long-term follow-up of ICU patients.

Critical care medicine programs must provide outpatient experience for their fellowship trainees. We have developed an unusual follow-up plan allowing critical care fellows to contact their patients months after their intensive care unit stay. We evaluated responses of 46 patients after a mean interval of 8.6 months since their initial intensive care unit stay. Patients were stratified by severity of disease by using the APACHE scoring system. Diagnostically, the patients represented the typical medical-surgical intensive care unit population. Patients were asked 11 questions concerning their health and socio-emotional status as it related to their hospitalization and intensive care unit stay. Our results established a practical method of providing outpatient follow-up that may fulfill residency review requirements for critical care fellowships, confirmed previously speculative ideas about ICU experiences, and suggested future research opportunities to study intensive care unit patients following discharge.

Aftercare↗

PubMed1992

Peritoneal catheterization.

Procedures involving invasion of the peritoneal cavity are often performed on critically ill or injured patients. Like any invasive procedure, they require a thorough understanding not only of their techniques and indications, but also of their contraindications and complications. Used appropriately, these procedures may serve as invaluable diagnostic or therapeutic tools in the care of acutely ill patients.

Ascites↗