What is Critical Care ?
Critical care stands as one of the foremost and indispensable departments within any hospital. Evolving into a super-specialty, it surpasses disciplines such as anesthesia, pulmonology, general medicine, and emergency medicine. Its primary focus lies in providing exceptional care to critically ill patients who are at the precipice of mortality. Through unwavering dedication and dynamic interventions, our critical care teams are capable of yielding positive health outcomes even for those in terminal conditions. Thus, entrusting in a proficient critical care team represents one of the most significant strategic decisions a hospital can make. These highly skilled teams possess the expertise to manage a wide spectrum of cases, ranging from common fevers to complex procedures like ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation). With their transformative abilities, a skilled critical care team can profoundly impact both the well-being of patients within the hospital and those under their care outside the hospital setting.
What do we do ?
The critical care team is trained in all life-saving emergency procedures such as intubation, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (cardiac arrest), invasive access (central line/ arterial line/ pulmonary arterial catheter, PICC line, VYGON placement ), Drain placements such as Intercoastal drain, pericardial drains, pleural drains, ascitic drains, etc., ventilation management, pruning, ECMO and its management, percutaneous/surgical tracheostomies, Cardic pacing, IABP placement. In doing so, we dynamically save patient's lives. Intensive care physicians stand between the life and death of patients.
We also perform diagnostic procedures like lumbar puncture (CSF analysis), indirect laryngoscopy, diagnostic ascitic tap, BAL (bronchoalveolar lavage) by bronchoscopy, monitor anaesthesia care for MRI / CT scan/endoscopy etc.,
What happens inside an ICU ?
In a critical care unit, we use many different pieces of equipment, including:
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Catheters flexible tubes that are used to carry fluids into the body or to drain fluids out of the body
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Dialysis machines ("artificial kidneys") for people with kidney failure
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Feeding tubes that supply you with nutrients
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Intravenous (IV) tubes that give you fluids and medicines
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Machines that check your vital signs and show them on monitors
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Oxygen therapy gives you the extra oxygen to breathe
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Tracheostomy tubes that aid breathing. The tube is inserted into your windpipe through a surgically made hole in the front of your neck.
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Ventilators ( Breathing machines ) , move air in and out of your lungs. They are designed for people who suffer from shortness of breath.
These devices can keep you alive, but many of them can also increase the risk of infection. Sometimes people in an intensive care unit cannot communicate. It is important to have a living will. It helps your healthcare providers and family members to make important decisions, including end-of-life decisions if you are no longer able to do so.