The care of the critically ill or injured child begins with timely, prompt, and aggressive res- citation and stabilization. Ideally, stabilization should occur before the onset of organ failure in order to achieve the best possible outcomes. In the following pages, an international panel of experts provides an in-depth discussion of the early recognition, resuscitation, and stabilization of the critically ill or injured child. Once again, we would like to dedicate this textbook to our families and to the physicians and nurses who provide steadfast care every day in pediatric intensive care...

The ? eld of critical care medicine is in the midst of a dramatic change. Technological and s- enti? c advances during the last decade have resulted in a fundamental change in the way we view disease processes, such as sepsis, shock, acute lung injury, and traumatic brain injury. Pediatric intensivists have been both witness to and active participants in bringing about these changes. As the understanding of the pathogenesis of these diseases reaches the cellular and molecular levels, the gap between critical care medicine and molecular biology will disappear. It is imperative that all...

The development of pediatric cardiac surgical programs has had a profound effect on the s- cialty of pediatric critical care medicine, and as a result, the ? eld of pediatric cardiac intensive care is rapidly emerging as a separate subspecialty of pediatric critical care medicine. The ability to provide care for the critically ill child with congenital heart disease clearly separates pediatric intensivists from our adult colleagues. A thorough understanding and knowledge of the unique physiology of the child with congenital heart disease are therefore absolutely crucial for anyone working in...

The principal role of the respiratory system is to permit ef? cient exchange of respiratory gases (O and CO ) with the environment. The respiratory system is unique in that it is constantly 2 2 exposed to a barrage of foreign substances from both the internal environment (at any one point in time, approximately one-half of the cardiac output is received by the lungs) and the external environment (with each breath, the respiratory tract is exposed to pollens, viruses, bacteria, smoke, etc). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diseases of the res- ratory system were the...

Neurologic emergencies are a common reason for admission to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). A thorough understanding of the diseases and disorders affecting the pediatric central nervous system is vital for any physician or healthcare provider working in the PICU. In the following pages, an international panel of experts provides an in-depth discussion on the res- citation, stabilization, and ongoing care of the critically ill or injured child with central nervous system dysfunction. Once again, we would like to dedicate this textbook to our families and to the physicians and nurses...