Ct-icu

[NurseLay]

I was just wondering what exactly is CT-ICU. I know the cardiothoracic icu part of it and they have cardiac cases. I was looking at a children's hospital and I stumbled upon CT-ICU. I guess I would like to know what do CT-ICU patients look like. Are they mostly intubated and on vents, do they have a lot of drips? Are most of the patients post-surgical patients? Any other info would help. Thanks in advance!

[cheerguard]

HI... all icu's have an array of different patients... i work in a CTICU. our patients are not children, but we get the post op cabg, valves and carotids. we also get thoracotomies and lung surgeries like that. our patients are intubated when they get back and then we extubate there in the room... they are possibly on gtts too... i guess there is no set answer about what to expect... it depends on the acuity your hospital recieves. the more unstable patients will go to a more qualified hospital or you might be the ones giving the care...

[ghillbert, MSN, NP]

Think lots of drips, sometimes IABPs and VADs, a lot of postop bypass and valves. Lots of CVCs and swans (depending on your hospital) and plenty of hemodynamic information.

[mona4522]

I work in a adult CTICU and we generally get patients who will come back intubated post-op CABG, AVR, MVR , thoracotomy, correction of congenital defects etc.. depending on how stable the patient is they might come back with lots of inotropic support, IABP etc. As standard they will have some maintenance fluid, analgesia IV (morphine/fentanyl) and GTN... and chest drains. Our patients will always come back with an aterial line, cvc and pacing wires. But then again what the patient has depends on what they've had done and how unwell they are.

[Annony RN]

peds CTICUs often have a lot of unstable pre-op congenital babies and toddlers... kids who need some intervention before they're ready for thje tress of surgery. Expect some long-term kids with a lot of issues- chronic G-tubes, home vented, home PICCs, MR, seizures, mitochondrial/metabolic dz... these kids with unusual syndromes that involve CT issues bring everything else with them when they need a follow-up cath, valve replacement, shunt, etc. Some kids might end up in CTICU just because of their history so they get more intense monitoring and heart care even if they're there for something else... GI surgery or pneumonia, for instance.

A pedi CTICU might do anthing an adult unit does... balooning, venting, CO monitoring, multiple pressors, ECMO.

Look on the PICU forum, too. I think Jan works in a CTICU and is very knowlegable.

[anurseuk]

I work in an adult cardiothoracic critical care. Mainly we recover pt's post cardiac surgery; we also recover thoracic surgery and then take them to the ward. Cardiac pt's will generally come out of theatre intubated and ventilated, on inotropes... sometimes multiple inotropes. Are patients typically have IABPs, VADs, Heamofilters, continuous cardiac output monitiors, central lines, arterial lines, ventilated, GTN, maintenence, blood transfusions, sedation, anagesia, abx... etc etc. We occasionally will get trauma pt's and emergencies from other hospitals; aortic dissection etc.

Our thoracic pts typically only have arterial lines for the first 2 hours post op and if stable are transferred to the surgical ward. Pnumonectomys come back to the unit ventilated and sedated. and usually stay overnight as with routine cardiac patients. Sometimes pt's will develop other complications post op and turn into a general ITU patient.

Really enjoy it. I'm guessing with peads it'll be a lot of congenital cardiac surgery and management.