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Citation
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Lutz N, Vandermensbrugghe NG, Dolci M, Amiet V, Racine L, Carron PN. Pediatr. Emerg. Care 2014; 30(10): 699-704. |
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Affiliation
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From the *Service of Pediatric Surgery, †Emergency Department, ‡Anesthesia Department, and §Service of Pediatrics, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland. |
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Abstract
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OBJECTIVES: Pediatric resuscitation is an intense, stressful, and challenging process. The aim of this study was to review the life-threatening pediatric (LTP) emergencies admitted in a Swiss university hospital with regards to patients' demographics, reason for admission, diagnosis, treatment, significant events, critical incidents, and outcomes.
METHODS: A retrospective observational cohort study of prospectively collected data was conducted, including all LTP emergencies admitted over a period of 2 years in the resuscitation room (RR). Variables, including indication for transfer, mode of prehospital transportation, diagnosis, and time spent in RR, were recorded.
RESULTS: Of the 60,939 pediatric emergencies treated in our university hospital over 2 years, a total of 277 LTP emergencies (0.46%) were admitted in the RR. They included 160 boys and 117 girls, aged 6 days to 15.95 years (mean, 6.69 years; median, 5.06). A medical problem was identified in 55.9% (n = 155) of the children. Of the 122 children treated for a surgical problem, 35 (28.3%) went directly from the RR to the operating room. Hemodynamic instability was noted in 19.5% of all LTP emergencies, of which 1.1% benefited from O negative transfusion. Admission to the intensive care unit was necessary for 61.6% of the children transferred from another hospital. The average time spent in the RR was 46 minutes. The overall mortality rate was 7.2%.
CONCLUSIONS: The LTP emergencies accounted for a small proportion of all pediatric emergencies. They were more medical than surgical cases and resuscitation measures because of hemodynamic instability were the most frequent treatment.
Language: en |