Devices and procedures

Invasive procedures, garrisons ushered in the body, could be useful to support vital functions (breathing, circulation, feeding...). For example intravenous catheters are thin tubes made of soft gum utilized to administer drugs, nourishment or hemodialysis.

Although disagreeable, that staff is request to guarantee the best treatment. Caregivers know these instruments bother then utilize them only when strictly necessary and remove them as soon as possible.

The description of some invasive garrisons employed in an ICU is shown below:

For mechanical ventilation:

 

• full face or nasal mask applied on the face and fasten with elastic strap (non invasive ventilation);

 

 

 

 

 

 

• tubes from the upper airways (mouth: orotracheal tube; nose: nasotracheal tube) to the trachea;

 

 

 

 

 

• tubes through the neck directly in trachea (tracheostomic cannula) (invasive ventilation). In these situations patients are temporary unable to talk because air doesn't pass through the vocal cords.

 

 

 

 

Naso-gastric tube:

The naso-gastric tube is a thin hollow tube, that from the nose reaches the stomach. It's employ to feed (enteral nutrition), administer drugs and in some pathology to remove gastric content (i.e. bowel obclusion).

 

 

 

 

 Central Venous Catheter:

The Central Venous Catheter is a very thin tube located in a neck or groin vein, used to

The bladder catheter is a thin plastic tube put in the bladder that collects urine and allows continuously monitoring of kidney function. It could cause the pangs of urine, but it's only an erroneous sensation.

 

 

 

 

 

Arterial catheter:

The arterial catheter is a very thin and soft tube located in a wrist artery. It's employed to measure continuously arterial blood pressure and to take arterial oxygenate blood sample.

 

 

 

 

Thoracic Drainage:

The tube allows to drain fluid and air from the body.

The thoracic drainage is inserted in the thorax between the lung and the chest wall; it could drain air (pneumothorax), fluid (pleural effusion) or pus (empyema) from pleural compartment.

 

 

 

 

Abdominal drainage:

The abdominal drainage is a flexible plastic tube put through the abdominal wall in the peritoneal compartment. It drains fluids (i.e. ascites, blood, pus) from the abdomen.