Surgical Critical Care Glossary

Local anesthetic systemic toxicity, a potentially fatal complication of regional anesthesia requiring immediate recognit...

Left ventricular assist device; mechanical pump supporting heart function in patients with severe heart failure.

Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale, trauma severity scoring system using the highest single injury score.

A standardized approach for rapid blood product administration in patients with severe hemorrhage.

Progressive physiologic dysfunction of two or more organ systems following acute injury or illness.

Rapidly spreading deep tissue infection involving the fascial planes, requiring emergency surgical debridement.

Mechanical ventilation delivered through a face mask without intubation to support respiratory failure.

Near-infrared spectroscopy for continuous, non-invasive monitoring of regional tissue oxygen saturation in critically il...

Decreased urine output, typically less than 0.5 mL/kg/hour in adults, indicating potential kidney dysfunction.

Death occurring within 30 days of a surgical procedure or during the same hospitalization.

Specialized unit where patients recover immediately after surgery before transfer to the ICU or ward.

Positive end-expiratory pressure maintained during mechanical ventilation to improve oxygenation and prevent alveolar co...

Inflammation of the peritoneum, often requiring urgent surgical intervention and intensive care management.

Ventilation strategy allowing elevated CO2 levels to minimize ventilator-induced lung injury in patients with ARDS.

Controlled resuscitation strategy maintaining lower-than-normal blood pressure to minimize bleeding in trauma patients.

Presence of gas within abnormal locations in body tissues, most commonly the bowel wall.

Hospital-acquired pneumonia developing 48+ hours after endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation.

Presence of air or gas within the peritoneal cavity, often indicating bowel perforation or recent laparoscopic surgery.

Accumulation of air in the pleural space causing lung collapse, requiring immediate intervention in critical care settin...

Common complication following anesthesia and surgery characterized by nausea and vomiting in the recovery period.

Rapid systematic assessment of trauma patients focusing on immediately life-threatening injuries using ABCDE approach.

Biomarker used to distinguish bacterial from viral infections and guide antibiotic therapy duration in critically ill pa...

Therapeutic positioning of critically ill patients face-down to improve oxygenation and lung mechanics.

Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta, a temporary hemorrhage control technique for trauma patients.