procedures/CCU

[wood]

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What types of procedural things can an anesthesiologist perform, and what is their role in emergency and critical care?

 

[CaliGirlDO]

What types of procedural things can an anesthesiologist perform, and what is their role in emergency and critical care?

Anesthesiologists are skilled in performing central lines, arterial lines, IV's in particular since this is part of our daily jobs. Anesthesia is one of several specialties that can do an additional fellowship in critical care and therefore do any of the procedures that an intensivist would do. As far as procedures, that can vary depending on what type (open vs. closed unit) of ICU a particular hospital has. For example, a thoracentesis might be done by pulmonary or the intensivist depending on the place.

 

[Tenesma]

procedures that I perform in the ICU:

1) all central lines (occasionally do bed-side tunneled central lines)/a-lines
2) bronchoscopy
3) intubations
4) TEE

procedures that are done by other services in the ICU
1) bolts (neurosurg)
2) chest tubes (gen. surg) - although i have had to put in 2 (in-extremis)
3) emergent laparotomies/escharotomies (gen. surg)

role in emergency care - minimal, as that is what the ER docs are for
role in critical care - depends on who runs the ICU - quite a few surgical ICUs are staffed by Anesthesiologists.