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Intensive Care of Acute Guillain-Barre Syndrome

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 November 2018

Allan H. Ropper*
Affiliation:
Neurology Service, St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Boston and Tufts University School of Medicine
*
Reprint requests to: Allan H. Ropper, M.D. Neurology Service, St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. 02135
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Abstract

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Guillain-Barré syndrome causes, in addition to paralysis and respiratory failure, many general medical problems that have great bearing on outcome. The main features of daily care that require attention are: respiratory and urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal dysfunction, hyponatremia, pain control, and the potential for pulmonary embolism. Dysautonomic problems that arise specifically in the intensive care unit include: hyper- and hypotension, cardiac arrhythmias, and ileus. Throughout the illness, certain psychological aberrations and communication problems must be addressed. The experience reviewed herein provides a practical approach to these problems.

Résumé

Résumé

Le syndrome de Guillain-Barré cause plusieurs problèmes médicaux généraux, en plus de la paralysie et de l'insuffisance respiratoire, qui ont une influence importante sur Tissue de la maladie. Les principaux aspects des soins quotidiens qui demandent une attention particulière sont: les infections des voies respiratoires et urinaires, la dysfonction gastrointestinale, l'hyponatrémie, le contrôle de la douleur et le risque d'embolie pulmonaire. Les problèmes dus à la dysautonomie, qui se présentent spécifiquement à l'unité de soins intensifs, incluent: l'hypertension et l'hypotension, les arythmies cardiaques et l'occlusion intestinale. Pendant toute la maladie, on doit tenir compte de certaines aberrations psychologiques et de problèmes de communication. L'expérience présentée propose une approche pratique de ces problèmes.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Canadian Journal of Neurological 1994

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