Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
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Technology
MeritCare uses technology and equipment that has been specially designed for childrens' bodies.
Technology
Some of the technology and equipment available in the PICU includes:
- Fully networked computerized nursing stations that provide access to clinical information quickly throughout the PICU.
- Complete electronic monitoring and life-support systems.
- Pediatric sedation induces a relaxed state for your child without the loss of consciousness. This is commonly performed before your child undergoes a medical procedure and helps alleviate pain.
- Continuous electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring measures and records the electrical activity of a child's brain by using sensors attached to the child and connected by wires to a computer. The computer records a brain's electrical activity. By observing changes in the normal pattern of the brain's electrical activity an EEG can diagnose epilepsy, identify locations of infections or brain abnormalities, study sleep disorders and more.
- High-frequency oscillating ventilation is a state-of-the-art ventilation mechanism. This form of ventilator delivers small volumes of gas at high frequency, which enables adequate ventilation and oxygenation while minimizing further lung damage due to large volumes of air.
- Nitric Oxide administration has the potential to quickly improve symptoms and in some cases save the lives of children with pulmonary vascular disease.
- Bronchoscopy is a procedure that will allow your child's doctor to look in his/her airway. This could be done to diagnose a infection orcongenital problem or to remove an object.
- Mechanical ventilation is used when your child cannot breathe on his/her own. A tube (called an endotracheal tube or ET tube) will be placed into the mouth and down the trachea (windpipe). The ET tube will then be connected to the ventilator, which pumps air and oxygen into your lungs. Being placed on a ventilator is sometimes referred to as "being placed on life support".
- Hemodynamic monitoring and support. Your child's hemodynamic status is determined by an invasive technique of monitoring. This monitoring assesses the blood pressures. It provides the medical team information about his/her cardiac (heart) function. The primary purpose of invasive hemodynamic monitoring is the early detection, identification and treatment of life-threatening conditions. By using invasive hemodynamic monitoring a medical team is able to evaluate your child's immediate response to treatment such as drugs and mechanical support.
- Two rooms on the PICU are isolation rooms with reverse airflow. This high-tech air handling system ensures air is filtered and doesn't spread germs to children who may have weakened immune systems.
- Invasive and non-invasive monitoring for treatment of brain injury.