Highlighting Critical Care

13th Winter Symposium of Intensive Care, Gstaad Switzerland - Educational highlights from the congress

Ilkka Kalli, MD, PhD, MBA Consulting anesthesiologist Helsinki University Central Hospital, and Editor-in-chief, Clinical Window Web Journal

The article including photos available in PDF: 167KB

The 13th Winter Symposium of Intensive Care continued the tradition of organizing high rated scientific seminars in the middle of spectacular nature and mountains - this time in Gstaad, Switzerland (January 23 - 28, 2005).

Thanks are owed to the two professors who chaired the sessions and guided discussions. Dr P Suter MD (Switzerland) and Dr JL Vincent MD (Belgium) had composed an excellent scientific program. They had also carefully selected the speakers, who were the key opinion leaders in their fields of intensive care science.

150 active participants from 29 countries

There were 150 participants coming from 29 different countries. Despite the breathtaking mountain slopes beckoning us, participation at the lectures was remarkably high. Undoubtedly, the quality of the speakers is the main explanation for high attendance. Sitting in the front row of the auditorium for 30 hours over five days was a real intensive training for me , as well! In addition to being an audience member, I was representing Clinical Window Web Journal (CWWJ) and our publisher GE Healthcare. GE Healthcare regards clinical education with high importance and therefore, was a major sponsor for the congress.

In this preliminary report from the congress, I only have time to touch the surface of the presentations. I will return to my extensive notes and may prepare some additional, deeper reviews of selected congress offerings. The scientific topics were carefully selected and the presentation styles were not only a scientific tutorial, but reflected the state of the art of current knowledge, and pointed the way for possible future research. Speakers used evidence based medicine approaches in formulating their opinions, and built their messages on extensive literature reviews.

Ventilation and hemodynamics - the main themes

The seminar's two cornerstones were based on the themes of hemodynamics and the monitoring and optimization of ventilation. I think ventilation-perfusion distribution, lung mechanics and modes of ventilation, recruitment, as well as PEEP in acute lung injury are practical topics every clinician may benefit from revisiting, tuning-in to current knowledge.

During the conference, acid-base balances, as well as maintenance of liver and renal functions were topics, which were touched on in sufficient details both from the practical and theoretical points of view. Sepsis, septic shock, infections, and the selection of antibiotics were other important aspects in the presentations.

In future issues of CWWJ, I hope to return to topics like monitoring of the right-side of the heart, evidence base of our current monitoring techniques (such as indications using a PA catheter), up-coming monitoring methods (like continuous cardiac output), and also the future of hemodynamic monitoring in general.

Neurological damage and critical care

Did you consider that fever in a septic patient may be reasons for neurological injury in the ICU? Brain tissue is usually a bit warmer than core temperature. In septic fever, however, there may be focal areas in the brain where temperature may be considerably higher, increasing the risk of neurological damage.

That takes me to one of the most interesting focuses of this congress. Critical illness polyneuropathy, delirium, and cognitive dysfunction may adversely affect the outcome of an ICU patient. Those conditions may be more common than expected, although they may remain undetected or even neglected. What the impact of deep level sedation is and how to avoid adverse effects of sedatives becomes an issue. There is definitely a need for more research in the field. We need to know more about what the impact of brain monitoring is, e.g. in assessing the effects of medications on the brain, and in patient outcome.

Clinical Window Collection CD

This was one of the first occasions when the new Clinical Window Collection CD 2000-2004 was available. As editor-in-chief, it was my personal pleasure to hand out 150 copies, one CD for practically everyone at the congress. For those who need a copy, that CD will be available at congress exhibitions in future.

The importance of science and education

Congresses are an important venue for practical and state of the art presentations. Compared to many major congresses with multiple parallel symposia, the 13th Winter Symposium of Intensive Care facilitates education by concentrating on one topic at a time, and by carefully selecting top rated speakers.

This congress has its place among the other top congresses in Europe, like ICICEM in Brussels, Belgium in the spring - and ESICM, which will take place in Amsterdam next autumn. Clinical Window will be present at these congresses, as well. Stay in touch.

Last updated: 21 March 2005Created
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