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Surgical intensive care unit – essential for good outcome in major abdominal surgery?

  • Review Article
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Abstract

Purpose

Surgical intensive care units (ICU) play a pivotal role in perioperative care of patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. Differences in quality of care provided by medical staff in ICUs may be linked to improved outcome. This review aims to elucidate the relationship between quality of care at various ICUs and patient outcome, with the ultimate aim of identifying key measures for achieving optimal outcome.

Methods

We reviewed the literature in PubMed to identify current ICU structural and process concepts and variations before evaluating their respective impact on quality of care and outcome in major abdominal surgery.

Results

ICU leadership, nurse and physician staffing, and provision of an intermediate care unit are important structural components that impact on patients’ outcome. A “mixed ICU” model, with intensivists primarily caring for the patients in close cooperation with the primary physician, seems to be the most effective ICU model. Surgeons’ involvement in intensive care is essential, and a close cooperation between surgeons and anesthesiologists is vital for good outcome. Current general process concepts include early mobilization, enteral feeding, and optimal perioperative fluid management. To decrease failure-to-rescue rates, procedure-specific intensive care processes are particularly focused on the early detection, assessment, and timely and consistent treatment of complications.

Conclusions

Several structures and processes in the ICU have an impact on outcome in major abdominal surgery. ICU structures and care processes connected with optimal outcome could be transmitted to other centers to improve outcome, independent of procedure volume.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 110, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

    Georg R. Linke, Markus Mieth, Jürgen Weitz & Markus W. Büchler

  2. Department of Anesthesiology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

    Stefan Hofer & Eike Martin

  3. Department of Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

    Birgit Trierweiler-Hauke

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  1. Georg R. Linke
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  2. Markus Mieth
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  3. Stefan Hofer
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  4. Birgit Trierweiler-Hauke
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  5. Jürgen Weitz
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  6. Eike Martin
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  7. Markus W. Büchler
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Correspondence to Markus W. Büchler.

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Linke, G.R., Mieth, M., Hofer, S. et al. Surgical intensive care unit – essential for good outcome in major abdominal surgery?. Langenbecks Arch Surg 396, 417–428 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00423-011-0758-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00423-011-0758-y

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