These physicians evaluate patients and develop care plans that may involve nonoperative techniques or surgical procedures.
A typical surgical critical care team consists of groups of subspecialists who have supplemental education in the management of basic science, clinical research, leadership, operative management, and trauma systems. A typical team is comprised of:
- Case managers
- Doctors/surgeons
- Nurses and nurse practitioners
- Nutritionists
- Pharmacists
- Physician assistants
- Physical and occupational therapists
- Respiratory therapists
- Social workers
Surgical critical care physicians treat a myriad of conditions. Examples include:
- Cardiovascular: cardiac ischemia, cardiomyopathy, ECMO, myocardial infarction (heart attack), and shock
- Endocrine: adrenal disorders, blood sugar, diabetes, pituitary disorders, and thyroid
- Gastrointestinal: acute liver failure, biliary obstruction, bowel obstruction, gastric ulcer, hernia, ischemic bowel, malnutrition, pancreatitis, and perforated bowel
- Infectious diseases: bloodstream infections, infected hardware, necrotizing infections, sepsis, septic shock, urinary tract infections
- Hematological: anemia, bleeding and clotting disorders, cancer, immunosuppression, low platelet counts, and organ transplant
- Neurological: agitation, anorexic brain, brain injury, delirium, seizures, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury
- Pulmonary: acute lung injury, Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), collapsed lung, failure to wean from ventilator, lung infection, pneumonia, pulmonary hypertension, ventilator dependence, and tracheostomy
- Renal: acute kidney injury, bedside dialysis, electrolyte abnormalities, fluid/water retention, and renal failure
