Course: Time-Limited Trials of Intensive Care Unit Care
CME Credits: 1.00
Released: 2023-02-13
A patient in their 70s with pancreatic adenocarcinoma with known hepatic metastases and peritoneal carcinomatosis was admitted from the emergency department due to gastric outlet obstruction. Prior to admission, the patient had few functional limitations from their cancer or treatment. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed extrinsic duodenal compression and a nonbleeding duodenal ulcer. Several days later, the patient developed large-volume hematemesis accompanied by hypotension, tachycardia, and acute encephalopathy. Prompt goals-of-care conversations were had with the family. It was decided that, given the potential reversibility of this acute decompensation, it would be within the patient’s goals of care to proceed with intensive care unit (ICU) admission and interventions with the ultimate goal of discharging to home with hospice. A plan was made to reassess the patient’s clinical status and the utility of ICU care after 48 hours (or sooner, especially if they had ongoing bleeding or hemodynamic instability). The patient was aggressively resuscitated with intravenous fluids and blood products. The patient underwent mesenteric arteriography followed by prophylactic coiling of their gastroduodenal artery. The patient was discharged to the acute care floor and eventually to home with hospice.
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