All Roads Lead to Bhopal for Criticare 2008

The conference would offer debates, panel discussions, tutorial topics, plenary lectures, industry sessions, case scenarios and thematic lectures

Bhopal, the city situated in the heart of India, is grooming itself to welcome the dignitaries from the world of critical care at the 14th annual national conference by Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine (ISCCM). To be held from February 13 and last till 17th February, 2008, this is the first time that this national conference has been organised in Bhopal.

The Foundation

The foundation of critical care in India was laid in 1970s and ISSCM was established in the year 1993. It is now the apex body of more than 3,000 intensive care practioners and has more than 30 city branches in the country. Over the years, it has branched out to other activities. The society publishes a journal known as 'Indian Journal of Critical Care Medicine'-an important mouthpiece for critical care.

The Conference

Considered as the 'best address in Bhopal', the event would be held at Noor-us-sabah palace, a heritage hotel. Some of the international faculties are Robert Bob Kacmarek, USA; John Kellum, USA; Djillali Annane, France; Konrod Reinhart, Germany; Lawrence Martin, USA; Michael Meisner, Germany; Mitchell Levy, USA, Ellie J Goldstein- USA; Daniel Linchtensten, France; Saxon Ridley, Gareth L Thomas, UK; Ramesh Nagappan, Australia; Roop Kishen, UK; Vineet Nayyar, Australia; Abhiram Mallick, UK; Luca Neri and Enrico Storti, Italy; Ian Seppelt; Australia; Jatinder Somal, USA and Satyajit Koottayi, Australia.

Day One

The sessions will start off at eight in the morning.

With an endeavour to cover a 360 degree view on critical care, there would be debates, panel discussions, tutorial topics, a session of 'meet the experts', plenary lectures, industry sessions, guidelines, case scenarios and thematic lectures.

The topics for panel discussions are: 'control of antibiotic prescriptions in ICU'; 'current practices of sedation paralysis and pain control in ICU'; 'clinical research in critical care - Indian scenario'; 'enforcement of sepsis guidelines in India'; 'ICU training and education - shortcomings and solutions'; 'Conflicts of interest issues in healthcare; strategy for selecting empiric antibiotic in ICU'; 'strategies to improve quality and outcome in ICU'; 'lung recruitment and peep setting'; 'non invasive haemodynamic monitoring'; 'implementing guidelines for infection prevention and immune nutrition and critically ill patient'.

In the 'meet the experts' sessions, the audience would get answers for basic issues like: 'How do I manage difficult airway?', 'How do I deal with a VIP patient?', ' How do I feed my patient?', 'How do I deal with MDRS?', 'How should I interpret Scvo2?', ' How do I manage a status epilepticus?', 'How do I manage pain and sedation in ICU?' or 'How do I reduce the incidence of renal failure in ICU?'

The topics for the plenary lecture are 'rational use of corticosteroids in critically ill'; 'future trends in mechanical ventilation'; 'mechanism of organ failure in sepsis and strategies to reduce organ injury'; 'infections in critically ill patients - past, present, & future'; 'new aspects of diagnosing and monitoring of sepsis' and 'better predictor of outcome in critically ill patients: global monitoring or regional monitoring'

The session based on guidelines will cover the themes like-'updates in CPCR'; 'nutrition in critically ill patient'; 'transfusion practices blood & component therapy';'ventilator associated pneumonia/community acquired pneumonia'; 'brain death criteria'; 'new strategies in the management of ALI & ARDS'; 'new guidelines in septic shock management'; 'starting an ICU- Indian guidelines' and 'guidelines for ICU sedation & paralysis'.

Day Two

Some of the programmes are - 'Fluid and Blood Resuscitation in poly trauma: How much and how long' by Rahul Pandit; 'Cardiac output monitoring in ICU, which one to use' by Abhiram Mallick; 'My Favorite haemodynamic tool' by Yatin Mehta; 'Optimal use of invasive and non-invasive volume resuscitation tools at bedside' by Girish Ramtakel; panel discussion on control of antibiotic prescription in ICU; nutritional load in critically ill: concept and controversy by DP Samaddar; New guidelines in septic shock management by Atul Kulkarni;.

Day Three

The lectures shall cover issues like -'new aspects of diagnosing and monitoring of sepsis' by Mitchell Levy; panel discussion on 'lung recruitment and Peep Setting'; 'Can goal directed therapy reduce mortality in ICU' by KK Upadhayaya; 'Obstetric Emergencies by B Ray; 'Toxic coma- Diagnosis and Specific Interventions' by Omender Singh.

In all, Criticare 2008 would be a good knowledge sharing platform, where the experts who are busy battling with life and death, would take some time out to interact, network and share their invaluable experiences, until they meet again next year.

EH News Bureau