A fever producing substance. Endotoxin is a pyrogen. Also known as a pyrogenic lipopolysaccharide. SEE endotoxin.

Eliciting a fever.

A false membrane composed of the debris of ruptured intestinal cells, dead white blood cells and mucous that overlays affected areas of the colon and may affect the ileum as in severe C. difficile infections.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is widely distributed in soil, water, sewage and plants, and is a common human intestinal bacterium. It also causes disease in humans, certain animals, insects and plants. Devastating infection of burn patients. Likes moist environments.

A chronic, non-contagious, hereditary disease characterized by inflamed lesions covered with silvery-white scabs of dead skin affecting over 4 million Americans. Plaques often colonized by bacteria.

Pressure Support Ventilation

In a pandemic or quarantine situation refers to those inner feelings of guilt, ethical conflict, frustration and anger that can occur due to long hours, an overwhelming number of patients, high mortality, quarantine conditions, family responsibilities, fear of infection, etc.

A syndrome characterized by a systemic bacterial infection and septicemia suffered by a mother in the period immediately after childbirth (childbirth fever). Ignaz Semmelweis discovered washing hands with chlorine water dramatically reduced the infection. 1840s.

Pulmonary artery catheters require a significant amount of manipulation during insertion, and adjustment during monitoring. The use of a sterile plastic sleeve over the exterior portion of the catheter reduces the microbial contamination of the surface, thus reducing the risk of infection. Because the catheter is usually dragged along the surface of the drape, the sleeve would also reduce lint contamination, therefore reducing the risk of lint thrombosis.

The insertion of a catheter into a pulmonary artery. Its purpose is diagnostic; it is used to detect heart failure or sepsis, monitor therapy, and evaluate the effects of drugs. The pulmonary artery catheter allows direct, simultaneous measurement of pressures in the right atrium, right ventricle, pulmonary artery, and the filling pressure (wedge pressure) of the left atrium. The pulmonary artery catheter is frequently referred to as a Swan-Ganz catheter.