Bronchoscopy - A procedure involving a light and tiny camera threaded through the nose or mouth to look inside the lungs' airways, treat bleeding or remove stuck objects.
Critical Care - Also called intensive care, critical care is provided when patients have life-threatening injuries or illnesses. It usually takes place in a dedicated Intensive Care Unit, Critical Care Unit or trauma center. Units may specialize in a particular type of critical care or patient-for example, Neonatal Intensive Care (for babies immediately following birth); Pediatric Intensive Care (for newborns who have been discharged and then return to the hospital, up through adolescence and even young adults if congenital issues are involved); Coronary Critical Care (following heart surgery or heart attack), or a Surgical Intensive Care Unit (following surgery). Monitors, IV tubes, catheters, ventilators and other equipment are commonly used in intensive or critical care units.
Dialysis - When the kidneys fail, dialysis helps do their job of filtering of the blood to rid the body of harmful wastes, extra salt, and water.
Endotracheal intubation – A procedure to place a breathing tube through the mouth into the trachea, to assist the patient with breathing using a ventilator.
Feeding tube - When a person cannot eat or has difficulties swallowing because of an illness, injury or surgery, enteral nutrition or tube feeding may be helpful. A special liquid food mixture is provided through a tube than may be placed through the nose or directly through the skin into the stomach or bowel.
Intensivist - A physician with subspecialty training in critical care.
IV tube - A tiny intravenous tube is placed by needle into a vein or artery to deliver medications, fluids or pain controlling drugs.
Nitric oxide therapy - Nitric oxide is a gas added to the oxygen in a ventilator to help blood vessels in the lungs dilate and allow more blood flow and oxygen to the lungs.
Pediatric intensivist - A physician with subspecialty training in pediatrics and in critical care.
Ventilator - Also known as a respirator, a ventilator is a machine that helps people breathe.