Der Chirurg; Zeitschrift für alle Gebiete der operativen Medizen
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Recent evidence has documented that a combination of single-modality evidence-based care principles into a multimodal effort to enhance postoperative recovery (the fast track methodology) has led to enhanced recovery with reduced medical morbidity, need for hospitalisation and convalescence. Nevertheless, general implementation of fast track surgery has been relatively slow despite concomitant economic benefits. Further improvement in postoperative outcome may be obtained by developments within each care principle with a specific focus on minimally invasive surgery, effective multimodal, non-opioid analgesia and pharmacological stress reduction.
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Interactive Tutorial
[Local and regional anaesthesia. Principles and techniques].
Local and regional anaesthesia procedures are common in most surgical practices. Continuous regional anaesthesia techniques may improve the outcome and significantly reduce postoperative pain. Epidural anaesthesia is recommended for abdominal and thoracic surgery, whereas continuous peripheral regional anaesthesia via a catheter is advantageous for limb surgery. Although these techniques are very safe, emergency treatment of life-threatening complications must be available.
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Multiresistant, extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL)-producing pathogens are an increasing problem in daily clinical life. This paper summarizes the development of resistance as well as epidemiology, diagnostics, and treatment of ESBL-producing micro-organisms. We analyzed microbiological data collected at the Grosshadern Clinic in Germany between 1996 and 2007, in order to assess the importance of these micro-organisms to medical practice and surgical care units. ⋯ The results show an increasing prevalence of ESBL-producing pathogens in hospitalized patients and in surgical departments. The resulting rise in treatment costs and patient risk require thorough knowledge of risk factors, therapy, and preventive measures.
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The prevalence of diabetes in hospitalized adults is conservatively estimated at 12-25% and rising. Poor glucose control and presence of diabetes complications (e.g. diabetic nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy, atherosclerosis) are commonly regarded as risk factors for perioperative morbidity and mortality. ⋯ For patients in general surgical units, evidence for specific glycemic goals is based on epidemiologic and physiologic data rather than clinical trials. According to guidelines of the German Society of Nutrition, the approximation of normoglycemia is reasonable as long as hypoglycemia is avoided (suggested range for plasma glucose 80-145 mg/dL).