Der Anaesthesist
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Oxygen (O2) for clinical application is generally provided from either a central gas supply via a hospital pipeline system or is delivered to the working place in cylinders as compressed gas. An alternative source is the one-site generation of O2 from air using O2 concentrators based on molecular sieve technology. Whereas O2 concentrators for anaesthesia in remote areas or underdeveloped countries are wide-spread, in Germany their use is common in neither hospitals nor anaesthesiological practice. ⋯ For the future, the use of O2 concentrators for anaesthesia seems to be a practicable alternative to compressed O2 from cylinders. The main application could be in small operating units or anaesthesia practices. The method is safe and without additional risk of hypoxia, even in rebreathing systems and closed circuits, when the O2 concentration in the inspired gas is measured.
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To demonstrate the safety of autologous blood donation in an obstetric practice. ⋯ Our experience demonstrates that autologous blood donation is a safe practice in the setting of obstetrics, when the indications and contraindications are considered. Further studies in larger patient populations are necessary to expand or restrict the indications for autologous transfusion in obstetrics.