Der Anaesthesist
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Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PM-NL) constitute the first line of defence in the protection of the host from invading microorganisms. PMNL also contribute to the removal of cellular debris from necrotic tissues during reparative processes. For these purposes PMNL are armed with highly efficient bactericidal mechanisms which, under certain pathophysiological conditions, can be turned against the host himself. ⋯ The manifestation of ARDS in leukopenic patients, however, indicates the development of this clinical syndrome independently of the presence of PMNL. The ability to differentiate between PMNL-dependent and PMNL-independent pathways in the pathogenesis of this syndrome is not only of theoretical interest but also of therapeutic significance. Since the patient's systemic inflammatory response may vary according to the stage and type of the underlying disease, an exact qualitative and quantitative analysis of PMNL functions may provide the rationale for new anti-inflammatory drug regimens aimed at modifying the host's response without increasing the risk of infection.
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Case Reports
[Treatment reduction in intensive care. "Allowing the patient to die" by conscious withdrawal of medical procedures].
The conversion of an "attempt to treat" to "prolongation of dying" represents an important problem in modern intensive care. If the actual or presumed will of the patient is unknown, the physician has to decide about the extent of treatment in a paternalistic manner. In these difficult decisions the physician has to consider prognosis, and certainty of prognosis and has to carefully balance between the right to live and the right to die. ⋯ If the situation is hopeless and further medical interventions are futile, then allowing the patient to die by therapy reductions is not only a possibility but a mandatory act of humanity. In that case it does not matter whether new treatment modalities are abandoned or whether already instituted medical measures are withdrawn. In clinical practice, however, the "fine tuning" of therapy reduction has to be tailored to the individual case and largely depends on prognostic certainty.
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The inhalational anaesthetic fluor-methyl-trifluor-1-(trifluoromethyl)-ethylether sevoflurane has been known for more than 20 years and is structurally related to the currently available volatile anaesthetics. This anaesthetic is characterized by a low blood/gas partition coefficient of 0.69 and high fat solubility, leading to a sharp rise in alveolar concentration and quick anaesthesia induction. As opposed to desflurane, sevoflurane does not boil at ambient temperature, thus making a special vaporizer unnecessary. ⋯ As opposed to methoxyflurane, which may be nephrotoxic due to its microsomal metabolism in kidney tissue, sevoflurane does not seem to cause clinical inhibition of renal function even at plasma fluoride levels above 50 mumol/l, a concentration thought to be associated with renal tubular impairment. A possible reason for this observation is lower metabolism of sevoflurane within renal tissues. Due to its quick onset and fast elimination, sevoflurane is an interesting new volatile anaesthetic offering various clinical advantages.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
[The cardiovascular effects of sevoflurane].
The cardiovascular effects of sevoflurane as published from clinical and experimental studies are reviewed with respect to general haemodynamics and organ perfusion. Sevoflurane appears to be quite similar to isoflurane, with some minor exceptions. In adult patients and volunteers, sevoflurane has not been associated with increases in heart rate, whereas isoflurane and desflurane caused significant increases in heart rate at higher concentrations. ⋯ In several multi-center studies where patients with coronary artery disease or at high risk for coronary artery disease were randomised to receive either sevoflurane or isoflurane for cardiac or non-cardiac surgery, the incidence of myocardial ischaemia and infarction did not differ between treatment groups. In both human and animal models, sevoflurane preserves cerebral blood flow and reduces cerebral metabolic rate much like isoflurane. Considering its favourable pharmacokinetic properties, the introduction of sevoflurane into clinical practice appears to be a promising extension of the anaesthetic spectrum.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
[Comparison of sevoflurane and isoflurane in ambulatory surgery. Results of a multicenter study].
A multicenter, randomized, comparative phase III study evaluating the effect of sevoflurane versus isoflurane in adult outpatients was performed. The aim of the study was to compare (1) maintenance of anaesthesia and (2) how rapidly and easily the patients emerge from the anaesthetic and recover. ⋯ Sevoflurane was as safe as isoflurane for anaesthesia in adult outpatients. Patients who received sevoflurane had statistically significantly shorter recovery parameters than isoflurane patients.