Der Anaesthesist
-
Review Meta Analysis
[Perioperative administration of beta-blockers. Critical appraisal of recent meta-analyses].
The perioperative administration of beta blockers is a controversial issue. Numerous trials failed to show any significant benefit or disadvantage because of low event rates and insufficient statistical power. ⋯ There is still no clear evidence to prove a significant benefit for the unselected perioperative use of beta blockers in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery. While high-risk patients and those undergoing major surgical procedures seem to profit, low-risk patients may be more harmed than helped by this intervention. The fact that 3 meta-analyses raising the same question produced substantially different results, underlines the importance of critically appraising each meta-analysis.
-
The propofol infusion syndrome is a rare but potentially lethal complication resulting from a prolonged continuous administration of propofol. It was first described in the beginning of the 1990's and in recent years there have been frequent reports of problems in association with the use of propofol sedation. ⋯ The pathophysiology of this syndrome appears to involve a disturbance of mitochondrial metabolism induced by propofol. Our report involves a case of propofol infusion syndrome in a patient having undergone cardiac surgery.
-
Historical Article
[Spectrum of patients in prehospital emergency services. What has changed over the last 20 years?].
In Germany the physician staffed emergency systems have announced an increase in rescue missions over the years. The aim of this study is to analyse the development of the spectrum of patients in an emergency system over the last 20 years in order to highlight the significant changes. ⋯ The results of this study demonstrate, that the percentage of trauma, severely ill/injured or unconscious patients is lower than in previous years. However, the higher absolute numbers of patients demonstrate that the emergency physician now encounters more critically ill/injured, unconscious and trauma patients. It does not seem necessary to question the qualifications for an emergency physician, which have previously been considered essential for the management of acute life-threatening situations.
-
The expected cost explosion in transfusion medicine (increasing imbalance between donors and potential recipients, treatment of transfusion-associated complications) increases the socio-economic significance of specific institutional transfusion programs. In this context the estimated use of the patient's physiologic tolerance to anemia enables 1) the tolerance of larger blood losses (loss of "diluted blood"), 2) the onset of transfusion to the time after surgical control of bleeding to be delayed and 3) the perioperative collection of autologous red blood cells. The present review article summarizes the mechanisms, influencing factors and limits of this natural tolerance to anemia and deduces the indication for perioperative red blood cell transfusion. ⋯ The current recommendations coincide to the effect that perioperative red blood cell transfusion 1) is unnecessary up to a Hb concentration of 10 g/dl (6.21 mmol/l) even in older patients with cardiopulmonary comorbidity and 2) is only recommended in cases of Hb <6 g/dl (<3.72 mmol/l) in otherwise healthy subjects including pregnant women and children. Critically ill patients with multiple trauma and sepsis do not seem to benefit from transfusions up to Hb concentrations >9 g/dl (>5.59 mmol/l). In cases of massive hemorrhaging and diffuse bleeding disorders the maintenance of a Hb concentration of 10 g/dl (6.21 mmol/l) seems to contribute to stabilization of coagulation.
-
Currently, the main aims of using neuromuscular blocking agents during general anaesthesia are the improvement of surgical and intubation conditions. Neuromuscular blocking agents themselves are neither analgesic nor anaesthetic. All agents interact with the acetylcholinergic receptor at the neuromuscular junction and induce a blockade either through a continuous activation imitating the effect of acetylcholine or through a competitive antagonism against acetylcholine. ⋯ The depth of a neuromuscular block and recovery from paralysis can be monitored using qualitative and quantitative techniques. Therefore, the monitoring of neuromuscular recovery plays an important role in the prevention of postoperative complications due to residual paralysis. In case of residual paralysis, cholinesterase inhibitors are suitable for reversal.