Der Anaesthesist
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Patients with type 1 diabetes require continuous substitution of exogenous insulin due to their disability to produce insulin themselves. The insulin dosage required is individual-specific and may change dramatically during the perioperative period. ⋯ When planning the operation, an individual treatment regime should be drawn up and be made available to the medical team. In order to facilitate the challenging perioperative management of these patients, this article presents the current recommendations for the perioperative management of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (i.e. of the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes, ISPAD).
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In epidural anaesthesia, the anaesthetist injects one or more drugs into the epidural space bordering on the spinal dura mater to achieve a "central" and/or "neuraxial" block. It is one of the earliest techniques in anaesthesia, originally performed exclusively with local anaesthetic agents. ⋯ Continuous epidural analgesia is an important tool in postoperative pain management. More and more often, the increasing proportion of patients who have comorbidities or are permanently taking medication that modulates the clotting system demands that the anaesthesiologist balance the individual risks and benefits before inducing epidural anaesthesia.
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Review
[High-frequency oscillatory ventilation. Ventilation procedure for adults with acute lung failure].
The concept of lung protective ventilation strategies is based on the limitation of the inspiratory pressure and the reduction of the tidal volume, in order to minimize the extent of breathing cycle-dependent damaging mechanisms from mechanical ventilation. This concept is coupled with various procedures for optimization of the end-expiratory lung volume in acute lung failure in order to improve the compromized oxygenation. In this situation high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) has achieved a renaissance. ⋯ Very little data exist with respect to the application of this procedure in adult patients. For the clinical use of HFOV as a secondary procedure in adult patients suffering from acute lung failure it could be demonstrated that it is a safe and effective method of treatment. The effect of HFVO on the morbidity and mortality outcome, however, still needs to be characterized.
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Accidental intravascular administration of bupivacaine can cause severe neurotoxic and cardiotoxic effects. We report a case of suspected bupivacaine intoxication due to intravascular injection via an epidural catheter and treatment with lidocaine, propofol, and a 20% lipid emulsion resulting in fast resolution of cardiotoxic and neurotoxic effects. Possible mechanisms of action of the medications used are discussed.
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Preclinical emergency medical treatment necessitates a comprehensive interdisciplinary knowledge by the emergency physician as well as a high level of manual dexterity. The quality of treatment therefore depends on the level of education and continuous training in emergency medical techniques. Based on an evaluation of the frequency of life-saving interventions by a physician-staffed rescue helicopter system, strategies for in-hospital training of relevant skills are suggested. ⋯ The frequency of on-site life-saving interventions in emergency medicine is insufficient to fulfill the quota necessary to maintain adequate training of emergency physicians. Only a link-up program at a hospital for primary care can ensure an adequate training level.