Der Anaesthesist
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This is a case report about a helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) operation during the night in response to an avalanche accident with two completely buried victims. One of the victims was rescued alive after 9.2 h presenting with a patent airway and an air pocket and was successfully rewarmed with forced air from 23°C core temperature without any neurological deficits. ⋯ The special circumstances of the rescue operation and treatment are presented and discussed. The impact of a frozen chest on resuscitation decisions is presented and discussed with an emphasis on the triage of multiple victims.
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Bloodstream infections due to intravascular catheterization, peritoneal catheters for dialysis, suprapubic or transurethral catheters, are one of the major sources of nosocomial infections. Therefore, the prevention of catheter-associated infections is an important issue for physicians and nursing staff working in hospitals or in outpatient settings. The risk can be minimized by diligent checking of the indications, hygienic measures, using the right materials, thorough follow-up and education of the medical and nursing staff. Thus it is possible to avoid individual suffering of patients and to reduce costs in the healthcare system.
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Comparative Study
[Real-time 3 dimensional full volume data set : benefits in problem focused intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography].
Comprehensive intraoperative transesophageal echcardiography (TEE) includes various measurements for quantification of cardiac chambers and valves based on multiple two dimensional (2D) standard views. Due to shortness of time during cardiac surgery most centres in Germany only carry out problem focussed intraoperative examinations which does not allow the complete repertoire of measurements to be exhausted. The aim of this study was to investigate which measurements for cardiac chamber and valve quantification can be performed with the acquisition of a real-time 3D full volume (RT-3D-FV) data set and to compare these measurements with those based on standard 2D views. ⋯ For intraoperative problem focussed TEE examinations the acquisition of an additional RT-3D-FV TEE data set allows accurate measurement of most of the recommended chamber and valve quantification parameters.
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Due to the negative impact on decision-making too steep authority gradients in teams represent a risk factor for patient safety. As residents and nursing staff may fear sanctions they may be reluctant to forward critical information to or challenge planned actions of attending physicians. In the setting of a simulation course it was investigated whether and to what extent team members would challenge decisions of familiar attending physicians. In each case where participants did not voice an opinion the underlying motives for the behavior were investigated. ⋯ The authority gradient can have a major negative impact on perioperative patient care. Residents and nursing staff are seldom able to challenge the attending physicians when patient safety is at risk. However, even attending physicians who normally accept feedback and criticism from team members can fail to receive support.
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Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is a standard procedure in cardiac surgery; however, apart from its therapeutic options a CPB might also initiate systemic and organ-specific complications, such as heart failure, renal and pulmonary dysfunction, impaired coagulation as well as neurological and cognitive dysfunction. The immunological response to the extracorporeal circulation generates systemic inflammation which often meets the definition of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). The main inducers of SIRS are contact of blood with the artificial surfaces of the CPB, mechanical stress which affects the blood components and the extensive surgical trauma. ⋯ By reason of surgical demands, the majority of cardiothoracic procedures still depend on the use of CPB; however, there is an on-going development of new techniques trying to reduce the surgical trauma and the negative consequences of CPB. Here, minimized systems with biocompatible surfaces have been shown to be effective in attenuating the inflammatory response to CPB. Alternative procedures such as off-pump surgery may help to avoid CPB-associated complications but due to specific limitations will not replace conventional bypass surgery.