Der Anaesthesist
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Liver failure can be categorized into acute liver failure, chronic liver failure and acute decompensation of chronic liver failure, the so-called acute-on-chronic liver failure, the incidence of which has increased over the last few years. Liver failure leads to a variety of pathophysiological changes where the extent is dependent on the nature and duration of the liver disease. ⋯ Especially chronic liver failure is associated with malfunction of extrahepatic organs, such as the cardiovascular system, the respiratory system and the kidneys. In addition to these pathophysiological alterations the Child-Turcotte-Pugh classification (CTP) and the model of end stage liver disease (MELD) are used for perioperative risk stratification.
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As a stress-induced disease, takotsubo cardiomyopathy can also occur in septic syndromes; however, the hemodynamic management is fundamentally different from the treatment approaches for classical septic cardiomyopathy, as beta mimetics can increase the heart failure symptoms in takotsubo cardiomyopathy. This article reports the case of an 82-year-old female patient who presented with acute abdomen due to adhesion ileus and takotsubo cardiomyopathy, developed severe septic shock with peritonitis and could be successfully hemodynamically stabilized with levosimendan.
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According to the recent guidelines supraglottic airways, such as laryngeal tubes are recommended to ensure oxygenation in patients with unexpected difficult airways. The novel Intubating Laryngeal Tube Suction Disposable (iLTS-D) is a modified laryngeal tube designed for secondary tracheal intubation. This pilot study evaluated the use of the iLTS-D in clinical practice with respect to practicality and efficacy. ⋯ This first clinical study demonstrated that in patients with apparently normal airways and in the hands of users without previous experience, the iLTS-D allowed sufficient ventilation in all patients and had a high success rate for subsequent endotracheal intubation. The results are, however, preliminary until confirmed by further studies, particularly in patients with difficult airways.
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Obstetric analgesia and anesthesia have some specific aspects, which in particular are directly related to pathophysiological alterations during pregnancy and also to the circumstance that two or even more individuals are always affected by complications or therapeutic measures. This review article deals with some evergreens and hot topics of obstetric anesthesia and essential new knowledge on these aspects is described. The article summarizes the talks given at the 16th symposium on obstetric anesthesia organized by the Scientific Committee for Regional Anaesthesia and Obstetric Anaesthesia within the German Society of Anaesthesiology. The topics are in particular, special features and pitfalls of informed consent in the delivery room, challenges in education and training in obstetric anesthesia, expedient inclusion of simulation-assisted training and further education on risk minimization, knowledge and recommendations on fasting for the delivery room and cesarean sections, monitoring in obstetric anesthesia by neuraxial and alternative procedures, the possibilities and limitations of using ultrasound for lumbal epidural catheter positioning in the delivery room, recommended approaches in preparing peridural catheters for cesarean section, basic principles of cardiotocography, postoperative analgesia after cesarean section, the practice of early bonding in the delivery room during cesarean section births and the management of postpartum hemorrhage.