Der Anaesthesist
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Adaequate antibiotic therapy is crucial for successful anti-infective therapy. In addition to the choice of the right antibiotic and the duration of therapy, the dose also plays a decisive role. ⋯ Since pharmacokinetic differences between plasma and the interstitial fluid of different target tissues have been observed for different antibiotics, the measurement is also necessary in the target tissue. The technique of microdialysis is best suited for this purpose as it allows concentrations to be measured continuously in the target tissue.
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The application of artificial intelligence (AI) is currently changing very different areas of life. Artificial intelligence involves the emulation of human behavior with the aid of methods from mathematics and informatics. ⋯ Although the majority of the applications in medicine are still limited to data analysis and research, it is certain that ML will become increasingly more important in scientific and clinical aspects in this supportive function. Therefore, it is necessary for clinicians to have at least a basic understanding of the functional principles, strengths and weaknesses of ML.
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Multicenter Study
[Implementation of anesthesia quality indicators in Germany : A prospective, national, multicenter quality improvement study].
In 2016 the German Society of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (DGAI) and the Association of German Anesthetists (BDA) published 10 quality indicators (QI) to compare and improve the quality of anesthesia care in Germany. So far, there is no evidence for the feasibility of implementation of these QI in hospitals. ⋯ In this study the implementation of QI was proven to be mostly feasible in the participating German hospitals. Although several QI could be implemented with minor effort, more time, financial and structural resources would be required for some QI, such as the QI postoperative visit.
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The use of a tourniquet and patients' preference for general anesthesia (GA) limit performing ankle blocks (AB) as a sole anesthetic technique for orthopedic foot surgery. The aim of this prospective and randomized study was to test the hypothesis that administration of an AB before GA could be effective for postoperative pain relief in patients undergoing outpatient hallux valgus surgery. Primary outcome measure was mean pain score and secondary outcome measures were time to mobilization of patients, time to hospital discharge, and complications. ⋯ Ankle block is an effective and simple technique for reducing postoperative pain and opioid consumption. It reduced the time to mobilization without a delay in hospital discharge. It is concluded that the routine administration of AB before GA may be an effective and simple method for pain relief after foot surgery.
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Hypersensitivity reactions are one of the most feared side effects associated with the use of CT contrast agents. Bronchospasm and lung edema are known manifestations, whereby the latter occurs much less often. In anaphylaxis, numerous mechanisms can lead to cardiac failure with subsequent lung edema. ⋯ With the aid of ECMO support the invasiveness of mechanical ventilation could be reduced and volume substitution intensified. In the further course, microcirculatory dysfunction and respiratory function gradually improved and ECMO support could be discontinued after 70 h. The patient was extubated on day 9 and discharged to the normal ward on day 13 without any neurological impairments.