Der Anaesthesist
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Offshore windfarms are constructed in the German North and Baltic Seas. The off-coast remoteness of the windfarms, particular environmental conditions, limitations in offshore structure access, working in heights and depths, and the vast extent of the offshore windfarms cause significant challenges for offshore rescue. Emergency response systems comparable to onshore procedures are not fully established yet. ⋯ Operational air medical rescue services and specific offshore emergency reaction teams have established a powerful rescue chain. Besides the present development of medical standards, more studies are necessary in order to place the rescue chain on a long-term, evidence-based groundwork. A central medical offshore registry may help to make a significant contribution at this point.
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Case Reports
[Brown urine : Myoglobin-induced renal failure after concomitant administration of simvastatin and amiodarone].
Rhabdomyolysis is a rare but well-known complication of statin therapy. The risk is considerably increased when concomitant drugs are administered that inhibit metabolism and breakdown via the cytochrome CYP3A4. We report a case of myoglobin-induced acute renal failure secondary to the concomitant use of simvastatin and amiodarone. The risk of rhabdomyolysis is mainly determined by the statin dose; in the case of the concomitant use of CYP3A4 inhibitors, a maximal daily dose of 20 mg is recommended to avoid harmful drug interactions.
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Inflation of laryngeal masks is often performed only with regard to the clinical impression and without any objective measurement of cuff pressure. As a result the use of laryngeal masks frequently leads to postoperative complications, such as sore throat, dysphonia, dysphagia and nerve palsy. In this study the influence of continuous measurement of cuff pressure on the incidence of postoperative sore throat was investigated in patients who underwent laryngeal mask anesthesia. ⋯ In terms of the results of this study and with respect to data from the literature, measurement of cuff pressure should be compulsory during laryngeal mask anesthesia.
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Existential questions concerning the limitation of treatment must be answered when a major complication occurs after an elective operation. In these situations, the patient himself/herself cannot be asked about his/her will. Therefore, medical professionals must attempt to determine the patient's presumed will either through an existing advance directive (AD) or by consulting with the patient's relatives. Only one-fifth of all patients create an AD in advance, and the relatives cannot always reliably reproduce the patient's presumed will. Thus, it is important to talk about issues such as do-not-resuscitate before a patient undergoes elective major surgery. However, such discussions may unsettle and frighten the patient. This study aimed to determine if patients are willing to talk about difficult questions such as resuscitation before major surgery. How many patients create an AD? Who should decide when patients themselves are no longer capable? ⋯ Although the majority of the respondents were willing to talk about difficult issues before an operation, it remains unclear to what extent these results can be generalized. However, the results justify efforts to carefully inquire about and document the will of sick patients prior to major surgery. Both the treatment team and the relatives are relieved if the patient's will is known when difficult decisions have to be made.