Der Anaesthesist
-
Central venous catheters are usually positioned using the Seldinger technique with a guidewire. This article reports a case where the guidewire was inserted via the left subclavian vein with the landmark technique. ⋯ Due to the critical condition of the patient an operation was considered too perilous and the guidewire was finally left in situ. No formation of local venous thrombosis could be detected.
-
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.
-
Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) are one of the most common healthcare-associated infections (HAI) in Germany and are of particular relevance for intensive and standard care units. The revised guidelines of the commission for hospital hygiene and infection prevention (KRINKO) provide an update on prevention of CAUTI. The guidelines consider and evaluate the new literature published after the initial publication in 1999. ⋯ In this respect tailor-made infection prevention bundles seem to be most effective and continuous infection surveillance procedures are of particular importance. Thus, a comparison with the reference data provided by the (German) National Reference Center for surveillance of nosocomial infections is possible. This article explains the recommendations for prevention measures included in the new KRINKO guidelines.