Der Anaesthesist
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The overwhelming postsplenectomy infection syndrome (OPSI) is a fulminant sepsis that is mainly caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and is characterized by a particular high mortality. Patients whose spleen was removed due to a hematological disease are at special risk. Even after the recommended immunization against Streptococcus pneumoniae 20-30 % of these patients do not develop an adequate level of antibody response. Therefore, this particular group of patients must be trained how to behave in case of fever and need to obtain immediate specific sepsis therapy with antibiotic prophylaxis.
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Case Reports
[Placement of a central venous catheter in cases of persistent left superior vena cava.]
This article presents a case report on the placement of a central venous catheter (CVC) in a patient with an unknown persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC). Normally, PLSVCs remain asymptomatic but can be associated with disastrous consequences for the patient during placement of a CVC particularly due to vascular perforation and pulmonary injury. A PLSCV is particularly common in association with congenital heart defects; however, otherwise healthy patients can also be affected. As the presence of a PLSCV is normally unknown special attention must be paid in every patient during placement of a CVC.
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Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is an evidence-based treatment of acute respiratory failure and can be helpful to reduce morbidity and mortality. In Germany national S3 guidelines for inhospital use of NIV based on a large number of clinical trials were published in 2008; however, only limited data for prehospital non-invasive ventilation (pNIV) and hence no recommendations for prehospital use exist so far. ⋯ Prehospital NIV in Germany was used by only one third of all respondents by the end of 2008. Based on the clinical data a growing application for pNIV is expected. Controlled prehospital studies are needed to enunciate evidence-based recommendations for pNIV.
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The Deutsche Interdisziplinäre Vereinigung für Intensivmedizin und Notfallmedizin (DIVI) is divided into sections one of which is the "Sektion Notaufnahmeprotokoll" (emergency department protocol section) founded in 2007. The main task was to create a national data set for the documentation of patients in emergency departments (ED). ⋯ Beside the ability to exchange information the presented data set is the basis for internal and external quality assessment in the ED even if most of the available scoring and benchmarking tools are not validated for the German medical system. Implementing an ED register in Germany which is planned in the future, could close this gap.
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In the context of the new education program for German paramedics, a discussion has been fueled regarding the emergency care competencies of paramedics. In 1999 a system for training and qualification of paramedics was established in the emergency medical service (EMS) area of Reutlingen (Germany), including an algorithm for analgesia using ketamine and midazolam. Under defined circumstances analgesia may be administered to patients in the absence of a physician. ⋯ After appropriate training and regular control analgesia administered by paramedics in the present system was safely and effectively applied.