Der Anaesthesist
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Case Reports
[Transtracheal oxygenation in respiratory tract obstruction from a hypopharyngeal tumor].
A 42-year-old male with a history of chronic alcoholism was admitted to the department of otolaryngology with acute respiratory insufficiency and generalised cyanosis due to a respiratory obstruction by a large tumour of the hypopharynx. Because of the size and location of the tumour and the risk of bleeding, orotracheal intubation by direct laryngoscopy was considered almost impossible. ⋯ Awake fiberoptic nasotracheal intubation was performed under topical anaesthesia, then general anaesthesia was induced and controlled ventilation was started. After surgical tracheotomy the patient was transferred to an intensive care unit and 12 h later the patient was discharged from the ICU.
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Clinical Trial
[Massive transfusion with the Rapid Infusion System. Its effect on core body temperature].
Extensive blood loss requires adequate volume replacement. However the infused volume cannot be adequately warmed especially when high infusion rates are necessary. Subsequently, hypothermia develops and results in hemodynamic instability and coagulopathy. ⋯ Only five patients had a body core temperature below 34 degrees C, all were trauma patients and four of these five patients already had a preoperative temperature below 34 degrees C. The mortality in this study was 28%, which is markedly reduced in comparison to previous publications although they all considered at patients with significantly less blood loss. Maintaining normothermia and normovolemia by the use of the RIS may explain the improved outcome.
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Transfusion related acute lung injury (TRALI) is a serious complication of blood transfusion, characterized by non-cardiogenic lung oedema. We describe a case of TRALI due to granulocyte-specific antibodies. The 58-year-old patient received 2 units of fresh frozen plasma following colon surgery and within 30 min the patient developed an acute respiratory distress syndrome. Granulocyte-specific antibodies were found in one of the transfused plasma of a female blood donor who most likely became immunized against granulocyte alloantigens during her three pregnancies.