Der Anaesthesist
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Recent epidemiologic studies reveal both an increasing incidence and an escalation in resistance of invasive fungal infections in intensive care units. Primary therapy fails in 70 % of cases, depending on the underlying pathogens and diseases. The purpose of this review is to raise awareness for the topic of antifungal therapy failure, describe the clinical conditions in which it occurs, and suggest a possible algorithm for handling the situation of suspected primary therapy failure.
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Baroreceptor stimulators are novel implantable devices that activate the carotid baroreceptor reflex. This results in a decrease in activity of the sympathetic nervous system and inhibition of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. ⋯ Many common anesthetic agents, such as inhalation anesthetics and propofol dampen or inhibit the baroreceptor reflex and complicate or even prevent successful placement. Therefore, a specific anesthesia and pharmacological management is necessary to ensure successful implantation of baroreceptor reflex stimulators.
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The Medical Devices Law is a relatively new legal system, which has replaced the still well-known medical devices regulations in Germany. The Medical Devices Law in Germany is based on European directives, which have been translated into national law with the Medical Devices Act. ⋯ Overall, the Medical Devices Act represents a very complex legal system, which needs to be permanently observed with respect to continuous updating and adjustment. In this article the design and the structure are described but most of all the article filters significant problem areas that need to be considered when using and operating medical devices, especially for anesthesiologists.
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Review Case Reports
[Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest : Case series of prehospital and in-hospital therapys].
Despite new concepts and strategies of basic and advanced life support, the outcome of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains poor. The main reason accounting for these poor results is a low-flow phase during conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with insufficient end organ perfusion. The early use of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (vaECMO) during CPR, i.e. extracorporeal resuscitation (ECPR) might improve OHCA survival rates as well as the neurological outcome in resuscitated patients. ⋯ Early ECPR might improve the outcome in patients with prolonged cardiac arrest without ROSC. The use of ECPR should be based on the individual decision of an experienced ECPR team considering defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. As the outcome mainly depends on the duration and quality of conventional CPR, ECPR support should be requested immediately after establishing advanced life support (approximately 10-15 min).
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Living in a multicultural society is characterized by different attitudes caused by a variety of religions and cultures. In intensive care medicine such a variety of cultural aspects with respect to pain, shame, bodiliness, dying and death is of importance in this scenario. ⋯ Intercultural competence is crucial in intensive care medicine and includes knowledge of social and cultural influences of different attitudes on health and illness, the abstraction from own attitudes and the acceptance of other or foreign attitudes.