Der Anaesthesist
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Although the Berlin definition of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is generally recognized, the differentiation from other diseases with severe gas exchange disturbances is often difficult in clinical practice. In particular, the assessment of radiological findings and identification of primary noncardiogenic lung edema pose problems. In ARDS typical inflammatory processes can be found with involvement of activated neutrophilic granulocytes. ⋯ Identifying ARDS phenotypes according to the etiology or disease progression can possibly provide a targeted individualized treatment option. The control of various biomarkers for assessment and treatment is the main focus of scientific interest. The results of appropriate studies remain to be seen.
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The incorporation into the routine operating procedure of patients with small but acute hand and forearm injuries requiring surgery who present in the emergency admission department, represents a challenge due to limited resources. The prompt treatment in the emergency admission department represents an alternative. This article retrospectively reports the authors' experiences with a treatment algorithm in which emergency patients were treated by ultrasound-guided axillary brachial plexus blocks (ABPB) and surgery carried out in the emergency department without further anesthesia attendance. ⋯ It could be demonstrated that minor surgery could be carried out safely and effectively with a defined algorithm using ABPB in selected patients outside the OR without permanent anesthesia attendance: however, indispensable prerequisites for such procedures are careful patient selection, patient compliance, the safe and effective performance of the ABPB and reliable agreement with the surgeon.
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Case Reports
[Daptomycin-induced eosinophilic pneumonia associated with an early endoprosthesis infection].
Acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP) is a rare disease characteristically involving eosinophilic infiltration of lung parenchyma as well as fever, dyspnea, and coughing. A differentiation is made between primary and secondary AEP depending on the underlying etiology. Substances that most frequently cause secondary AEP are antibiotics, such as the lipopeptide daptomycin. ⋯ The diagnostic criteria for AEP according to Uppal et al. include 1) current exposure to daptomycin, 2) dyspnea with increased oxygen requirements or necessity for mechanical ventilation, 3) new infiltrates on chest X‑ray or CT scan, 4) bronchoalveolar lavage with eosinophilia >25%, 5) improvement of clinical symptoms following daptomycin withdrawal, and 6) fever. With 5 out of the 6 criteria by Uppal et al. positive-an eosinophilia >25% being the only unmet criteria-an AEP induced by daptomycin was diagnosed. Withdrawal of daptomycin as well as high-dose cortisol bolus treatment led to a rapid recovery.
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Severe pulmonary impairment can occur after traumatic brain injury or stroke. The resulting brain-lung interactions represent key points for the treatment and the subsequent outcome of the patient. ⋯ This includes equipment based therapies using extracorporeal CO2 elimination, special positioning maneuvers in specially designed hospital beds and positional maneuvers, such as prone positioning. With enhanced neuromonitoring it is possible to optimally adapt treatment measures focused on the lungs early and before secondary damage to the brain.