Der Anaesthesist
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In adults, the course and outcome of the acquired respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are closely related to the initial respiratory situation. Respiratory indices are frequently used for prognostic purposes and hence for the institution of new techniques such as extracorporeal lung support. The validity of these indices to predict the outcome in pediatric ARDS patients has not been examined as yet. ⋯ CONCLUSIONS. Initial lung dysfunction as indicated by respiratory indices does not predict the outcome in pediatric ARDS. The underlying disease, hemodynamic situation, and age have to be considered in relation to the degree of lung dysfunction to determine new therapeutic strategies such as extracorporeal support.
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Neonatal resuscitation in the delivery room of small obstetric units is problematic because of the lack of on-site personnel with adequate training and experience. In large university hospitals this task is usually fulfilled by neonatologists who are present 24 h/day. However, in medium-sized and small obstetric units neonatal resuscitation is performed by a variety of professionals: paediatricians, obstetricians, anaesthetists, midwives, nurses, and nurse anaesthetists. ⋯ The initial evaluation of the newborn was done by an anaesthetist in 3% (2250/76,505) of all deliveries in Switzerland in 1988; 1.2% (882/76,505) of these babies needed bag-and-mask ventilation and in 0.4% (308/76,505) endotracheal intubation was performed by the anaesthetist. Proceeding on the assumption that 5% of all newborns need some sort of resuscitation immediately after birth, it is estimated that in 1988 approximately one-third of resuscitations were performed by anaesthetists. It is therefore concluded that anaesthetists play an important role in the resuscitation of newborns in Switzerland.
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Review Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
[Intraoperative awareness in balanced anesthesia. A literature review based on a randomized double blind study using fentanyl, pentazocine and ketamine].
Since the first case report by Winter-bottom [106], the problem of intraoperative awareness or recall has received increasing attention from patients, anaesthesiologists and, more recently, even law courts [4, 20, 21, 78]. Our own interest in awareness derives from a study with the opiate agonist tramadol as a supplement to balanced anaesthesia, which revealed an unexpectedly high incidence of about 65% of patients who could recall intraoperative music [55]. It was the aim of the present randomized double-blind study to evaluate, under identical experimental conditions, what the incidence would be with other analgesic supplements to balanced anaesthesia (fentanyl, pentazocine and ketamine). ⋯ Recovery was fastest with F, followed by P, and slowest with K. Retrospective judgement of the quality of anaesthesia by the anaesthesiologist did not differ significantly between the treatment groups. Most (93%) of the patients were satisfied with their anaesthesia; 2 patients each who received P and K were dis
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
[A comparison of a tramadol/metamizole infusion with the combination tramadol infusion plus ibuprofen suppositories for postoperative pain management following hysterectomy].
Postoperative pain management is still a grossly neglected field. In most cases, antipyretic analgesics alone are insufficient during the early postoperative period. Powerful narcotics are often avoided or underdosed because they are associated with the risk of respiratory depression. ⋯ CONCLUSIONS. Satisfactory pain reduction occurred rather late despite high doses of both the tramadol/metamizole and the tramadol/ibuprofen. Both analgesic combination must be regarded as insufficient after inhalational anaesthesia because of the very slow onset of action and the high failure rate.