Der Anaesthesist
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Antibiotic agents are crucial pillars in intensive care medicine and must be used rationally and sensibly. In the case of critically ill patients optimal dosing with respect to pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles (PK/PD) can be vital. Preclinical results demonstrated important differences between antibiotic classes and gave rise to differing clinical dosing strategies, e.g. high dose once daily regimens for aminoglycosides or extended/continuous infusion of betalactams. Critically ill patients with altered pharmacokinetic parameters and infections by pathogens with low susceptibility are most likely to benefit from PK/PD-guided therapy.
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The administration of blood products is strictly regulated. Warming of blood components at body temperature is required only in rare cases. Addition of drugs to blood products is not allowed. ⋯ The effects of the blood transfusion have to be controlled. The administration of blood products must be documented to allow a possible cross-check from the recipient to the donor as well as from the donor to the recipient. The disposal of administered and of non-administered blood components is subject to the guidelines for hospital waste.
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Due to the technical advances in pumps, oxygenators and cannulas, veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (va-ECMO) or extracorporeal life support (ECLS) has been widely used in emergency medicine and intensive care medicine for several years. An accepted indication is peri-interventional cardiac failure in cardiac surgery (postcardiotomy low cardiac output syndrome). Furthermore, especially the use of va-ECMO for other indications in critical care medicine, such as in patients with severe sepsis with septic cardiomyopathy or in cardiopulmonary resuscitation has tremendously increased. ⋯ This review gives an overview of the indications, complications and contraindications for va-ECMO. It discusses its advantages in organ transplantation and transport of critically ill patients. The reader will learn the differences between peripheral and central cannulation and how to monitor and manage va-ECMO.
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Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is an established diagnostic tool and has to be regarded as the standard of care for intraoperative monitoring and cardiac surgical decision-making. Furthermore, intraoperative TEE is also used for monitoring and assessment of hemodynamic changes and the detection of previously unknown pathologies. ⋯ Especially during mitral valve surgery, 3D-TEE has proven its superiority in the diagnosis of the underlying pathology as demonstrated by a large number of studies in this field. This review presents the available data about the role of intraoperative 3D-TEE echocardiography and introduces practical fields of application.
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The administration of blood products is strictly regulated. Several weeks before the operation the preparation for transfusion begins with optimizing the patient's hematological and hemostaseological situation. In elective surgery blood group testing and antibody screening are performed soon after admission of the patient. ⋯ On the day before the operation a further blood sample is necessary for cross-matching if red blood cells are to be transfused. Usually blood products are issued for immediate administration. Before transfusion begins the blood product has to be checked, the identity of the patient must be controlled and in the case of red blood cell transfusions the AB0 bedside test has to be performed.