Der Anaesthesist
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Sepsis and related complications are a challenge for intensive care medicine. Despite many advances in antibiotic therapy sepsis remains one of the most common diseases of patients in intensive care units and is designated as the main cause of death in critically ill patients. ⋯ Scoring systems can be applied for the initial evaluation but are controversially discussed concerning the monitoring of disease progression and therapy as well as outcome prediction. Biomarkers are considered as a complementary approach.
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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease with a high incidence and extensive comorbidities that make COPD a key challenge for anesthesiologists. A new treatment strategy, such as endoscopic lung volume reduction (ELVR) with implantation of endobronchial valves is a rapidly developing area which is still unknown to many anesthesiologists. This article therefore describes first experiences in a patient with five endobronchial valves in the right upper lobe who needed urgent surgery due to lumbar disc herniation with neurological impairment. ⋯ Intraoperatively, the patient should be assessed with modern physiological monitoring tools to titrate the administration of anesthetic agents, opioids and myorelaxant drugs. In conclusion the care of patients with implanted endobronchial valves after ELVR does not differ from COPD patients without ELVR. A close cooperation between surgeons, anesthesiologists and internists is mandatory in the care of these patients.
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Review Guideline
Nerve localization for peripheral regional anesthesia : Recommendations of the German Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine.
The German Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Anästhesiologie und Intensivmedizin, DGAI) established an expert panel to develop preliminary recommendations for nerve localization in peripheral regional anesthesia. Based on expert knowledge and the relatively limited data, the recommendations state how ultrasound and/or electrical nerve stimulation should be used in daily practice, and where and when local anesthetics should be injected. Moreover, it was defined under which conditions a peripheral nerve block under general anesthesia or deep sedation is applicable. ⋯ To avoid accidental intraneural needle placement, an electrical current threshold ≥ 0.5 mA should be used. Moreover, it was stated that peripheral nerve blocks or continuous nerve block techniques under sedation or general anesthesia are applicable in adult patients who are unable to tolerate the block being performed in an awake state or have difficulty cooperating. This article is published in English.
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The incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill patients is very high and is associated with an increased morbidity and mortality. In 2012 the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcome (KDIGO) guidelines were published in which evidence-based practical recommendations are given for the evaluation and management of patients with AKI. The first section of the KDIGO guidelines deals with the unification of earlier consensus definitions and staging criteria for AKI. ⋯ The guidelines appreciates that there is insufficient evidence for many of the recommendations. As a specific pharmacological therapy is missing, an early diagnosis, aggressive hemodynamic optimization, tight volume control, and avoidance of nephrotoxic drugs are the only interventions to prevent AKI. If renal replacement therapy is required different modalities are available to provide an effective therapy with a low rate of adverse effects.
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Liver failure and hepatic dysfunction represent diagnostic and therapeutic challenges for the intensivist. Besides acute liver failure, hypoxic hepatitis, sepsis and (secondary) sclerosing cholangitis may lead to massive liver dysfunction with subsequent multiorgan dysfunction syndrome that limits survival. Among classical laboratory parameters (so-called static liver parameters) liver function tests may help with the diagnosis to allow early treatment or prevention of liver dysfunction. The aim of this article is to present the current aspects of liver function monitoring and to provide guidelines to the intensivist for diagnosing liver dysfunction in the intensive care setting.