Dtsch Arztebl Int
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Most ocular changes in pregnancy are harmless. For example, 14% of pregnant women need a new eyeglass prescription. Some changes, however, are serious, such as retinal effects of hypertension, which can be a sign of pre-eclampsia. Ocular changes may give rise to uncertainty about the administration of ophthalmological drugs or the optimal method of childbirth. ⋯ Pregnant women and nursing mothers can undergo most types of ophthalmological examination and treatment. Recommendations about drug treatment should be checked against current information that can be found on the embryotox.de and reprotox.de websites.
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Legally mandated minimum hospital caseload requirements for certain invasive procedures, including pancreatectomy, esophagectomy, and some types of organ transplantation, have been in effect in Germany since 2004. The goal of such requirements is to improve patient care by ensuring that patients undergo certain procedures only in hospitals that have met the corresponding minimum caseload requirement. We used the case numbers published in legally mandated hospital quality control reports to determine whether the hospitals actually met the stipulated requirements. ⋯ The establishment of minimum caseload requirements in Germany in 2004 did not lessen the number of cases performed in violation of these requirements over the period 2004 to 2010.