Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Feb 1999
Review Case Reports[A long-term organic brain syndrome and brain stem symptoms in an undiagnosed dialysis-associated encephalopathy].
A 73-year-old woman in renal failure for the past 22 years had been on haemodialysis for 16 years. Because of hyperphosphataemia and peptic ulcers she had been on aluminium-containing antacids with a total intake over time of about 8 kg "pure" aluminium. Over the past 11 years she had biphasic symptoms of death anxieties and depression. She also had amnesic aphasia and some extrapyramidal symptoms as well as generalized convulsive seizures and recurrent falls. ⋯ Dialysis-associated encephalopathy must be taken into account as a possible cause of aetiologically uncertain neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients on chronic haemodialysis.
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Feb 1999
[Occupational exposure in the hospital to laughing gas and the new inhalation anesthetics desflurane and sevoflurane].
There have been few studies of the occupational exposure of the new volatile anaesthetic agents desflurane and sevoflurane. Because a health risk through long-term exposure to these inhalants cannot as yet be definitely excluded, we undertook to measure the concentrations of these three anaesthetics in different parts of the Frankfurt University Medical Centre. Considering the results the relevance of exposure for surgical and anaesthesia personnel, possible consequences due to laws and possibilities of improvement were shown. ⋯ In principle the use of inhalation anaesthetics can be considered to be without occupational health risk under the present legally defined standards of air-conditioning and the requirements of a modern occupational protection law. Because of the increased concentrations in the recovery room and intensive care unit pregnant and breast-feeding women should not work in these areas.