Der Anaesthesist
-
Review Case Reports
[Burn-out in anesthesia and intensive care medicine. Part 1. Clarification and critical evaluation of the term].
Both acute critical life events and circumstances continuously perceived as strenuous may lead to psychomental and somatic symptoms. The term burn-out as an expression for chronic occupational stress has become a popular catchword over the last years. Employees in many occupations feel especially prone to burn-out due to a work environment perceived as increasingly intense and commercialized. ⋯ Even though the classic concept of burn-out and the Maslach Burnout Inventory have been used for many years, a critical appraisal shows that burn-out has not yet been recognized as a diagnostic entity. Presumably there are other concepts and psychometric instruments more capable of collecting epidemiologic data regarding chronic work-related stress. With enhanced data, perhaps, measures based on principles of public health can be created and evaluated for the prevention and treatment of this condition.
-
Intravenous administration of fluids, electrolytes and glucose are the most common interventions in hospitalized pediatric patients. Parenteral fluid administration can be life-saving, however, if used incorrectly it also carries substantial risks. Perioperatively, adequate hydration, prevention of electrolyte imbalances and maintenance of normoglycemia are the main goals of parenteral fluid therapy. ⋯ Although there is no convincing evidence that colloids are better than crystalloids, there are clinical situations where the use of the more expensive colloids seems justified. It may be reasonable to choose a solution for fluid replacement which has a composition comparable to the composition of the fluid which must be replaced. Although hypertonic saline can reduce an elevated intracranial pressure, this therapy cannot be recommended as a routine procedure because there is currently no evidence that this intervention improves long-term outcome in pediatric patients with traumatic brain injury.
-
Obesity in Germany is becoming more and more prevalent. Significantly overweight patients (>200 kg) pose an increasing and difficult challenge for emergency medical services, emergency doctors and the hospitals responsible for further treatment. The anatomic and physiological characteristics of patients with extreme obesity must be taken into consideration, particularly the airway, breathing, circulation, disability, exposure and environment of the patient. ⋯ Emergency transport in a bed should be avoided. Neighboring rescue services must be alarmed at an early stage if the commune concerned does not have adequate means of its own. Politics should guarantee cost-covering remuneration for hospitals and rescue services.