Der Anaesthesist
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Although there is increasing interest in the use of a viscoelastic test procedure (ROTEM/TEG) for diagnostics and therapy guidance of severely injured and bleeding patients, currently no uniformly accepted guidelines exist for how this technology should be integrated into clinical treatment. In September 2014 an international multidisciplinary group of opinion leaders in the field of trauma-induced coagulopathy and other disciplines involved in the treatment of severely injured patients were assembled for a 2-day consensus conference in Philadelphia (USA). This panel included trauma/accident surgeons, general/abdominal surgeons, vascular surgeons, emergency/intensive care surgeons, hematologists, transfusion specialists, anesthesiologists, laboratory physicians, pathobiologists/pathophysiologists and the lay public. ⋯ A consensus summary document was then developed and reviewed by the panel in an open forum. Finally, a 2-round Delphi poll was administered to the panel of experts regarding viscoelastic thresholds for triggering the initiation of specific treatments including fibrinogen (concentrates), platelet concentrates, blood plasma products and prothrombin complex concentrates (PCC). This report summarizes the findings and recommendations of this consensus conference, which correspond to a S2k guideline according to the system of the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF) and taking formal consensus findings including Delphi methods into consideration.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Retracted Publication
Comparison between dexmedetomidine and remifentanil infusion in emergence agitation during recovery after nasal surgery : A randomized double-blind trial.
Postoperative emergency agitation (EA) is a common problem. Dexmedetomidine and remifentanil may be used to prevent this problem. Our primary aim was to compare dexmedetomidine, remifentanil, and placebo with respect to their effectiveness in preventing postoperative EA. ⋯ Anesthetic maintenance with either remifentanil or dexmedetomidine infusion until extubation provided a more smooth and hemodynamically stable emergence, without complications after nasal surgery. While remifentanil was superior to dexmedetomidine with regard to avoiding EA, dexmedetomidine was more effective than remifentanil regarding vomiting and pain.
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The mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome is a disease triggered by a disorder in energy production within mitochondria. The cause of this syndrome is a mutation in the mitochondrial DNA where in 80% of cases an A-to-G mutation is present at nucleotide 3243 and with a prevalence of 18.4/100,000 in the population. Predominantly affected are organ systems with a high energy metabolism, such as the heart, brain and musculature. ⋯ An extensive patient cardiac history and a preoperative electrocardiogram (ECG) for an appraisal of possible disorders in the cardiac conduction system and when necessary extended cardiac diagnostics, are recommended. The monitoring must be adapted depending on the functional limitations and the forthcoming intervention and when necessary a postoperative surveillance in an intensive care unit should be initiated. Knowledge of the special features of MELAS syndrome in association with a consideration of the characteristics of anesthesia in MELAS patients and an individually adapted intensified perioperative surveillance, can contribute to a reduction in perioperative morbidity in patients suffering from MELAS syndrome.
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The assurance of high standards of care is a major requirement in German hospitals while cost reduction and efficient use of resources are mandatory. These requirements are particularly evident in the high-risk and cost-intensive operating theatre field with multiple process steps. The cleaning of operating rooms (OR) between surgical procedures is of major relevance for patient safety and requires time and human resources. The hygiene procedure plan for OR cleaning between operations at the university hospital in Göttingen was revised and optimized according to the plan-do-check-act principle due to not clearly defined specifications of responsibilities, use of resources, prolonged process times and increased staff engagement. ⋯ This present project description can be used by other hospitals as a guideline for similar changes in management processes.
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A partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection (PAPVC) is a congenital abnormality of the great thoracic vessels the incidence of which is underestimated and is associated with a left-right shunt. It rarely develops into a right-sided cardiac insufficiency. Because of the mostly low left-right shunt volume, a PAPVC is often asymptomatic and mostly incidentally detected in advanced age. ⋯ This article presents the case a 50-year-old patient with a PAPVC of the left upper lobe pulmonary vein draining into the left innominate vein without prior clinical symptoms. Blood gas analyses from the superior vena cava, where the catheter placement was confirmed by computed tomography angiography, showed unexplainable arterial values. The anatomical abnormality was confirmed by computed tomography.