Der Anaesthesist
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Pharmacotherapy is a key component of anesthesiology and intensive care medicine. The individual genetic profile influences not only the effect of pharmaceuticals but can also completely alter the mode of action. New technologies for genetic screening (e.g. next generation sequencing) and increasing knowledge of molecular pathways foster the disclosure of pharmacogenetic syndromes, which are classified as rare diseases. ⋯ Furthermore, MH predisposition is not excluded by negative mutation screening. For anesthesiological patient safety it is crucial to identify individuals at risk and warn genetic relatives; however, the legal requirements of the Patients Rights Act and the Human Genetic Examination Act must be strictly adhered to. Specific features of insurance and employment law must be respected under consideration of the Human Genetic Examination Act.
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Postoperative wound infections represent a relevant complication of invasive interventions. Current European prevalence data show that for participating hospitals from Germany (n = 132) surgical site infections represent the most commonly occurring nosocomial infection with 24.3 %. This corresponds to a point prevalence of 1.31 %. ⋯ Recent studies have indicated that this rate might be even higher for individual infection entities. Infection control measures can be divided into general measures, which are valid for prevention in many fields and for many infection entities and into specific precautions related to hospital-specific circumstances or specific infection entities. In this article the various hygiene measures and recommendations are presented with respect to the level of evidence.
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Thoracic surgery represents a special challenge for anesthesia and requires a high level of human and material resources. Accurate knowledge of the pathophysiology is essential for selection of the anesthetic procedure, the separation of the lungs, monitoring and treatment of hemodynamics as well as for postoperative follow-up care. ⋯ In particular hypoxemia during one-lung ventilation influences postoperative morbidity and mortality. Protective pulmonary ventilation strategies play an important role in prevention of postoperative acute lung injury.
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We report a case of a 27-year-old anesthetist who acquired tuberculosis (TB) while performing general anesthesia in a renal transplant (RTX) patient who had donor-derived contagious TB. The anesthetist developed pleural TB 6 months after exposure. Contact investigations (CIs) did not include health care workers (HCWs) of the Department of Anesthesiology, thereby missing the opportunity for the early diagnosis and treatment of TB. ⋯ The donor (liver and kidneys), a 67-year-old immigrant, had died from brain death by cerebral herniation after a stroke. She had been treated for tuberculosis with a pneumectomy 40 years ago. Since that time, she had been suffering from latent tuberculous infection (TBI), but had been considered to have been cured.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Determination of the median effective dose (ED50) of spinal plain ropivacaine for motor block in adults.
The median effective dose (ED50) for motor blockade of spinal plain bupivacaine in adults was previously reported; however, that of ropivacaine is unknown. This study aimed to determine the ED50 for motor blockade of spinal plain ropivacaine in adults, evaluating the effect of age on this parameter. ⋯ the ED50 for motor block in spinal plain ropivacaine decreases with advancing age, indicating that age has an influence on the potency of spinal ropivacaine.