Der Anaesthesist
-
In 2003 an article on the future of prehospital emergency medicine in Germany was published in the journal Der Anaesthesist. Emergency medicine in Germany, which at that time was almost exclusively defined as prehospital emergency rescue, has evolved and now in-hospital domains have increasingly moved into the focus. At that time, the primary goal was to connect prehospital management with a smooth transition to hospital admission and further care in the hospital and to further optimize the rescue chain from the actual emergency through to causative treatment. ⋯ Which aspects could be developed further and become firmly established, what is still open and which questions in preclinical and clinical emergency treatment of the population will occupy us in the coming 15 years? With a critical eye to the past, the present contribution aims to capture the essential and new topics and open questions and provide a fresh perspective for the future of emergency medicine. Regulation at the state level or even lower levels of government often stand in contrast to more sweeping and economically effective approaches at the federal level. Prehospital emergency medicine in Germany is on the whole well-positioned with respect to facilities and personnel; however, as far as the economic situation and the utilization of available systems are concerned, there is still substantial room for improvement.
-
Sepsis is commonly associated with loss of microvascular endothelial barrier function (capillary leak) and dysfunctional microcirculation, which both promote organ failure. The development of a distinct therapy of impaired endothelial barrier function and disturbed microcirculation is highly relevant because both of these phenomena constitute crucial processes which critically influence the prognosis of patients. ⋯ Furthermore, promising data in animal models show that therapeutic modulation of endothelial barrier function and microcirculation can be achieved by stabilizing endothelial cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate) levels followed by activation of Rho-GTPase Rac1, e. g. by phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors. This review summarizes and discusses recent findings of cellular mechanisms and in vivo trials.
-
Elderly patients increasingly need to undergo surgery under anesthesia, especially following trauma. A timely interdisciplinary approach to the perioperative management of these patients is decisive for the long-term outcome. Orthogeriatric co-management, which includes geriatricians and anesthesiologists from an early stage, is of great benefit for geriatric patients. ⋯ If necessary additional investigations, such as echocardiography must be carried out, in order to guarantee optimal perioperative anesthesiological management. Certain medical factors can delay the initiation of anesthesia and it is absolutely necessary that these are taken into consideration for surgical management. Not every form of anesthesia is equally suitable for every geriatric patient.
-
Preclinical pediatric emergencies are rare events and are therefore often associated with stress and uncertainty for emergency medical service personnel. To ensure adequate treatment of pediatric patients a variety of different cognitive aids exist (e.g. books, apps, rulers, weight-adapted bag systems). Especially the size specifications of the medical equipment and the dosage of emergency medication are individually very different in children and are dependent on parameters, such as body height and weight. ⋯ These aids may help to avoid the wrong medication dose or the wrong therapy of children but uncritical and untrained usage of these aids carries a potential risk of mistakes. This recommendation gives an overview of the general requirements and different problems of cognitive aids and should help improve the general framework and the rational basis for the use and further development of cognitive aids in emergency medicine.