Anaesthesiologie und Reanimation
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As a result of more offensive therapeutic measures and the given abilities of modern medicine and the increasing number of geriatric patients who are characterized by multimorbidity, more perioperative complications, in particular those of cardiac origin, can be expected. As in any other medical discipline, the safety of anaesthesiological care of the patient very much depends on the individual professional qualification and competence of the physician. For the field of anaesthesiology it can be concluded that it is necessary to tackle the specific problems of this risk group in order to reduce the rate of complications to a minimum. ⋯ Three main symptoms--increasing oxygen uptake (as a product of pain or shivering), hypoventilation and hypoxaemia--should be avoided in the postoperative period. Therefore, respiratory insufficiency should be diagnosed without fail by respiratory monitoring. If required, artificial ventilation must be continued, with particular attention being given to circulatory effects during artificial ventilation and weaning from the ventilator.
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Anaesthesiol Reanim · Jan 1996
Case Reports[Successful resuscitation of a hypothermic patient with extracorporeal circulation--a case report].
A case of cardiopulmonary arrest due to accidental hypothermia and its successful therapy is described. A 46-year-old man with deep accidental hypothermia (25.3 degrees C esophageal) was found outside showing respiratory and cardiac arrest. Resuscitation was immediately started and continuously performed during the transport to the University Hospital of Rostock, where a treatment with extracorporeal circulation was possible. ⋯ After seven days of intensive therapy, he recovered completely and could be transferred from the intensive care unit to the department of psychiatry without neurological deficits showing only healing of frostbite of the feet. Based on this case report, the use of extracorporeal circulation for adequate rewarming in combination with cardiopulmonary resuscitation is described. Compared to other therapeutic measures such as peritoneal dialysis or veno-venous haemofiltration treatment with extracorporeal circulation is the method of choice.