[Automatic disinfection of fiberendoscopes (author's transl)]. / Automatische Desinfektion von Fiberendoskopen.

Bacteremia following endoscopy of the gastrointestinal tract in patients with impaired resistance even fatal septicemia has been reported. Transmission of pathogenic bacterias via endoscopes has been described. We could demonstrate a considerable high number of gramnegative bacteria obtained from biopsy channel of fiberendoscopes after conventionell cleaning of the instruments. In seven different endoscopy units we found high bacterial contamination of all 22 fiberendoscopes. Pseudomonas aeruginosa in concentrations up to 4 X 10(6)/ml was cultivated on the instruments including cleaning utilities (flasks etc., Table 1). The new apparatus we demonstrate here has the advantage of cleaning and disinfecting the endoscopes. One or two endoscopes are placed into a U-shaped pipe which is interconnected with a pumping system. In this automatic apparatus a disinfectant which recycles through all channels is used (Fig. 1). We investigated solutions of 2% glutardialdehyde, of 5% succindialdehyde respectively 1% peracetic acid. Disinfection of instruments was effective. No bacteria could be detected in material obtained from biopsy channels, HBsAg also could not be detected on the instruments after this procedure. The use of dialdehyde is recommended.

[Ischemic bowel disease (author's transl)]. / Durchblutungsstörungen des Gastrointestinaltraktes.

Geriatric patients are preferentially involved in ischemic bowel disease. The sudden occlusion of the large mesenteric arteries (a. mesenterica superior (more frequently) and inferior) is followed by intestinal gangrene and peritonitis with a poor prognosis and a high letality (greater than 90%). In chronic intestinal ischemia the leading clinical symptom is postprandial pain ('claudicatio intestinalis'). In some cases of acute mesenteric artery occlusion no embolus or thrombus will be found. In these cases the circulation in the arteriosclerotic vessels falls below a critical value due to cardiac insufficiency, shock, digitalis overdose and others. In less severe ischemia the mucosa is involved being most sensitive to O2 deprivation. It usually regenerates within a few days. This form is found more frequently in the colon than in other parts of the gut (about 40%): ischemic colitis. The therapy - if possible in acute, fulminant ischemia or if necessary in chronic intestinal ischemia - is surgical consisting in reconstructive procedures of the mesenteric circulation.

[Behavior of gastrin, renin, aldosterone and electrolytes after administration of deglycyrrhizinized liquorice and carbenoxolone in healthy subjects]. / Das Verhalten von Gastrin, Renin, Aldosteron und Elektrolyten nach deglycyrrhiziniertem Succus liquiritiae und Carbenoxolon bei Gesunden.

We found that renin and aldosterone values do not drop except when administering Carbenoxolone. The significant rise of sodium (11) in the serum and the drop of the serum-potassium values are probably responsible for the undesirable Carbenoxolone side effects; they occur following the administration of deglycyrrhizinized succus. The rise of post-prandial gastrin in the serum of the above as compared to the values obtained from untreated controls is common to both.