[Recommendations for the use of polyhexanide-containing products for the treatment of wounds]. / Konsensus-Empfehlungen zum Einsatz polyhexanidhaltiger Produkte in der Behandlung von Wunden.

Polihexanide-containing wound products are often used for the treatment of acute and chronic wounds. Although information pertaining to the use of polihexanide can be found in the literature, the appropriate use of these products in clinical practice is not always clear. The goal of this short review is to provide clinically relevant recommendations to physicians and nurses treating patients with acute and chronic wounds. This review describes the clinically relevant characteristics of polihexanide and gives recommendations for the prophylaxis and treatment of wound infections.

Angular intensity correlations in the double passage of waves through a random phase screen.

The problem of light scattering in folded-path or double-passage configurations is studied theoretically. Assuming as the random medium a deep phase screen that introduces Gaussian-distributed phase fluctuations, we study the motion of the speckle as the source is moved. Some attention is also given to the phenomenon of backscattering enhancement. Our analysis is based on a novel expression for the complex amplitude that has a simple physical interpretation. For simplicity, only the one-dimensional case is considered, but an extension of the analysis to two-dimensional screens is not difficult.

Using the factorization properties of the moments of a complex Gaussian process, we are able to derive analytical expressions for the mean intensity and the intensity correlation of the backscattered radiation. We find that, in most cases, the speckle field decorrelates rapidly as one moves the angle of incidence and shifts toward the direction of specular reflection with a rate of motion that is different from that of the angle of incidence. We also find conditions under which, when the angle of incidence is modified, the speckle pattern produced in the region of observation tracks the backscattering direction.

Internally standardized determination of anipamil in human plasma by means of high-pressure liquid chromatography.

A high pressure liquid chromatographic method with internal analogue standardization for the determination of anipamil in plasma is described. The method comprises extraction from plasma diluted with citrate buffer pH 3 using n-heptane/isoamylalcohol (95/5, v/v), distribution between this organic phase and a methanol/citric acid mixture, and quantification by means of fluorescense detection after HPLC separation using a reverse phase. When using 1 ml plasma the lower limit of detection is 0.2 ng/ml. Under routine conditions the limit of determination is estimated at 1 ng/ml, with higher numbers of replicates and with a predetermined precision limit of 15% concentrations as low as 0.6 ng/ml can be determined reliably. The variation coefficients drop from about 10% in the low range to about 5% at 2 ng/ml or more. The determination of anipamil is not impaired by its N-nor-compound, which is to be expected as metabolite. Neither do other potential metabolites of anipamil with very similar chromatographic behaviour interfere with its quantification.

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of amezinium in human plasma.

A method with internal analogue standardization is described for the determination of 4-amino-6-methoxy-1-phenyl-pyridazinium methyl sulphate (ameziniummetilsulfate, Regulton, LU 1631) in plasma. The method involves a cation-exchange filtration, a dequaternization reaction and subsequent determination by high-performance liquid chromatography. There is no interference by plasma components or amezinium metabolites found in plasma extracts. When using a 2-ml sample the lower limit of detection is 0.75 ng/ml; the lower limit of determination is about 2 ng/ml. Interassay coefficients of variation decrease from about 14% at the lowest concentration to about 5% at 20 ng/ml and above.

Investigations on the pharmacokinetics of propafenone in man.

The pharmacokinetics of propafenone (Rytmonorm) was studied in 19 healthy volunteers. Propafenone was given intravenously (commercial ampoules of 70 mg) and orally in different doses (150, 300, 450 mg) and forms (solution, commercial film tablets). The results show a dose dependence of bioavailability and maximum plasma concentrations after oral application with over-proportionate increase at higher dose levels yielding bioavailabilities up to 40-50% with single applications of 450 mg. This is interpreted as saturability of a presystemic mechanism during invasion (most probably of the metabolizing enzyme systems of the liver). The mean rate constant of elimination after intravenous application is beta = 0.28 h-1 (95% confidence limits: 0.24-0.33 h-1) corresponding to a half-life of 2.5 h. There are no significant differences in these values after oral application and different dosages. The total plasma clearance of 1.0 1/min (95% confidence limits: 0.9-1.1 1/min) is almost exclusively metabolic. After 12 days of oral dosing (2 tablets of 150 mg propafenone daily) no statistically significant changes of kinetic parameters could be demonstrated although with some volunteers the total clearance decreased. It is considered that in some persons with relatively low clearance the plasma concentrations may reach levels at which a saturation of enzymatic reactions of metabolism may become relevant even after application of such low single doses as 150 mg.

[Social consequences of intertrochanteric osteotomy in osteoarthritis of the hip (author's transl)]. / Soziale Folgen der intertrochanteren Osteotomie bei Coxarthrose

Patients suffering from hip osteoarthritis mostly accompanied by long histories of pain, showed encouragingly positive attitudes towards their surgical intervention and hospitalisation, and were satisfied with the results of their operations. In the majority of cases post-surgical treatment was not intensive enough and lacked strict medical supervision. In some cases after-treatment was not administered at all. During medical treatment the patients had experienced the therapeutic value of living carefully, which resulted in the post-surgical use of walking aids and influenced the type of occupational activities and the use of leisure time and holidays. In most cases the rehabilitation phase after intertrochanteric osteotomy was no longer than expected. In comparison with the male, female patients generally had less chances of an optimal rehabilitation outcome owing to the household demands arising immediately after hospital discharge, far longer use of walking aids and less favourable transport situation. The author's optimistic expectations regarding rehabilitation results have not been fulfilled.