A Comparison of Two Transport Monitor Systems With Regard to Efficiency and Staff Satisfaction in the Perioperative Setting.

BACKGROUND: Medical research aims to improve patient safety and efficiency in the perioperative setting. One critical aspect of patient safety is the intrahospital transfer of patients. Also, reliable monitoring of vital signs is crucial to support the medical staff. This study was conducted to assess two monitoring systems in terms of the handover time and staff satisfaction. METHODS: To assess several aspects, two monitoring systems were compared: an organizational unit-related monitoring system that needs to be changed and brought back to the initial organizational unit after the patient transfer and a patient-specific monitoring system that accompanies the patient during the whole perioperative process. RESULTS: In total, 243 patients were included, and 375 transfers were examined to analyze economic factors, including differences in handover times and user-friendliness. To this end, 30 employees of the Heidelberg University Hospital were asked about their satisfaction with the two monitoring systems based on a systematic questionnaire. It could be shown that, especially during transfers from the operating theater to the intensive care unit or the recovery room, the time from arrival to fully centralized monitoring and the total handover time were significantly shorter with the patient-specific monitoring system (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the staff was more satisfied with the patient-specific monitor system in terms of flexibility, cleanability and usability. CONCLUSION: The increased employee satisfaction and significant time benefits during intrahospital transports may increase patient safety and efficiency of patient care, reduce employee workload, and reduce costs in the overall context of patient care.

A 29-mRNA host-response classifier identifies bacterial infections following liver transplantation - a pilot study.

PURPOSE: Infections are common complications in patients following liver transplantation (LTX). The early diagnosis and prognosis of these infections is an unmet medical need even when using routine biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT). Therefore, new approaches are necessary. METHODS: In a prospective, observational pilot study, we monitored 30 consecutive patients daily between days 0 and 13 following LTX using the 29-mRNA host classifier IMX-BVN-3b that determine the likelihood of bacterial infections and viral infections. True infection status was determined using clinical adjudication. Results were compared to the accuracy of CRP and PCT for patients with and without bacterial infection due to clinical adjudication. RESULTS: Clinical adjudication confirmed bacterial infections in 10 and fungal infections in 2 patients. 20 patients stayed non-infected until day 13 post-LTX. IMX-BVN-3b bacterial scores were increased directly following LTX and decreased until day four in all patients. Bacterial IMX-BVN-3b scores detected bacterial infections in 9 out of 10 patients. PCT concentrations did not differ between patients with or without bacterial, whereas CRP was elevated in all patients with significantly higher levels in patients with bacterial infections. CONCLUSION: The 29-mRNA host classifier IMX-BVN-3b identified bacterial infections in post-LTX patients and did so earlier than routine biomarkers. While our pilot study holds promise future studies will determine whether these classifiers may help to identify post-LTX infections earlier and improve patient management. CLINICAL TRIAL NOTATION: German Clinical Trials Register: DRKS00023236, Registered 07 October 2020, https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00023236.

Pathophysiology of Trauma-Induced Coagulopathy.

Trauma-induced coagulopathy (TIC) is a complex hemostatic disturbance that can develop early after a major injury. There is no universally accepted definition of TIC. However, TIC primarily refers to the inability to achieve sufficient hemostasis in severely injured trauma patients, resulting in diffuse microvascular and life-threatening bleeding. Endogenous TIC is driven by the combination of hypovolemic shock and substantial tissue injury, resulting in endothelial damage, glycocalyx shedding, upregulated fibrinolysis, fibrinogen depletion, altered thrombin generation, and platelet dysfunction. Exogenous factors such as hypothermia, acidosis, hypokalemia, and dilution due to crystalloid and colloid fluid administration can further exacerbate TIC. Established TIC upon emergency room admission is a prognostic indicator and is strongly associated with poor outcomes. It has been shown that patients with TIC are prone to higher bleeding tendencies, increased requirements for allogeneic blood transfusion, higher complication rates such as multi-organ failure, and an almost fourfold increase in mortality. Thus, early recognition and individualized treatment of TIC is a cornerstone of initial trauma care. However, patients who survive the initial insult switch from hypocoagulability to hypercoagulability, also termed "late TIC," with a high risk of developing thromboembolic complications.

Comparison of Two Viscoelastic Testing Devices in a Parturient Population.

Background: Viscoelastic hemostatic assays (VHAs) have become an integral diagnostic tool in guiding hemostatic therapy, offering new opportunities in personalized hemostatic resuscitation. This study aims to assess the interchangeability of ClotPro® and ROTEM® delta in the unique context of parturient women. Methods: Blood samples from 217 parturient women were collected at three timepoints. A total of 631 data sets were eligible for our final analysis. The clotting times were analyzed via extrinsic and intrinsic assays, and the clot firmness parameters A5, A10, and MCF were analyzed via extrinsic, intrinsic, and fibrin polymerization assays. In parallel, the standard laboratory coagulation statuses were obtained. Device comparison was assessed using regression and Bland-Altman plots. The best cutoff calculations were used to determine the VHA values corresponding to the established standard laboratory cutoffs. Results: The clotting times in the extrinsic and intrinsic assays showed notable differences between the devices, while the extrinsic and intrinsic clot firmness results demonstrated interchangeability. The fibrinogen assays revealed higher values in ClotPro® compared to ROTEM®. An ROC analysis identified VHA parameters with high predictive values for coagulopathy exclusion and yet low specificity. Conclusions: In the obstetric setting, the ROTEM® and ClotPro® parameters demonstrate a significant variability. Device- and indication-specific transfusion algorithms are essential for the accurate interpretation of measurements and adequate hemostatic therapy.

Direct oral anticoagulants in trauma patients.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are increasingly prescribed for prevention of thromboembolic events. Thus, trauma care providers are facing a steadily raising number of injured patients on DOACs. RECENT FINDINGS: Despite a predictable pharmacokinetic profile, the resulting plasma levels of trauma patients upon admission and bleeding risks remain uncertain. Therefore, recent guidelines recommend the measurement of DOAC plasma concentrations in injured patients. Alternatively, DOAC specific visco-elastic tests assays can be applied to identify DOAC patients at bleeding risk.Bleeding complications in trauma patients on DOACs are generally higher compared to nonanticoagulated subjects, but comparable to vitamin K antagonists (VKAs). In particular, a traumatic brain injury does not carry an increased risk of intracranial bleeding due to a DOAK intake compared to VKAs. Current studies demonstrated that up to 14% of patients with a hip fracture are on DOACs prior to surgery. However, the majority can be operated safely within a 24h time window without an increased bleeding rate.Specific antagonists facilitate rapid reversal of patients on DOACs. Idarucizumab for dabigatran, and andexanet alfa for apixaban and rivaroxaban have been approved for life threatening bleeding. Alternatively, prothrombin complex concentrate can be used. Dialysis is a potential treatment option for dabigatran and haemoabsorption with special filters can be applied in patients on FXa-inhibitors. SUMMARY: Current guidelines recommend the measurement of DOAC plasma levels in trauma patients. Compared to VKAs, DOACs do not carry a higher bleeding risk. DOAC specific antagonists facilitate the individual bleeding management.

[Update on point-of-care-based coagulation treatment : Systems, reagents, device-specific treatment algorithms]. / Update der Point-of-care-basierten Gerinnungstherapie : Systeme, Reagenzien, gerätespezifische Behandlungsalgorithmen.

Viscoelastic test (VET) procedures suitable for point-of-care (POC) testing are in widespread clinical use. Due to the expanded range of available devices and in particular due to the development of new test approaches and methods, the authors believe that an update of the current treatment algorithms is necessary. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the currently available VET devices and the associated reagents. In addition, two treatment algorithms for the VET devices most commonly used in German-speaking countries are presented.

Point-of-care, goal-directed management of bleeding in trauma patients.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this review is to consider the clinical value of point-of-care (POC) testing in coagulopathic trauma patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and trauma-induced coagulopathy (TIC). RECENT FINDINGS: Patients suffering from severe TBI or TIC are at risk of developing pronounced haemostatic disorders. Standard coagulation tests (SCTs) are insufficient to reflect the complexity of these coagulopathies. Recent evidence has shown that viscoelastic tests (VETs) identify haemostatic disorders more rapidly and in more detail than SCTs. Moreover, VET results can guide coagulation therapy, allowing individualised treatment, which decreases transfusion requirements. However, the impact of VET on mortality remains uncertain. In contrast to VETs, the clinical impact of POC platelet function testing is still unproven. SUMMARY: POC SCTs are not able to characterise the complexity of trauma-associated coagulopathy. VETs provide a rapid estimation of underlying haemostatic disorders, thereby providing guidance for haemostatic therapy, which impacts allogenic blood transfusion requirements. The value of POC platelet function testing to identify platelet dysfunction and guide platelet transfusion is still uncertain.

Liver-Support Therapies in Critical Illness-A Comparative Analysis of Procedural Characteristics and Safety.

Extracorporeal liver-support therapies remain controversial in critically ill patients, as most studies have failed to show an improvement in outcomes. However, heterogeneous timing and inclusion criteria, an insufficient number of treatments, and the lack of a situation-dependent selection of available liver-support modalities may have contributed to negative study results. We retrospectively investigated the procedural characteristics and safety of the three liver-support therapies CytoSorb, Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System (MARS) and therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE). Whereas TPE had its strengths in a shorter treatment duration, in clearing larger molecules, affecting platelet numbers less, and improving systemic coagulation and hemodynamics, CytoSorb and MARS were associated with a superior reduction in particularly small protein-bound and water-soluble substances. The clearance magnitude was concentration-dependent for all three therapies, but additionally related to the molecular weight for CytoSorb and MARS therapy. Severe complications did not appear. In conclusion, a better characterization of disease-driving as well as beneficial molecules in critically ill patients with acute liver dysfunction is crucial to improve the use of liver-support therapy in critically ill patients. TPE may be beneficial in patients at high risk for bleeding complications and impaired liver synthesis and hemodynamics, while CytoSorb and MARS may be considered for patients in whom the elimination of smaller toxic compounds is a primary objective.

Evaluation of the Novel Sepsis Biomarker Host-Derived Delta-like Canonical Notch Ligand 1-A Secondary Analysis of 405 Patients Suffering from Inflammatory or Infectious Diseases.

Sepsis is defined as organ failure caused by dysregulated host response to infection. While early antibiotic treatment in patients with acute infection is essential, treating non-infectious patients must be avoided. Current guidelines recommend procalcitonin (PCT) to guide discontinuation of antibiotic treatment. For initiation of therapy, there is currently no recommended biomarker. In this study, we evaluated Host-Derived Delta-like Canonical Notch Ligand 1 (DLL1), a monocyte membrane ligand that has shown promising results in differentiating infectious from non-infectious critically ill patients. Soluble DLL1 levels were measured in plasma samples of six different cohorts. The six cohorts comprise two cohorts with non-infectious inflammatory auto-immune diseases (Hidradenitis Suppurativa, Inflammatory Bowel Disease), one cohort of bacterial skin infection, and three cohorts of suspected systemic infection or sepsis. In total, soluble DLL1 plasma levels of 405 patients were analyzed. Patients were divided into three groups: inflammatory disease, infection, and sepsis (defined according to the Sepsis-3 definition), followed by the evaluation of its diagnostic performance via Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristics (AUROC) analyses. Patients of the sepsis group showed significantly elevated plasma DLL1 levels compared to patients with uncomplicated infections and sterile inflammation. However, patients with infections had significantly higher DLL1 levels than patients with inflammatory diseases. Diagnostic performance was evaluated and showed better performance for DLL1 for the recognition of sepsis (AUC: 0.823; CI 0.731-0.914) than C-reactive protein (AUC 0.758; CI 0.658-0.857), PCT (AUC 0.593; CI 0.474-0.711) and White Blood Cell count (AUC 0.577; CI 0.46-0.694). DLL1 demonstrated promising results for diagnosing sepsis and was able to differentiate sepsis from other infectious and inflammatory diseases.

[Central anticholinergic, neuroleptic malignant and serotonin syndromes]. / Zentrales anticholinerges, malignes neuroleptisches und Serotoninsyndrom: Wichtige Differenzialdiagnosen bei postoperativen Bewusstseinsstörungen.

Impaired consciousness is a frequent phenomenon after general anesthesia. In addition to the classical causes (e.g., overhang of sedatives), an impairment of consciousness can also be an adverse side effect of drugs. Many drugs used in anesthesia can trigger these symptoms. Alkaloids, such as atropine can trigger a central anticholinergic syndrome, opioids can promote the occurrence of serotonin syndrome and the administration of a neuroleptic can lead to neuroleptic malignant syndrome. These three syndromes are difficult to diagnose due to the individually very heterogeneous symptoms. Mutual symptoms, such as impaired consciousness, tachycardia, hypertension and fever further complicate the differentiation between the syndromes; however, more individual symptoms, such as sweating, muscle tension or bowl sounds can be helpful in distinguishing these syndromes. The time from the trigger event can also help to differentiate the syndromes. The central anticholinergic syndrome is the fastest to appear, usually taking just a few of hours from trigger to clinical signs, serotonin syndrome takes several hours up to 1 day to show and neuroleptic malignant syndrome usually takes days. The clinical symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening. Generally, mild cases are treated with discontinuation of the trigger and extended observation. More severe cases can require specific antidotes. The specific treatment recommended for central anticholinergic syndrome is physostigmine with an initial dose of 2 mg (0.04 mg/kg body weight, BW) administered over 5 min. For serotonin syndrome an initial dose of 12 mg cyproheptadine followed by 2 mg every 2 h is recommended (maximum 32 mg/day or 0.5 mg/kgBW day-1) but this medication is only available in Germany as an oral formulation. For neuroleptic malignant syndrome 25-120 mg dantrolene (1-2.5 mg/kgBW maximum 10 mg/kgBW day-1) is the recommended treatment.

[Central anticholinergic, neuroleptic malignant and serotonin syndromes : Important differential diagnoses in postoperative impairment of consciousness]. / Zentrales anticholinerges, malignes neuroleptisches und Serotoninsyndrom : Wichtige Differenzialdiagnosen bei postoperativen Bewusstseinsstörungen.

Impaired consciousness is a frequent phenomenon after general anesthesia. In addition to the classical causes (e.g., overhang of sedatives), an impairment of consciousness can also be an adverse side effect of drugs. Many drugs used in anesthesia can trigger these symptoms. Alkaloids, such as atropine can trigger a central anticholinergic syndrome, opioids can promote the occurrence of serotonin syndrome and the administration of a neuroleptic can lead to neuroleptic malignant syndrome. These three syndromes are difficult to diagnose due to the individually very heterogeneous symptoms. Mutual symptoms, such as impaired consciousness, tachycardia, hypertension and fever further complicate the differentiation between the syndromes; however, more individual symptoms, such as sweating, muscle tension or bowl sounds can be helpful in distinguishing these syndromes. The time from the trigger event can also help to differentiate the syndromes. The central anticholinergic syndrome is the fastest to appear, usually taking just a few of hours from trigger to clinical signs, serotonin syndrome takes several hours up to 1 day to show and neuroleptic malignant syndrome usually takes days. The clinical symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening. Generally, mild cases are treated with discontinuation of the trigger and extended observation. More severe cases can require specific antidotes. The specific treatment recommended for central anticholinergic syndrome is physostigmine with an initial dose of 2 mg (0.04 mg/kg body weight, BW) administered over 5 min. For serotonin syndrome an initial dose of 12 mg cyproheptadine followed by 2 mg every 2 h is recommended (maximum 32 mg/day or 0.5 mg/kgBW day-1) but this medication is only available in Germany as an oral formulation. For neuroleptic malignant syndrome 25-120 mg dantrolene (1-2.5 mg/kgBW maximum 10 mg/kgBW day-1) is the recommended treatment.

Case report: Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion after iatrogenic injury of the common iliac artery during neurosurgical dorsal lumbar microdiscectomy.

Introduction and importance: This case report describes resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion (REBOA) of the aorta in a patient with life-threatening iatrogenic bleeding of the right common iliac artery during elective dorsal lumbar spine surgery. REBOA is an emergency procedure for temporary intra-aortic balloon occlusion being increasingly reported and published since its inauguration in 1954. The interdisciplinary management of hemorrhage and technical notes for a successful REBOA procedure will be presented. Case presentation: A 53-year-old female patient was admitted to the neurosurgery clinic suffering from left-sided L5 radiculopathy. During surgery, the anterior longitudinal ligament was perforated and an arterial vessel was lacerated. The patient became hemodynamically unstable demanding prompt supine repositioning and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). REBOA enabled cardiovascular stabilization after 90 min of CPR and laparotomy with vascular reconstruction and contributed to the survival of the patient without major clinical deficits. The patient was discharged from the ICU after 7 days. Clinical discussion: Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta is an emergency procedure to control life-threatening hemorrhage. REBOA should be available on-scene and applied by well-trained vascular surgery personnel to control vascular complications or extend to emergency laparotomy and thoracotomy with aortic cross-clamping in case of in-hospital non-controllable hemorrhages. In case of ongoing CPR, we recommend surgical groin incision, open puncture of the pulseless common femoral artery, and aortic balloon inflation in REBOA zone I. Hereby, fast access and CPR optimization for heart and brain perfusion are maintained. Conclusion: Training for REBOA is the decisive factor to control selected cases of in-house and outpatient massive arterial abdominal bleeding complications.

Pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation in infant and children with chronic diseases: A simple approach?

Infants and children with complex chronic diseases have lifelong, life-threatening conditions and for many, early death is an unavoidable outcome of their disease process. But not all chronic diseases in children are fatal when treated well. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is more common in children with chronic diseases than in healthy children. Resuscitation of infants and children presents significant challenges to physicians and healthcare providers. Primarily, these situations occur only rarely and are therefore not only medically demanding but also associated with emotional stress. In case of resuscitation in infants and children with chronic diseases these challenges become much more complex. The worldwide valid Pediatric Advanced Life Support Guidelines do not give clear recommendations how to deal with periarrest situations in chronically ill infants and children. For relevant life-limiting illnesses, a "do not resuscitate" order should be discussed early, taking into account medical, ethical, and emotional considerations. The decision to terminate resuscitative efforts in cardiopulmonary arrest in infants and children with chronic illnesses such as severe lung disease, heart disease, or even incurable cancer is complex and controversial among physicians and parents. Judging the "outcome" of resuscitation as a "good" outcome becomes complex because for some, life extension itself and for others, quality of life is a goal. Physicians often decide that a healthy child is more likely to have a reversible condition and thereby have a better outcome than a child with multiple comorbidities and chronic health care needs. Major challenges in resuscitation infants and children are that clinicians need to individualize resuscitation strategies in light of each chronic disease, anatomy and physiology. This review aims to highlight terms of resuscitation infants and children with complex chronic diseases, considering resuscitation-related factors, parent-related factors, patient-related factors, and physician-related factors.

[Principles of the perioperative management of direct oral anticoagulants]. / Grundlagen des perioperativen Umgangs mit direkten oralen Antikoagulanzien.

Within the approved indications direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) are increasingly gaining acceptance instead of vitamin K antagonists (VKA). In the last 12 months 5 guidelines relevant to the perioperative management of DOACs have been updated. This article summarizes the current recommendations for the perioperative management of treatment with DOACs. The available substances and their pharmacological properties as well as the possibilities for specific laboratory diagnostics of the effect of DOAC are explained. Special focus is placed on anesthesiologically important aspects of substance-specific preoperative and postoperative intermission intervals, the procedure for neuraxial regional anesthesia and antagonization with specific antidotes in cases of life-threatening bleeding.

Non-Invasive Ventilation as a Therapy Option for Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Acute Cardiopulmonary Oedema in Emergency Medical Services.

In this observational prospective multicenter study conducted between October 2016 and October 2018, we tested the hypothesis that the use of prehospital non-invasive ventilation (phNIV) to treat patients with acute respiratory insufficiency (ARI) caused by severe acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) and acute cardiopulmonary oedema (ACPE) is effective, time-efficient and safe. The data were collected at four different physician response units and three admitting hospitals in a German EMS system. Patients with respiratory failure due to acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute cardiopulmonary oedema were enrolled. A total of 545 patients were eligible for the final analysis. Patients were treated with oxygen supplementation, non-invasive ventilation or invasive mechanical ventilation. The primary outcomes were defined as changes in the clinical parameters and the in-hospital course. The secondary outcomes included time efficiency, peri-interventional complications, treatment failure rate, and side-effects. Oxygenation under phNIV improved equally to endotracheal intubation (ETI), and more effectively in comparison to standard oxygen therapy (SOT) (paO2 SOT vs. non-invasive ventilation (NIV) vs. ETI: 82 mmHg vs. 125 mmHg vs. 135 mmHg, p-value SOT vs. NIV < 0.0001). In a matched subgroup analysis phNIV was accompanied by a reduced time of mechanical ventilation (phNIV: 1.8 d vs. ETI: 4.2 d) and a shortened length of stay at the intensive care unit (3.4 d vs. 5.8 d). The data support the hypothesis that the treatment of severe AECOPD/ACPE-induced ARI using prehospital NIV is effective, time efficient and safe. Compared to ETI, a matched comparison supports the hypothesis that prehospital implementation of NIV may provide benefits for an in-hospital course.

The impact of acquired coagulation factor XIII deficiency in traumatic bleeding and wound healing.

Factor XIII (FXIII) is a protein involved in blood clot stabilisation which also plays an important role in processes including trauma, wound healing, tissue repair, pregnancy, and even bone metabolism. Following surgery, low FXIII levels have been observed in patients with peri-operative blood loss and FXIII administration in those patients was associated with reduced blood transfusions. Furthermore, in patients with low FXIII levels, FXIII supplementation reduced the incidence of post-operative complications including disturbed wound healing. Increasing awareness of potentially low FXIII levels in specific patient populations could help identify patients with acquired FXIII deficiency; although opinions and protocols vary, a cut-off for FXIII activity of ~ 60-70% may be appropriate to diagnose acquired FXIII deficiency and guide supplementation. This narrative review discusses altered FXIII levels in trauma, surgery and wound healing, diagnostic approaches to detect FXIII deficiency and clinical guidance for the treatment of acquired FXIII deficiency.

Hyperspectral imaging for perioperative monitoring of microcirculatory tissue oxygenation and tissue water content in pancreatic surgery - an observational clinical pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) could provide extended haemodynamic monitoring of perioperative tissue oxygenation and tissue water content to visualize effects of haemodynamic therapy and surgical trauma. The objective of this study was to assess the capacity of HSI to monitor skin microcirculation and possible relations to perioperative organ dysfunction in patients undergoing pancreatic surgery. METHODS: The hyperspectral imaging TIVITA® Tissue System was used to evaluate superficial tissue oxygenation (StO2), deeper layer tissue oxygenation (near-infrared perfusion index (NPI)), haemoglobin distribution (tissue haemoglobin index (THI)) and tissue water content (tissue water index (TWI)) in 25 patients undergoing pancreatic surgery. HSI parameters were measured before induction of anaesthesia (t1), after induction of anaesthesia (t2), postoperatively before anaesthesia emergence (t3), 6 h after emergence of anaesthesia (t4) and three times daily (08:00, 14:00, 20:00 ± 1 h) at the palm and the fingertips until the second postoperative day (t5-t10). Primary outcome was the correlation of HSI with perioperative organ dysfunction assessed with the perioperative change of SOFA score. RESULTS: Two hundred and fifty HSI measurements were performed in 25 patients. Anaesthetic induction led to a significant increase of tissue oxygenation parameters StO2 and NPI (t1-t2). StO2 and NPI decreased significantly from t2 until the end of surgery (t3). THI of the palm showed a strong correlation with haemoglobin levels preoperatively (t2: r = 0.83, p < 0.001) and 6 h postoperatively (t4: r = 0.71, p = 0.001) but not before anaesthesia emergence (t3: r = 0.35, p = 0.10). TWI of the palm and the fingertip rose significantly between pre- and postoperative measurements (t2-t3). Higher blood loss, syndecan level and duration of surgery were associated with a higher increase of TWI. The perioperative change of HSI parameters (∆t1-t3) did not correlate with the perioperative change of the SOFA score. CONCLUSION: This is the first study using HSI skin measurements to visualize tissue oxygenation and tissue water content in patients undergoing pancreatic surgery. HSI was able to measure short-term changes of tissue oxygenation during anaesthetic induction and pre- to postoperatively. TWI indicated a perioperative increase of tissue water content. Perioperative use of HSI could be a useful extension of haemodynamic monitoring to assess the microcirculatory response during haemodynamic therapy and major surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: German Clinical Trial Register, DRKS00017313 on 5 June 2019.

Hyperspectral Imaging for the Evaluation of Microcirculatory Tissue Oxygenation and Perfusion Quality in Haemorrhagic Shock: A Porcine Study.

BACKGROUND: The ultimate goal of haemodynamic therapy is to improve microcirculatory tissue and organ perfusion. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) has the potential to enable noninvasive microcirculatory monitoring at bedside. METHODS: HSI (Tivita® Tissue System) measurements of tissue oxygenation, haemoglobin, and water content in the skin (ear) and kidney were evaluated in a double-hit porcine model of major abdominal surgery and haemorrhagic shock. Animals of the control group (n = 7) did not receive any resuscitation regime. The interventional groups were treated exclusively with either crystalloid (n = 8) or continuous norepinephrine infusion (n = 7). RESULTS: Haemorrhagic shock led to a drop in tissue oxygenation parameters in all groups. These correlated with established indirect markers of tissue oxygenation. Fluid therapy restored tissue oxygenation parameters. Skin and kidney measurements correlated well. High dose norepinephrine therapy deteriorated tissue oxygenation. Tissue water content increased both in the skin and the kidney in response to fluid therapy. CONCLUSIONS: HSI detected dynamic changes in tissue oxygenation and perfusion quality during shock and was able to indicate resuscitation effectivity. The observed correlation between HSI skin and kidney measurements may offer an estimation of organ oxygenation impairment from skin monitoring. HSI microcirculatory monitoring could open up new opportunities for the guidance of haemodynamic management.

Sepsis and the Human Microbiome. Just Another Kind of Organ Failure? A Review.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has been further optimised during the last years and has given us new insights into the human microbiome. The 16S rDNA sequencing, especially, is a cheap, fast, and reliable method that can reveal significantly more microorganisms compared to culture-based diagnostics. It might be a useful method for patients suffering from severe sepsis and at risk of organ failure because early detection and differentiation between healthy and harmful microorganisms are essential for effective therapy. In particular, the gut and lung microbiome in critically ill patients have been probed by NGS. For this review, an iterative approach was used. Current data suggest that an altered microbiome with a decreased alpha-diversity compared to healthy individuals could negatively influence the individual patient's outcome. In the future, NGS may not only contribute to the diagnosis of complications. Patients at risk could also be identified before surgery or even during their stay in an intensive care unit. Unfortunately, there is still a lack of knowledge to make precise statements about what constitutes a healthy microbiome, which patients exactly have an increased perioperative risk, and what could be a possible therapy to strengthen the microbiome. This work is an iterative review that presents the current state of knowledge in this field.

The Association of Gut Microbiota and Complications in Gastrointestinal-Cancer Therapies.

The therapy of gastrointestinal carcinomas includes surgery, chemo- or immunotherapy, and radiation with diverse complications such as surgical-site infection and enteritis. In recent years, the microbiome's influence on different diseases and complications has been studied in more detail using methods such as next-generation sequencing. Due to the relatively simple collectivisation, the gut microbiome is the best-studied so far. While certain bacteria are sometimes associated with one particular complication, it is often just the loss of alpha diversity linked together. Among others, a strong influence of Fusobacterium nucleatum on the effectiveness of chemotherapies is demonstrated. External factors such as diet or specific medications can also predispose to dysbiosis and lead to complications. In addition, there are attempts to treat developed dysbiosis, such as faecal microbiota transplant or probiotics. In the future, the underlying microbiome should be investigated in more detail for a better understanding of the precipitating factors of a complication with specific therapeutic options.