[Occlusion of central venous port catheters after simultaneous 24 h infusions of 5-FU and calcium-folinic acid in patients with gastrointestinal cancer]. / Hohe Verschlussrate von zentralen Venenkathetersystemen durch Calcit-Präzipitate unter 24 h-Mischinfusion aus 5-Fluorouracil und Calciumfolinat bei Patienten mit gastrointestinalen Tumoren.

Folinic acid-modulated 5-FU regimens are standard elements in several chemotherapy combinations like FOLFIRI, FOLFOX or AIO-regimen in the palliative treatment of patients with gastrointestinal cancer. When the simultaneous mixed infusion of 5-FU and calcium-folinic acid (Leucovorin) was authorized by the BfArM in 2002, we introduced this application regimen in the treatment of our cancer patients. 19 patients (AIO-regimen [5], FOLFIRI [12] and FOLFOX [2]) received a simultaneously mixed infusion of calcium-folinic acid and 5-FU over 24 hours with a total of 110 applications. 5-FU doses varied between 2000 and 2600 mg/m2, calcium-folinic acid was given with 500 mg/m2, infusion rate was 10 ml/hour using a 24 h pump. Central venous catheters employed included single Barth-Port in 18 cases, 1 patient had a Viggon-Port. In 3 out of the 19 patients catheter occlusion was noticed after 8-10 weekly applications of the mixed infusion. Heparine and subsequently urokinase were not successful in reversing the obstruction. All three catheters had to be explanted. Catheter tips in all cases showed a yellow cristalline precipitation. The crystallographic analysis exhibited calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in its polymorphic form (calcite). Thus, we confirmed calcite formation causing catheter occlusion as a frequent complication during a continuous 24 h-infusion of mixed high dose 5-FU and calcium-folinic acid. This reaction could not be avoided by increasing infusion volume and the application flow rate. As a result of our findings, recommending using calcium-folinic acid mixed with 5-FU has been withdrawn in the meantime.

[Cystic degeneration of the adventitia of the popliteal artery: ultrasound angiography-aided puncture]. / Zystische Adventitiadegeneration der A. poplitea--Punktion mit Hilfe der Ultraschallangiographie.

A filiform stenosis of the popliteal artery was examined by sonography and the reason for the cystic lesion in the arterial wall was found to be an uncommon type of cystic degeneration of the adventitia. The narrow lumen could be demonstrated by sonography and the lesion was punctured under ultrasound control. A viscous secretion was removed and the patient's claudication was cured without recourse to surgery.

[Fatal Yersinia infection after intraoperative transfusion]. / Letale Yersiniensepsis nach intraoperativer Transfusion.

A 47-year old man was operated for a malignant tumour of the bladder. During cystectomia packed red cells had to be transfused. Minutes after the rapid transfusion the oxygen saturation dropped. In the following hours his circulation became unstable and the pulmonary function deteriorated. Signs of disseminated intravascular coagulation occurred, making more transfusions necessary. Inspite of all intensive-care efforts the patient died with a multiorgan failure caused by endotoxin shock 66 hours after having received the first transfusions. In the blood cultures of the patient and in the cultures of the first transfused unit of packed red cells Yersinia enterocolitica was isolated.

[Pneumonia in artificially ventilated patients: the significance of Gram preparation und bronchoscopic specimen collection methods in diagnosis and therapy]. / Pneumonie bei beatmeten Patienten: Bedeutung des Grampräparates und bronchoskopischer Materialgewinnungs-Methoden in der Diagnostik und Therapie.

The value of the Gram preparation of tracheal secretion compared to bacterial culture was checked in 48 patients with lower respiratory tract infections under mechanical ventilation with regard to antibiotic therapy. In 20 patients attention was also paid to the information value of a bronchial secretion obtained bronchoscopically using a brush. In 34 patients (71%) there was an exact agreement between the result of the Gram preparation and that of the culture. The antibiotic therapy initially administered on the basis of the Gram preparation from the tracheal secretion had to be corrected in 6 patients (12.5%) according to the culture and resistance results and in 6 patients (12.5%) because clinical improvement had not occurred after three days. Only 67% of the bacteria found in the tracheal secretion were isolated also with the bronchoscopic brush technique. The antibiotic therapy was not altered on the basis of the result obtained by bronchoscopy in any case. We conclude that for calculated antibiotic therapy Gram preparation has great significance. Bronchoscopic methods of obtaining material did not influence antibiotic therapy in bacterial pneumonia.

[Frequency of colonization and pneumonia and development of resistance in long-term ventilated intensive-care patients subjected to selective decontamination of the digestive tract]. / Kolonisations-, Pneumoniefrequenz und Resistenzentwicklung bei langzeitbeatmeten Intensivpatienten unter selektiver Dekontamination des Verdauungstraktes.

Colonization of the oropharynx with potentially pathogenic microorganisms (PPM) is a highly significant factor in the pathogenesis of bacterial pneumonia in intensive care patients. Via colonization of the oropharynx, bacteria pass into the tracheobronchial tree, where they can give rise to pneumonia after overcoming pulmonary resistance mechanisms. By a new, prophylactic antibiotic treatment schedule consisting in selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) with locally applied nonabsorbable antibiotics, Stoutenbeek achieved drastic lowering of the colonization and infection rate in trauma patients. In the present study, we wanted to check whether this new prophylactic antibiotic schedule can be applied on a surgical intensive care ward in all patients with long-term ventilation, irrespective of the diagnosis, and whether it affords advantages over a conventional antibiotic schedule. MATERIALS AND METHODS. All patients on a surgical intensive care ward in whom it was expected that mechanical ventilation would be necessary for more than 4 days were included in the study. During the first 6 months 83 patients were investigated, in whom antibiotics were only administered when the presence of infection had been confirmed, in accordance with generally accepted guidelines (control group). In the second 6-month period, 82 patients were selectively decontaminated with 4 x 100 mg polymyxin E, 4 x 80 mg tobramycin and 4 x 500 mg amphotericin B, administered through the gastric tube and in an antimicrobial paste in the oropharynx (SDD group). The SDD schedule entailed systemic administration of cefotaxime in the first 3-4 days. RESULTS. In the control group, enterobacteria/Pseudomonas spp. were isolated significantly more frequently than in the SDD group (P less than 0.001): in the pharyngeal smear in up to 53%, in the tracheal secretion up to 36%, and in the rectal smear in up to 93% of the patients In the SDD group in the 1 week the frequency of gram-negative aerobic bacteria in the pharynx decreased from 33% to 5%, in the tracheal secretion from 23% to 14% and in the rectum from 86% to 52% (24% in the second week). However, the decrease in gram-negative microorganisms was accompanied by significant increase in the frequency of Staphylococcus epidermidis and enterococci. The SDD schedule proved to be effective with regard to the rate of infection. In the control group, 35 patients developed pneumonia (42%) as against 5 patients receiving SDD prophylaxis (6%). The duration of mechanical ventilation in the patients with pneumonia was 5 days longer than in patients without pneumonia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)