[Preserving vision in the elderly: a survey to start a quality development program in general practice]. / Erhaltung des Sehvermögens im Alter: Eine Patienten- und Hausarztbefragung zur Einleitung eines Qualitätsentwicklungsprojektes in der Hausarztpraxis.

The study examined the rate of patients, who do not follow recommendations for routine screening, do not visit physicians for eye-symptoms and when suffering from diabetes or glaucoma do not adhere to follow-up. To what extent can primary care physicians impact on these deficits of ophthalmologic care? 4918 consecutive, > or = 40 old patients of 107 primary care physicians of 9 networks participated. Of these patients 15% had never, 43% not within the last 3 years, consulted an ophthalmologist. 16% were diabetics, 7% had glaucoma and 46% had observed subjective eye symptoms. A quarter of these patients turn to their primary care physician, when having eye problems. Primary care physicians do not frequently suggest routine ophthalmologic controls nor do they use diagnostic tools like the Amsler-grid or the Swinging-Flash-Light Test.

Quantitation using GC-TOF-MS: example of bromazepam.

Time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) offers new perspectives for forensic toxicology. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of a mixture of three selected benzodiazepines (diazepam, nordazepam and bromazepam) were used to compare gas chromatography (GC-TOF-MS, quadrupole GC-MS, GC-ECD) and liquid chromatography (HPLC-DAD) data. Method validation parameters like LOD, LOQ, S/N-ratios reflect the capabilities of GC-TOF-MS. Five-point calibrations for bromazepam in human peripheral blood (50, 100, 160, 200, 300 ng/ml) using medazepam as internal standard (1000 ng/ml) were performed. The calibrations using GC-TOF-MS (using the fragments of m/z 236 and 288), GC-ECD (dual system) and HPLC-DAD (at 235 nm) all showed correlation coefficients close or superior to 0.99. Quadrupole GC-MS data was not used in the comparison of extracted samples due to the low sensitivity in the full scan mode. Two analyses of real cases concerning bromazepam are presented. In the first case, the presence or absence of bromazepam could not be established with both HPLC-DAD and GC-ECD due to background signals. The extracted ion chromatograms and spectrum traces after the analysis with the GC-TOF-MS could clearly excluded the presence of bromazepam. The second case illustrates the quantitation of bromazepam, where both HPLC-DAD and GC-ECD were unable to give satisfactory results, again due to interfering background signals. The analyses performed on the GC-TOF-MS-system demonstrated high sensitivity and also high selectivity due to the high quality of mass spectra obtained. The advantages of GC-TOF-MS make it a promising analytical technique for forensic toxicology.

[Results following sub-capital and Imhäuser-Weber osteotomy in femur head epiphyseolysis]. / Ergebnisse nach subkapitaler und Imhäuser-Weber Osteotomie bei Epiphyseolysis capitis femoris.

63 slipped capital femoral epiphysis were treated either by a femoral neck osteotomy or by an intertrochanteric osteotomy. In almost all cases a normal anatomical relationship of the proximal capital femoral epiphysis to the neck of the femur was achieved. At an average follow-up of 10 years (2 to 19 years) 90% were rated good to excellent clinically. In 33 hips with a follow-up period of more than 10 years mild degenerative arthritis was present in 36%. Slipping of 60 degrees or less is best treated by an intertrochanteric osteotomy to avoid the higher complication rate in the femoral neck osteotomy.

[Prevention of infection in elective orthopedic interventions with special reference to alloplastic joint replacement]. / Infektprophylaxe bei orthopädischen Wahleingriffen mit besonderer Berücksichtigung des alloplastischen Gelenkersatzes.

Based on a study of 105 patients and a comprehensive literature review we recommend a prophylactic regimen for orthopaedic procedures which is easily adaptable to the needs of individual clinics. The regimen is especially designed for joint replacements and includes basically the following four points: 1. parenteral prophylaxis with cefazolin 1 g every 6 hours for 24 hours; the first dose is given between 10 and 30 minutes before surgery (for knee-replacement the initial dose is 2 g); 2. use of bone cement impregnated with antibiotics, e.g. Palacos-Gentamycin-cement; 3. when possible the operation should be performed in a theater equipped with "ultra-clean-air" laminar air-flow and the surgeon should wear "whole-body-exhaust" suits or suits made of "Fabric 450"; 4. antibiotic selection as outlined in points one and two must be adjusted over time based on ongoing monitoring of antimicrobial resistance in the individual clinic.

[The risk of hemorrhaging in the prevention of thromboembolism in general surgery: comparison of low-dose heparin and heparin-dihydergot 2500]. / Das Blutungsrisiko der Thromboembolie-Prophylaxe in der Allgemeinchirurgie: Vergleich von low-dose-Heparin mit Heparin-Dihydergot 2500.

In a prospective randomized double-blind study, the risk of heparin-induced intra- or postoperative hemorrhage in prophylaxis of thromboembolism was studied. 500 general surgical patients were divided into 2 groups; group A receiving a reduced portion of heparin (2 X 2500 IU) in combination with 0.5 mg dihydroergotamine (DHE) was compared to group B with conventional low dose heparin regimen (2 X 5000 IU) with regard to postoperative wound hematomas and reoperation for hematoma. After prophylaxis with heparin dihydroergotamine 2500 wound hematoma and reoperation for hematoma are shown to be reduced in a significant way (p = 0.03).