[Monitoring of respiratory failure in polytraumatized patients with pulmonary contusion (author's transl)]. / Quantifizierung und Verlaufsbeobachtung der respiratorischen Insuffizienz bei polytraumatisierten Patienten mit Lungenkontusion.

In polytraumatized patients, pulmonary contusion complicated by pneumonia is associated with a high risk of fatality. The effects of both contusion and bacterial infection on pulmonary function can be estimated early by measuring the parameters PAPd-PCWP, pulmonary shunt volume and maximal PaO2 following FiO2 = 1.0 for 20 min.

[Haemochron--a simple method of monitoring heparin level during extracorporeal circulation]. / Hämochron - einfache Methode zur Kontrolle des Heparinspiegels während des extracorporalen Kreislaufes.

Tow forms of heparin management during cardiopulmonary bypass were compared in order to analyze the role of the heparin level in relation to postoperative blood loss. The study was divided in three groups: In group I, the control group, 3 mg/kg body weight heparin was given as an initial dose and maintained at a dose of 1.0 mg/kg every 60 min during cardiopulmonary bypass; group II received the same initial dose, but additional doses were based upon the activated clotting time measured with a Haemochron; in group III, the Haemochron time was measured at 10-min intervals to establish a base value. In group II we found a significant decrease in postoperative blood loss as well as a decrease in the amount of heparin administered during cardiopulmonary bypass. In addition, fewer transfusions were required in the immediately postoperative period. In group III, wide variations in the activated clotting time curve were observed. No patients was underheparinized, but some had markedly prolonged Haemochron times.

[Postoperative mortality and its etiology (author's transl)]. / Postoperative Todesfälle und ihre Ursachen

Over a ten year period of time from 1.3. 1962 to 31.12. 1972 at the Dept. of Surgery, University of Heidelberg 104927 patients were admitted to the hospital, 77950 operative procedures were carried out and 4217 patients died post operatively. The etiology of death as related to age distribution, disease and time of postop. death are discussed. The lethality causes are demonstrated by the classification of Petren. Autopsy examination reveals cardiac and/or circulatory failure to be the main cause of death (26,4%), followed by malignant tumors (12,7%), pneumonia (12,6%), cerebral causes (10,2%) and peritonitis (9,5%). Possible consequences of the distribution are being discussed.