[Hypertonic-hyperoncotic volume replacement (7.5% NaCl/10% hydroxyethyl starch 200.000/0.5) in patients with coronary artery stenoses]. / Hyperton-hyperonkotischer Volumenersatz (7.5% NaCl/10% Hydroxyethylstärke 200.000/0.5) bei Patienten mit Koronararterienstenosen.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy and safety of intravascular volume augmentation with a hypertonic saline-hyperoncotic HES solution prior to CABG. DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind, clinical trial. PATIENTS: Consecutive sample of 37 patients scheduled for elective CABG; mean age 64.5 (41-80; range) years and weight 74 (51-111) kg. INTERVENTIONS: Continuous, central-venous infusion of either 250 ml (approx. 3.5 ml/kg) HES (0.9% NaCl/10% hydroxyethyl starch 200.000/0.5) or HT-HES (7.5% NaCl/10% hydroxyethyl starch 200.000/0.5) in 15 minutes, following induction of anesthesia. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Groups were similar with respect to age, weight, and sex. 15 min. after fluid loading, cardiac index, pulmonary artery pressure, and wedge pressure had increased from baseline in both groups (p < 0.05), with a greater increase in the HT-HES-group (p < 0.05). In eight out of 18 patients, who had received HT-HES, transient drops in arterial blood pressure (mean 20% from baseline, range 10-35%) were observed during the first 5 minutes of infusion. Seven of the HT-HES-group patients developed transient left ventricular failure, predominantly 5-20 min. after infusion. No incidence of initial hypotension or LVF was observed in the HES-group. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with coronary artery disease, volume augmentation with hypertonic-hyperoncotic solutions may induce transient hypotension and post-infusion hypervolemic left heart failure.

Thoracoscopic treatment of recurrent pneumothorax by pleurabrushing and argon beam coagulation.

There is no consensus in treating relapsing pneumothorax and pleural effusion. Various types of treatment exist. While open chest surgery with mechanical pleurodesis or pleurectomy is effective, with a recurrence rate close to zero, for patients in poor conditions this treatment may be disadvantageous because of its invasiveness. Therefore minimally invasive techniques using antibiotics, fibrin glue, talcum, kaolin, blood and silver nitrate have been described. Several side effects accompany these agents, and the recurrence rate is between 5-39%. New video-assisted thoracoscopic techniques have enabled surgeons to combine the effectiveness of pleurectomy with minimal invasiveness. Results using these techniques are encouraging. As with open pleurectomy, bleeding complications have been reported, Further disadvantages have to be considered, such as the effect of destroying the parietal layer of the pleura, which may complicate subsequent operations in the thoracic cavity. A technique for avoiding this pleural injury, while maintaining the same efficiency as open pleural abrasion and coagulation is described below.

[Artificial respiration in the prone position in a case of acute respiratory distress syndrome]. / Beatmung in Bauchlage beim akuten Lungenversagen.

A patient is presented in whom an acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) developed after severe lung contusion. Exchange of gas was markedly restricted under aggressive respiration (FiO2 = 1.0, PEEP = 10 mmHg, breathing time quotient = 0.5, respiratory minute volume = 16 litres; gas exchange values: PaO2 = 67 mmHg, PaCO2 = 45 mmHg, PA-aO2 = 461 mmHg). After control of the computed tomogram of the lungs showed marked densifications in those parts of the lung that are lower most by gravitation according to the positioning of the patient at a particular time the patient was ventilated in ventricumbent (prone) position for 60 hours. After having remained in this position for 48 hours, there was a significant improvement in the gas exchange (PaO2 = 89 mmHg, PaCO2 = 36 mmHg, PA-aO2 = 77 mmHg at FiO2 = 0.3, PEEP = 6 mmHg, breathing time quotient = 0.5 and respiratory minute volume = 9 litres). The control CT in dorsal position showed that the dorsal densifications had disappeared completely. Five days later the patient could be extubated. Respiration in ventricumbent (prone) position may considerably improve oxygenation by perfusion of well-ventilated regions of the lung that are lower-most by gravitation according to the relative positioning of the patient. Besides regions not well ventilated or not ventilated at all (according to the patient's position) may be better ventilated or re-opened and made accessible to ventilation by this method.

Effect of selective flora suppression on colonization, infection, and mortality in critically ill patients: a one-year, prospective consecutive study.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of enterally administered polymyxin E, tobramycin, and amphotericin B (selective flora suppression) on bacterial colonization, infection, resistance, and mortality rate. DESIGN: Prospective, consecutive crossover controlled study. SETTING: Two surgical ICUs in a university hospital; ICU I with ten beds, ICU II with eight beds. PATIENTS: Two hundred patients entered the 1-yr trial. Fifty of 111 patients received selective flora suppression during the first 6 months in ICU I (test group), while 61 of 111 patients served as the control group in the following 6 months. In ICU II, 49 of 89 patients received no selective flora suppression in the first 6 months (control group), followed by 40 of 89 patients receiving selective flora suppression during the second 6-month period (test group). INTERVENTIONS: The test group got a mixture of nonabsorbable antibiotics (paste and suspension) in the digestive tract. The control group received paste and suspension without antimicrobial agents. All 200 patients received cefotaxime during the first 4 days. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: With the use of selective flora suppression, colonization with aerobic Gram-negative bacilli was significantly (p less than .01) reduced. There was also a significant reduction in nosocomial bronchopulmonary (ICU I and II; p less than .001) and urinary tract (ICU II; p less than .001) infections. The difference in mortality was not significant. There was no development of resistance against the antibiotics used during the limited period evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: Selective flora suppression is effective in reducing secondary colonization by aerobic Gram-negative bacilli. Reduction of bronchopulmonary and urinary tract infections most likely occurs with colonization prevention.

Infection surveillance and selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) in critically ill patients--results of a controlled study.

All ICU patients were continuously monitored for infections according to a standard protocol by the physician in charge and an infection control nurse during the first quarter of five consecutive years (1980-1984). The number of patients surveyed was 1,009. The average age was 45.5 years and the average period of stay about four days. 733 patients (72.6%) were intubated and artificially ventilated for three days. A fatal outcome resulted in 13.2% of all patients, 1,129 nosocomial infections were registered in 331 patients, which means an infection rate of 32.8%. The most frequent nosocomial infections were those of the respiratory tract (24.3%). Wound infections developed in 16.6%. The urinary tract was affected in 8.8%. Nosocomial septicaemias were observed in 8.7%. Catheter-associated infections were found in 6.7% of the patients. A fatal outcome resulted in 26% of the patients with nosocomial infections and in 6.9% of the non-infected patients, respectively. There was no significant reduction in nosocomial infections over the five-year period in our ICU. Therefore, a study was designed to evaluate the concept of selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) in critically ill patients in our two surgical/traumatological ICUs. A prospective, consecutive, placebo-controlled study in two ICUs was carried out during four six-month periods. 200 patients who were intubated for at least three days, required intensive care for a minimum of five days, and belonged to either class III or IV according to the "Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System" were included in the study. They received either placebo or a prophylaxis regimen, consisting of polymyxin E, tobramycin and amphotericin B.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Selective flora suppression for control of infection in surgical intensive care medicine]. / Selektive Florasuppression zur Infektionskontrolle in der operativen Intensivmedizin.

The question to be answered in this study was: Is prophylactic selective florasuppression advantageous compared to conventional antibiotic policy as far as microbial colonisation, infection, mortality and development of resistance are concerned? A prospective, consecutive, placebo-controlled study in two ICU's was carried out during four 6-months periods. 200 patients who were intubated for at least 3 days, required intensive care for a minimum of 5 days, and belonged to either class III or IV according to the "Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System" were included in the study. They received either placebo or the prophylaxis regimen described by Stoutenbeek et al., consisting of polymyxin E, tobramycin and amphotericin B. Oropharyngeal, tracheobronchial and rectal colonisation with aerobic gram-negative bacilli markedly decreased in the test groups. The rates of nosocomial bronchopulmonary infections (ICU I and II) and urinary tract infections (ICU II) were significantly reduced. There was no significant reduction in wound infection, septicaemia and mortality rates. No development of resistance and no increase of multi-resistant strains occurred. Selective florasuppression is effective in reducing infection rates in critically ill patients without development of resistant strains.

[Invasive pulmonary monitoring in acute necrotizing pancreatitis. A decision aid for indications for surgery?]. / Invasives Pulmonalis-Monitoring bei der akuten nekrotisierenden Pankreatitis. Eine Entscheidungshilfe für die Indikation zur Operation?

From January 1986 to September 1988 16 patients with necrotizing forms of acute pancreatitis underwent invasive pulmonary monitoring at the Departments of General Surgery and Anesthesiology of Münster University Hospitals. Six patients had Stage II and ten Stage III disease according to the Mainz Clinical Classification for acute pancreatitis. Mortality was 37.5% in the reported series. Acute pancreatitis is characterized in cardiopulmonary terms by elevated levels for Cardiac Output (CO), Cardiac Index (CI) and Intrapulmonary Shunting (vAdmix), whereas Systemic Vascular Resistance (SVR) is significantly reduced. A decrease of SVR of more than 200 dyn s cm-5 may be an early indicator for a septic period, and, therefore, warrant operation.

[Rectal methohexital--anesthesia induction of choice in children?]. / Methohexital rektal--die Narkoseeinleitung der Wahl bei Kindern?

Rectal application of methohexital for induction of anaesthesia takes into consideration the child's psychological state. However, quite a lot of side effects may occur that are not dependent on age or body weight but on dosage. A clinical study with 66 children from nine months to seven years of age was performed to find out the most adequate dose of methohexital for rectal application. Three groups of children were given, 20, 25 and 30 mg methohexital/kg BW, respectively. Results obtained suggest 25 mg methohexital/kg BW to be the most adequate dose. Failure of induction was seen in 6%. Side effects like respiratory depression, excitation and unexpectedly high plasma levels of methohexital should be considered possible. Methohexital plasma levels of more than 22 micrograms/ml were obtained. Correlation between the effect and side effects of methohexital on the one hand, and maximal plasma levels on the other, were not seen. Since rectal application of methohexital in fact means induction of anaesthesia it should be given only in the presence of an anaesthesiologist and adequate anaesthesia equipment.