[Paintings of an intensive care: "Lived or not lived, survived nevertheless at the end"].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to E Ladner.
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Sufficient therapy of pain is essential for the treatment of tumor patients. World Health Organisation (WHO)-guidelines recommend a combination of opioids with non-opioid-analgesics (NOA) for patients with medium to strong pain. Cancer pain is often a combination of pain caused by the tumor itself, tumor associated and pain caused by therapy. Various substances act by different mechanisms and therefore combinations may demonstrate superior effects. Opioids ("central analgesics") inhibit neuronal transduction within the spinal cord, enhance inhibiting function of midbrain nuclei on ascending pain transduction and influence pain perception via modulation of the limbic system. NOAs ("peripheral analgesics") inhibit cyclooxygenase hindering activation of the peripheral nociceptor-system. There are 2 different classes of NOAs: 1) non-acidic, antipyretic analgesics like pyrazolones (metamizol) and anilin-derivates (paracetamol) and 2) non-steroidal antirheumatics (NSAR) like salicylates (acetylsalicylic acid), derivates of propionic acid (ibuprofen, naproxen), acetate acid (indomethacin, diclofenac), enolic acid (piroxicam, meloxicam) and anthranil acid (mefenamin). Adjuvant therapy is necessary to control common NSAR-side-effects like dyspepsia, ulcer and gastrointestinal bleeding. Due to its exceptional analgesic, antipyretic and spasmolytic properties, metamizol is an essential substance in tumor therapy. As agranulocytosis-incidence of 1:1,000,000 is low, good gastrointestinal and renal tolerance makes metamizol an excellent alternative to NSAR. There is scientific evidence that adequate combinations of non-opioids, opioids and adjuvant drugs, considering adverse side effects, were effective and safe in the treatment of cancer pain.
BACKGROUND: The study aimed to assess the relative influence of anaesthesia and muscle relaxation on intubating conditions and the haemodynamic and catecholamine responses to tracheal intubation. METHODS: Sixty ASA 1 or 2 patients were randomly assigned to one of four groups (15 patients each) that differed in the depth of anaesthesia (thiopentone plus fentanyl 2.5 microg x kg(-1) or thiopentone alone) and the degree of vecuronium-induced neuromuscular block (100% or > or =65%) at intubation. Muscle relaxation was measured at 0.1 Hz by means of mechanomyography. Heart rate (HR) and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) were measured before and after induction of anaesthesia, and 1 min and 5 min following intubation, while adrenaline (A) and noradrenaline concentrations (NA) were determined from arterial blood samples. RESULTS: Intubating conditions were improved primarily by providing complete muscle relaxation at the adductor pollicis muscle (P<0.001) and to a lesser extent by adding fentanyl to thiopentone (P=0.04). The response of HR and MAP to tracheal intubation was attenuated mainly by fentanyl (P<0.001). Complete muscle relaxation further diminished the response of MAP to intubation (P=0.03). Changes in A and NA were dependent on the depth of anaesthesia only (P < or =0.01). CONCLUSION: The results of the study demonstrate that the sympathoadrenal response to intubation is attenuated by adding fentanyl (2.5 X kg[-1]) to an induction regimen with thiopentone, whereas provision of complete muscle relaxation at the adductor pollicis muscle is necessary to attain smooth intubating conditions.
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Eighty percent of hemophiliacs exposed to plasma products are seropositive to hepatitis B and an even higher percentage are seropositive to hepatitis C. Post-transfusion hepatitis is followed by cirrhosis in up to 25% of the cases. In the wake of portal hypertension, the development of oesophageal varices entails the risk of life-threatening hemorrhage. We report on a patient with moderate hemophilia A (factor VIII:C 4-11%) who suffered from massive hematemesis, melaena and evolving shock after excessive alcohol ingestion. The diagnosis of Mallory-Weiss syndrome and the differential diagnosis of bleeding oesophageal varices as well as prognostic consequences are discussed.
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A 45-year-old, healthy, well-trained man climbed within 12 hours from 300 m above sea level to a shelter at 2500 m in the Tyrolean Alps. During the following 3 days he undertook ski tours to the surrounding mountains up to 3356 m. On the 4th day he suddenly suffered from headache, coughing and very severe dyspnoea even at rest, accompanied by loss of appetite and the feeling of suffocation. The following day he was rescued by a helicopter and taken to hospital. At the time of admission the patient was severely hypoxaemic (capillary PO2 = 25.7 mmHg), and the chest X-ray revealed signs of bilateral alveolar pulmonary edema localised predominantly in the right lung. High-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) was diagnosed because of the typical clinical course. Pulmonary gas exchange normalised within hours, and complete restitution was achieved within 2 days. The chest X-ray was normal on the 4th day after admission. HAPE is a non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema which develops in healthy individuals usually above 3000 m. Among the predisposing factors are rapid ascent, severe physical effort, diminished hypoxic ventilatory response and abnormal fluid balance. The treatment of choice is descent to a lower altitude, administration of oxygen and of nifedipine and expiratory positive airway pressure.
Data of 26 patients suffering from severe pancreatitis, who were treated at the anesthesiologic intensive care unit during the years 1991 and 1992, were evaluated with respect to etiologic factors, especially hypertriglyceridemia, stage of the disease and clinical outcome. Hypertriglyceridemia was found in 13 cases (11 men, 2 women, mean age 42 +/- 9 years) with values between 330 mg/dl and 4000 mg/dl. Lipid electrophoresis revealed a pattern typical for type IV hyperlipidemia. Insulin dependent diabetes was present in 4 patients and 5 reported about an unusual high alcohol intake preceding pancreatitis. Beside surgical approaches, including drainage and lavage, and basic intensive care treatment plasmapheresis was performed in 8 patients with hypertriglyceridemia. 5 patients with pancreatitis and hypertriglyceridemia died out of multiorganic failure, and so the mortality rate was 38%. The group of patients with pancreatitis caused by cholelithiasis or chronic alcohol consumption showed a mortality rate of 46%. The poor outcome of pancreatitis associated with hypertriglyceridemia demonstrates the importance of the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia in order to prevent the development of pancreatitis. The determination of plasma triglyceride values should belong to the routine diagnostic procedures in acute pancreatitis.
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