T Hallmann | PubMed Health

PubMed1999

[Experiences with an Internet-based lecture script on animal obstetrics].

An internet based lecture script was developed on animal obstetrics to enhance the traditional lecture. The script summarizes the manuscript of the lecturer and contains additional information and reading materials. The script has approximately 600 pages and shows 400 slides, graphs and animations. Students' perception was surveyed by means of a questionnaire. 152 of 201 students (75.6%) in the 3rd and 5th year participated in the survey. Overall, the script was rated 1.9 on a 5-point scale (1 = excellent, 5 = poor). Our experiences with the internet based script were primarily positive. However, the curriculum of the veterinary education and technical prerequisites will effect the long-term success of such systems.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Reduction of the bacterial load by the silver-coated endotracheal tube (SCET), a laboratory investigation.

Microaspiration enabled by high-volume-low-pressure cuffed endotracheal tubes is the most likely explanation for ventilator-associated pneumonia. To decontaminate the secretion at the proximal end of the cuff we developed a silver-coated endotracheal tube (SCET). In an in vitro model we investigated the efficacy of SCET to lower the bacterial load of secretion and aspirate. We developed a continuously contaminated and mechanically ventilated oropharynx-larynx-lung model to investigate the reduction of the bacterial count by SCET compared to controls. The model was continuously contaminated via the oropharynx-larynx with Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853. During the investigation period of 50 hours the bacterial count of oropharynx-larynx and lung was measured as colony-forming-units/ml. In addition, the characteristic curve of silver ion release of SCET was determined. SCET significantly reduced the bacterial count in oropharynx-larynx at all timepoints (p < 0.05). In lung the bacterial count was significantly lower beginning with the 36th hour of recording (p < 0.05). A reduction of greater than 2 log was found from 28 hours on in oropharynx-larynx and from 50 hours on in lung. The release of silver ions was very rapid and was described by a mono-exponential function with a time-constant tau of about 60 minutes and a saturation concentration of 200 +/- 80 microg/l. SCET showed a significant inhibition of growth of P. aeruginosa in the continuously contaminated and mechanically ventilated oropharynx-larynx-lung model. SCET by thus might be helpful in reducing ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Bacterial Infections↗