Advances of cardiovascular engineering prompt one to consider innovative device technology - that is, the development of new replacement heart valves or engineering of a totally implantable energy source for an artificial heart. However, these kinds of advances have often proved unable to achieve a long-lasting benefit as the cardiovascular field has matured so fast. Cardiovascular engineering has matured to the point where a major innovation must not only function, but must continuously function better than existing devices. This is difficult to accomplish in the complex cardiovasculature system, in which energy source, biocompatibility, compliance, and functionality all must be considered. The maturation of the field is evident from the fact that many engineered prosthetic systems perform well - for example, heart valves function for long periods of time, large-vessel vascular grafts are quite adequate, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation has significantly prolonged the feasible length of heart bypass and other surgical operations, and total artificial hearts can be used as a bridge to transplant without serious complications, yet none of these systems is as good as the natural ones it replaces. The reasons for this are many and incompletely understood. The next stage of progress must be better to alterations understandings of the various components of vasculature and their response by our devices, be they at the micro- or macro-circulatory levels, in the blood, or associated with the vascular wall.

This book is based on the proceedings of a conference held in Tubingen, West Germany, in 1981, at which anesthesiologists, neuro surgeons, pathologists and neurophysiologists met to consider the place of controlled hypotension in neurosurgery. In the first part of the book alternative methods of inducing hypotension are considered, and it is important to emphasize that the techniques which are suitable for neurosurgery may not be so for other types of surgery, and vice versa. In neurosurgery, and par ticularly in aneurysm surgery, the emphasis is on lowering intra luminal pressure and not mainly on reducing blood flow or limiting tissue oozing. Another special consideration in neurosurgery is the influence of drugs used to induce hypotension on intracranial pressure, with nitroprusside (NTP), and especially nitroglycerine, increasing ICP in the closed skull and increasing brain "bulk" when the skull is open. These and other points are extensively covered. The use of a non-essential technique like controlled hypotension demands that the procedure should carry minimal risk to the patient. Contributions in part IV consider the neuropathology associated with too severe a lowering of oxygen supply through hypotension. In the clinical avoidance of such ischemic changes in individual patients, monitoring of the brain electrical function is much the most import ant and practical approach and is discussed in part III. The Editors hope that the publication of these contributions to the Tubingen Symposium will help in the effective and safe appli cation of the technique of controlled hypotension in neurosurgery."

The 14th volume in the series will focus on cutting edge research at the interface of hypoxia and exercise. The work will cover the range from molecular mechanisms of muscle fatigue and muscle wasting to whole body exercise on the world 's highest mountains. State of the art papers on training at high altitude for low altitude athletic performance will also be featured.

Increased intra abdominal pressure as used in laparoscopic surgery produces various changes in the human organism. This book provides surgeons and anesthesiologists with a complete overview on these changes and the consequences for the patient in the perioperative and postoperative period. Special emphasis is laid on the management of pneumoperitoneum related complications.

Until recently, endocrinology and critical care medicine were two specialties in medicine that were rather uncomfortable with each other and hence quite i- lated. Fortunately, these two 'alien' disciplines have joined forces in successful attempts to perform high quality research in order to clarify the unknown. By integrating endocrinology in critical care medicine, or vice-versa depending on the specialty of the observer, new experimental and clinical data on the complex endocrine and metabolic derangements accompanying non-endocrine severe i- nesses came available which generated important novel insights with relevant clinical implications. In addition, the state of the art diagnosis and management of primary endocrine diseases that represent life-threatening situations leading to ICU admission has been updated. This issue of Contemporary Endocrinology aims at compiling the new ?ndings. The book indeed covers both areas of 'Acute Endocrinology' that are often taking care of at very distant sites within hospitals. The ?rst part deals with the classical life-threatening illnesses caused by primary endocrine diseases such as thyrotoxicosis, hypothyroidism, acute adrenal crisis, acute calcium disorders, pheochromocytoma, severe hyper- and hypoglycemia . The second part looks at endocrinology from the ICU side, starting with a g- eral overview of the dynamic neuroendocrine and metabolic stress responses in the condition of intensive care-dependent, non-endocrine critical illness.

Ischemic brain damage represents a major source of morbidity and mortality in westernized society and poses a significant financial burden on the health care system. To date, few effective therapies have been realized. Recent evidence, however, suggests that channels, pumps, and ionic exchangers are involved in CNS ischemia and ischemic stroke, but the potential contribution of these channels for curing stroke is far less understood than for many other normal and pathological conditions. New Strategies in Stroke Intervention: Ionic Channels, Pumps, and Transporters, analyzes the roles played by targets in stroke development and the potential action of drugs modulating these proteins. This book provides a groundbreaking review of these ionic channels, pumps, and transporters as regulators of neuronal ionic homeostasis, providing a better understanding of ischemic brain disorders and the new pharmacological avenues for a cure.

This book fills the void to provide a comprehensive review of the theoretical knowledge and scope of opioid pharmacotherapy in pain medicine. While the information provided is obtainable in other major texts already in print, the present format style plus the illustrations will make easy reading and fast accessibility of information on opioids available. Information provided is based on clinical practice rather than pure experimental for use in daily practice.

Sepsis is still the leading cause of death in surgical and general intensive care units. Although our knowledge of this complex syndrome has increased in recent years, it is still far from com- plete. New therapeutic approaches have been developed. Some did not fullfill the high expectations for their use in clinical prac- tice; others are still under clinical evaluation. is the aim of this monograph to offer basic information on the It etiology, definition, pathophysiology, prevention and therapy of sepsis and septic shock to both the clinician and the scientist. We believe that it presents an extensive overview that may help the clinician to better understand and treat sepsis and septic shock. We also hope that this work will give some directions for future research both in the clinical field as well as the laboratory. Jena, Berlin, Jerusalem, K.Reinhart February 1994 K.Eyrich C.Sprung TableofContents I.Definition/Prognosis Sepsis and Septic Shock: Update on Definitions (Jo-L.Vincent) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ******** 3 Clinical Manifestations and Prognostic Indicators in Sepsis (R.C.Bone) ...0 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 16 What Determines Prognosis in Sepsis? Evidence for a Comprehensive Individual Patient Risk Assessment Approach to the Design and Analysis of Clinical Trials (W.A.Knaus, D.P.Wagner, F.E.Harrell, Jr.

In preparation for the quadrennial international IPRAS conference, leading plastic surgeons worldwide have been asked by the International Confederation for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery to contribute their most up-to-date findings, research results, and experiences in their area of expertise. The book is structured according to the major fields of plastic surgery, and the reader is thus offered insight into the most significant contributions to the international community, as well as into new developments, tricks, and refinements in the field.

This book is about visions and pioneers in the field share their innovations with the reader.

Innovations in Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery will not only give plastic surgeons up-to-date knowledge of new developments, but will inspire with its innovations, many of which have not been published before."

Geriatric anesthesia is a rapidly growing and evolving field. The last few years have seen significant advancements in and important new modalities for addressing the needs of an aging population. The editors of Geriatric Anesthesiology's second edition are uniquely situated to put together a text highlighting both essential knowledge and recent breakthroughs of importance to any who work with the elderly. For the second edition, the editors have introduced a streamlined chapter format and have assembled a selection of chapters intended to deepen the understanding of anesthesic management of the geriatric patient.

Your awareness of uncommon diseases and possible complications is vital to successful anesthetic patient management. Anesthesia and Uncommon Diseases, 6th Edition, brings you up to date with new information on less commonly seen diseases and conditions, including the latest evidence and management guidelines. This unique medical reference book is essential for a complete understanding of today's best options and potential difficulties in anesthesia. Improve your ability to successfully manage every patient, including those with rare diseases or conditions. Avoid complications with unique coverage of an important aspect of anesthetic management. Access the complete contents and illustrations online at www.expertconsult.com - fully searchable! Stay current with all-new chapters on adult congenital heart disease, rheumatic diseases, and the cancer patient, plus many more revisions throughout. Get outstanding visual guidance with hundreds of illustrations, now in full color. Understand uncommon diseases to avoid anesthetic complications!

After a long period of neglect, the gastrointestinal tract is increasingly being recog nized as an important target of anesthetics and anesthesia-related processes, as well as of conditions and treatments related to peri- and postoperative period and inten sive care. Drugs used in anesthesia and intensive care and physiological or pathologi cal changes in the perioperative period affect the digestive system in its function from the pharynx to the colon. Prolonged postoperative ileus or stasis of propulsive peri stalsis in the critically ill or multiply injured patient may impair enteral nutrition and give rise to complications such as sepsis or multiple organ failure. In view of this new understanding of the clinical relevance of gut function, we felt that a book on problems of the gastrointestinal tract in anesthesia, the perioperative period, and intensive care was badly needed. The present volume is the product of an international symposium which brought together physiologists, pharmacologists, experimental and clinical anesthetists, gastroenterologists, surgeons, and intensive care physicians to discuss all major contemporary aspects of bowel function in health and under the influence of anesthesia, surgery, and intensive care."

In January 1980, the First Symposium on the Measurement of Tis sue Oxygen Pressure in Patients was held in Frankfurt. After a 4-year "rest period," the organizers of the 1984 symposium, Profes sor R. Huch of Zurich and Dr. J. Hauss of Munster, together with myself, extended another invitation to come to Frankfurt to find out what had gone on in the field of oxygen pressure measurement and its application in clinical medicine. As the following presentations will show, the application of oxygen pressure measurements has been broadened considerably. Furthermore, technological advances have been made, particularly with the increased use of computers. For various reasons, including technical ones, these methods have not been adapted as widely as one would want. Although con gresses on tissue oxygen pressure have been held in the last few years, the clinical aspect of tissue P0 measurement has not been 2 dealt with in such a concentrated and comprehensive way since 1980. It therefore seemed necessary to hold such a symposium, not only for scientific reasons, but also to enable a larger group of clini cians to gain insight into the importance of the possibilities these methods offer."

The peerless authority you trust...the portability you need! This practical handbook covers all of the most critical, clinically relevant topics from Stoelting's Anesthesia and Coexisting Disease, 5th Edition in a format suitable for a quick-reference guide you can carry in your coat pocket. The new edition presents the results of the latest clinical trials to help you make the most effective clinical decisions, while new illustrations aid in clarifying complex concepts. You'll have convenient access to dependable guidance on a full range of pre-existing conditions that may impact the perioperative management of surgical patients. Find the information you need easily with abundant tables throughout, a quick-reference outline format, and the same organization as Stoelting's Anesthesia and Co-Existing Disease. Confidently meet the needs of special patient populations such as pediatric and geriatric patients. Quickly access new guidelines on hot topics such as management of the morbidly obese patient. Make effective clinical decisions with access to current practice guidelines and results of the latest clinical trials.

Are you looking for the essentials you need to learn the basics of echography for anesthesiology, intensive care and emergency medicine? This is what this book offers you! These few pages condense the essential knowledge to make getting started with echography in emergency situations easier. Ultrasounds are presented in great detail in order to facilitate and optimize the medical diagnosis process. As a doctor, you will first be placed in front of the machine in order to take the pictures that will serve to answer the questions asked. Just as the author did, you will realize that, when facing the patient with the machine, the best echographic examination is worth nothing without a good clinical examination. As a "beginner's guide", this book also offers self-training procedure that lays the foundations of the "FAST" learning method. This FAST Program of Echography allows you to learn the process by watching, feeling and talking. This training course is based on an ancient methodology that centers on the learning of a manual gesture: 'practice makes perfect'. This book will show you that you can quickly master this Program of Echography, and will in turn increase your self-confidence when taking care of your patients. Have a nice trip through the fascinating world of ultrasounds!

by E.K. ZSIGMOND, M.D. Department of Anesthesiology University of Illinois Chicago U.S.A. It is, indeed, a distinct honor and privilege to be invited by the authors to write a preface to this monumental monograph, Regional Opioid Analgesia. Regional Opioid Analgesia is a colossal undertaking by Drs. De Castro, Meynadier and Zenz shortly after the introduction of this revolutionary approach to pain relief which opened a new epoch in analgesiology. This is, indeed, the first authentic and comprehensive textbook encompassing the current knowl edge on this novel approach to pain relief. We are indebted to the authors for introducing the new opioids to regional analgesia with the scientists, who de veloped the potent short and ultrashort acting opioids with high therapeutic indices, which many researchers dreamt about but never before materialized. The side effect liabilities of these new opioids are minute as compared to morphine and meperidine. Regional Opioid Analgesia could not have been more authentically written than by Drs. De Castro, Zenz and Meynadier, who have conducted daily clinical investigations on all known opioids for regional analgesia as well as for neurolept analgesia. Therein lies the great value of this monograph: it is the most authentic work on this topic."

Thoracic anaesthesia is regarded as a post fellowship sub-speciality within anaesthesia, and can be daunting. This handbook provides an easily accessible, informative, and palatable guide to this often complex subject. The text is sub-divided into basic sciences, pre-operative assessment, diagnostic procedures, and an anaesthetist's walk-through of key thoracic surgical procedures. It concludes with an emergency section covering thoracic anaesthesia emergencies, critical care, and the thoracic surgical patient, and ends with essential guidance on the relevant practical procedures necessary to manage cases. The text provides an essential reference for the core curriculum of the Fellowship of the Royal College of Anaesthetists and for the day-to-day practice of post fellowship anaesthetists alike. The discussions of the surgical procedures are simple, highlighting the poignant stages that can affect the anaesthetic management of the patient. The authors use the very latest evidence in order to keep the reader up to speed with developments in the field. Whether on-call, running day-to-day lists or working within critical care, this indispensable guidebook will optimise the preparedness of all staff in dealing with any case, whether simple or complex.

Monitoring of Cerebral and Spinal Haemodynamics During Neurosurgery is a comprehensive description of subdural monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP) during neurosurgery. It offers thorough analysis of a comprehensive database consisting of measurements of ICP, cerebral perfusion pressure and other relevant physiological data from more than 1,800 patients subjected to intracranial surgery at Aarhus University Hospital. Features of anaesthesia, both inhalation and total intravenous, are discussed, and measures to reduce ICP are described. A majority of the patients had supratentorial tumours, but the database also includes patients with infratentorial tumours and patients with no intracranial space-occupying lesions. A chapter is reserved for discussion of the special features of children with cerebral tumours.

A comprehensive 2006 volume on the theories and applications of evidence-based anaesthesia and critical care. Coming from the internationally renowned Cochrane Collaboration - the global force in evidence-based medicine - this promises to be an authoritative guide for anaesthetists. The Cochrane Anaesthesia Review Group is one of the largest in the collaboration and, as coordinators of the group, the editors of this book have gathered a formidable set of contributions from around the world. The first half of the book provides an introduction to evidence-based medicine and applies the principles to anaesthesia and critical care, including critical appraisal, meta-analysis, interpreting results and controlling bias. The second half shows how to practise this in preoperative evaluation, regional and general anaesthesia, postoperative pain therapy, critical care and acute medicine. Medical professionals working in anaesthesia and surrounding specialties worldwide will find this book immensely useful.

This text covers new innovations and concepts in pediatric thoracic surgery practice, basic science and evidence, and the technical aspects of common and rare operative procedures.

It is essential for pediatric surgical trainees and consultants with interest in pediatric thoracic surgery. Providing comprehensive coverage of newer developments, it is also a useful reference work for pediatric and thoracic surgeons and a valuable guide for surgeons (adult or pediatric) managing pediatric thoracic surgery on occasional basis or only during acute emergency.Covering the subjects within pediatric thoracic surgery (non-cardiac) in significant depth, this book acts as a reference text for consultants undertaking pediatric thoracic work as well as for pediatric respiratory, anesthetists and fetal medicine doctors. Topics within this book will also be of interest to pediatric respiratory physicians and pediatric oncologists.

The ability to interface patient monitors directly to a computer, and generate a clinical record has existed for over 20 years. However, the acceptance of comprehensive electronic medical records in anesthesia has been slow to develop. Experts anticipate this reluctance is changing because of enhanced patient care through the use of detailed health information record systems. Anesthesia Informatics provides the health informatician and administrator with a comprehensive overview of this blossoming technology. With contributions from leaders in the field, this user-friendly guide addresses how this technology has enhanced both the need for and the ability to collect and apply data in an acute care setting. It also offers invaluable insight on the business implications and the rationales required to make a purchase decision. Each section outlines need to know information to help the reader with the implementation and utilization of an Anesthesia Information Management System. Useful case scenarios focus on the ideal components (anesthesia record, business rationale, communication, collaboration, and training) of a fully automated record-keeping system.

This book opens with a unique historical review of natural amputations due to congenital absence, disease, frostbite, animal trauma, and to punishment and ritual. The advent of surgical amputation and its difficulties form a major part of the book, summarising the evolution of the control of haemorrhage and infection, pain relief, techniques, instrumentation, complications, prostheses, results and case histories. Alternative procedures, increasingly important in the last two centuries, are also debated.

Sepsis is a very important public health problem. It is widely acknowledged that the severe inflammatory response syndrome/severe sepsis paradigm fails to stratify sepsis patients adequately. This book reviews in detail how sepsis should be managed on the basis of a novel approach to staging. The PIRO (predisposing factors, infection, response, organ dysfunction) model was first proposed at the start of the decade on a theoretical basis and has now been translated into a practical approach for use at the bedside. It is loosely based on the TNM staging system for cancers, with points being allocated to each of the four aforementioned key characteristics of the septic process. The proposed PIRO framework facilitates evaluation of factors that are important in the pathogenesis of severe sepsis and in the development of treatment strategies. This book clearly explains the advantages of the PIRO approach in different settings and will be of value to all practitioners concerned with the management of sepsis.

Physicians, nurses, and safety experts comprehensively review sedation and analgesia to provide a completely new reference guide to safe sedation practices consistent with existing guidelines. Starting with an integrated review of the basic physiology and neurobiology of the sedated state, the authors proceed through clinical guidelines and practices, and conclude with an examination of quality-outcome measures and processes. They also review current mandates for safe sedation practices and address the key clinical issues of pharmacology, monitoring, and recovery. Special tables and figures throughout the book summarize protocols, regulatory requirements, recommended dosages, monitoring requirements, and quality assurance tools.

88 short papers originating from the 12th International Symposium on Intracranial Pressure and Brain Monitoring held in August 2004 in Hong Kong present experimental as well as clinical research data on invasive and non-invasive intracranial pressure and brain biochemistry monitoring. The papers have undergone a peer-reviewing and are organized in nine sections: ICP management in head injury, neurochemical monitoring, intracranial hypertension, neuroimaging, hydrocephalus, clinical trails, experimental studies, brain compliance and biophysics.