[After the crisis is before the crisis: Coping-strategies for public health emergency situations on different levels--experiences of the German E. coli outbreak 2011]. / Nach der Krise ist vor der Krise. Allgemeine Strategien für die erfolgreiche Bewältigung medizinischer Krisensituationen basierend auf den Erfahrungen des EHEC-Ausbruchs 2011.

The German E. coli crisis in 2011 posed multifaceted challenges to the actors of the German health care system. This paper analyzes the outbreak from a multidisciplinary perspective. It offers best practices and general recommendations for future public health emergencies for hospitals as well as at the federal and local level, addressing medical practitioners as well as health care managers.

The influence of clinical course after lung transplantation on rehabilitation success.

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a cornerstone of treatment following lung transplantation (LTx). The aim of this study was to observe the influence of a prolonged postsurgical clinical course on success of a 3-week inpatient PR. LTx recipients were divided according to their clinical course defined by their individual length of stay (LOS) in the transplant center (cohort 1: LOS >; cohort 2: ≤42 days). Peak work rate (PWR), maximum oxygen uptake (VO(2max) ), 6-min walk distance (6-MWD), vital capacity (VC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), physical activity of daily life (ADL), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measured using Short Form 36 questionnaire (SF36) were assessed at beginning and completion of PR. A total of 138 patients were included (LOS >42 days: 30; LOS ≤42 days: 108). At completion, physical functioning (VC, FEV1, PWR, VO(2max) , 6-MWD, ADL), and HRQoL (all SF36 domains) improved in each cohort (P < 0.05). No differences were found in between both cohorts in VC, FEV1, and ADL (n.s.), but in PWR, 6-MWD, and the SF36 domain 'physical functioning' (P < 0.05). A 3-week inpatient PR improves physical functioning despite prolonged hospitalization. HRQoL is close to normal. (ClinicalTrials.gov. identifier: NCT00759538).

Virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome as a major contributor to death in patients with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) infection.

INTRODUCTION: Virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome (VAHS) is a severe complication of various viral infections often resulting in multiorgan failure and death. The purpose of this study was to describe baseline characteristics, development of VAHS, related treatments and associated mortality rate of consecutive critically ill patients with confirmed 2009 influenza A (H1N1) infection and respiratory failure. METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study of 25 critically ill patients with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) infection at a single-center intensive care unit in Germany between 5 October 2009 and 4 January 2010. Demographic data, comorbidities, diagnosis of VAHS, illness progression, treatments and survival data were collected. The primary outcome measure was the development of VAHS and related mortality. Secondary outcome variables included duration of mechanical ventilation, support of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and duration of viral shedding. RESULTS: VAHS developed in 9 (36%) of 25 critically ill patients with confirmed 2009 influenza A (H1N1) infection, and 8 (89%) of them died. In contrast, the mortality rate in the remaining 16 patients without VAHS was 25% (P = 0.004 for the survival difference in patients with or without VAHS by log-rank analysis). The patients were relatively young (median age, 45 years; interquartile range (IQR), 35 to 56 years of age); however, 18 patients (72%) presented with one or more risk factors for a severe course of illness. All 25 patients received mechanical ventilation for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome and refractory hypoxemia, with a median duration of mechanical ventilation of 19 days (IQR, 13 to 26 days). An additional 17 patients (68%) required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for a median of 10 days (IQR, 6 to 19 days). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study raise the possibility that VAHS may be a frequent complication of severe 2009 influenza A (H1N1) infection and represents an important contributor to multiorgan failure and death.

Neurosurgical intensive care unit--essential for good outcomes in neurosurgery?

INTRODUCTION: Neurosurgical intensive care units were increasingly agglomerated in large centralized interdisciplinary intensive care units in the last two decades. In the majority, these centralized interdisciplinary intensive care units were directed and managed by intensivists coming from anaesthesiology. We sought to review the evidence supporting neurosurgical intensive care as a highly specialized discipline resulting in benefits for the treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: In general, neurosurgical and neurocritical intensive care has been associated with improved outcomes and reduced mortality rates, reduced length of intensive care stay, improved resource utilisation, decreased in-hospital mortality, and fiscal benefits.

Six-year experience with treatment of early donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies in pediatric lung transplantation using a human immunoglobulin-based protocol.

OBJECTIVES: Experience with the treatment of early donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (eDSA) after lung transplantation in children is very limited. At our institution, we have treated patients with eDSA since 2013 with successive infusions of intravenous human immunoglobulins (IVIG), combined in some cases with a single dose of Rituximab and plasmapheresis (therapeutic plasma exchange [tPE]) or immunoabsorption. The aim of this study was to present the 6-year results of IVIG-based therapy in pediatric lung recipients. METHODS: Records of pediatric (<18 years old) patients transplanted at our institution between 01/2013 and 03/2019 were reviewed. Outcomes were compared between patients with eDSA treated with IVIG (IVIG group) and without eDSA (control group). Median (interquartile range [IQR]) follow-up amounted to 28 (12-52) months. RESULTS: During the study period, 66 lung-transplanted pediatric patients were included, of which 27 (41%) formed the IVIG group and 38 (57%) the control group. Among the IVIG patients, 14 (52%) patients showed concomitant graft dysfunction (possible clinical antibody-mediated rejection). The median time to eDSA detection was 24 (14-63) days after transplantation. eDSA were cleared in 25 (96%) of the 26 patients which completed treatment. At 3 years, graft survival (%) was 73 vs 85 (P = .65); freedom (%) from chronic lung allograft rejection (CLAD) was 89 vs 78 (P = .82); and from infection 47 vs 31 (P = .15), in IVIG vs control patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: After lung transplantation, an IVIG-based treatment for eDSA yielded high eDSA clearance. IVIG and control patients showed similar CLAD-free and graft survival.

[A specialized university outpatient clinic of the department of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery]. / Spezialisierte Hochschulambulanz mit Querschnittscharakter: Die Poliklinik für Plastische und Ästhetische Chirurgie.

University outpatient clinics are essential for medical research, teaching and treatment of complex and special diseases based on current knowledge and guidelines. Furthermore new therapeutic approaches are developed for complicated and rare diseases. The diversity of disease entities and treatment decisions provided by a specialized university outpatient clinic for plastic and aesthetic surgery is so far unknown and subject to our research. The study results highlight the value of the specialized university outpatient clinic for plastic and aesthetic surgery for medical training purposes, research and advanced health care. METHOD: In a retrospective study, outpatients consulting the clinic of the Department of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery of Hannover Medical School university hospital between 2013 and 2014 were analyzed. The epidemiology and distribution of disease entities previously treated in the different medical specialties such as surgery, internal medicine, dermatology, neurology and psychiatry, dentistry and ophthalmology were investigated. RESULTS: During a two-year period (2013/2014) 9272 patients with 821 different ICD-coded diagnoses were seen. 57 % of the primary and secondary diagnoses were related to surgery and 36 % to internal medicine. 7 % of the diagnoses were derived from other clinical specialties such as dermatology, neurology, psychiatry, dentistry and ophthalmology. Geriatric surgery comprised 22 %, post oncological 7 %, postoperative complication management 6 %, sequelae of conservative (non-surgical) treatment 3 % and congenital malformations 3 %. In 29 % of patients, surgical treatment was recommended. CONCLUSION: The analysis shows that patients with complex and a wide range of disease entities presented at our outpatient clinic of plastic- and aesthetic surgery. The variety of diagnoses requires not only extensive specialized expertise, but also broad medical knowledge in order to reach adequate treatment strategies. The setting of complex as well as a broad spectrum of diseases of the university outpatient clinic is thus particularly suitable for teaching of differential diagnoses, diagnostic algorithms and development of treatment strategies during medical training and student education.

IgM-Enriched Human Intravenous Immunoglobulin-Based Treatment of Patients With Early Donor Specific Anti-HLA Antibodies After Lung Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: At our institution, until April 2013, patients who showed early donor specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSA) after lung transplantation were preemptively treated with therapeutic plasma exchange (tPE) and a single dose of Rituximab. In April 2013, we moved to a therapy based on IgM-enriched human immunoglobulins (IVIG), repeated every 4 weeks, and a single dose of Rituximab. METHODS: This observational study was designed to evaluate the short-term patient and graft survival in patients who underwent IVIG-based DSA treatment (group A, n = 57) versus contemporary patients transplanted between April 2013 and January 2015 without DSA (group C, n = 180), as well as to evaluate DSA clearance in IVIG-treated patients versus historic patients who had undergone tPE-based treatment (group B, n = 56). Patient records were retrospectively reviewed. Follow-up ended on April 1, 2015. RESULTS: At 6 months and 1 year of follow-up, group A had a survival similar to group C (P = 0.81) but better than group B (P = 0.008). Group A showed statistically nonsignificant trends toward improved freedom from pulsed-steroid therapy and biopsy-confirmed rejection over groups B and C. The DSA clearance was better in group A than group B at treatment end (92% vs 64%; P = 0.002) and last DSA control (90% vs 75%; P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with new early DSA but without graft dysfunction that are treated with IVIG and Rituximab have similarly good early survival as contemporary lung transplant recipients without early DSA. The IVIG yielded increased DSA clearance compared with historic tPE-based treatment, yet spontaneous clearance of new DSA also remains common.

[Enhancement of quality by employing qualification-oriented staff and team-oriented cooperation]. / Qualitätssteigerung durch qualifikationsorientierten Personaleinsatz und teamorientierte Zusammenarbeit.

Taking three practical examples from a university hospital the present article describes how quality can be improved by linking deployment of qualification-oriented staff with team-oriented cooperation, especially with regard to the professional groups of physicians and nurses. In the first example, a cross-professional work group defined tasks which--in a legally acceptable manner--allow selected activities to be transferred from physicians to nurses, improving the work processes of all persons concerned. Work and duty profiles, training and modified work processes were created and implemented according to the PDCA circle-based process. The first evaluation took place after nine months using interviews, questionnaires (patients, physicians, and nurses) as well as CIRS. In the second example, emphasis was placed on offers of supplementary services for private patients resulting in a lightening of the workload on the nursing staff. These supplementary services are intended to enhance the wellbeing of the patients. Special external-service staff provide high standard hotel services. These services consistently receive high ratings from the patients. The methods used for introduction and evaluation are analogous to those used in the first example. The third example is concerned with the extension of nursing care and patient empowerment beyond the boundaries of ward and hospital. The guidelines were the implementation of the national expert standard for discharge management according to the DNQP. The methods of introduction were analogous to those used in example 1. For the evaluation interviews were conducted with all participating groups. In all examples actual quantitative measures (key ratios) are not yet available; however, the data collected from the interviews and questionnaires of all the participants are promising.