Fibreoptic vs videolaryngoscopic (C-MAC(®) D-BLADE) nasal awake intubation under local anaesthesia.

Numerous indirect laryngoscopes have been introduced into clinical practice and their use for tracheal intubation under local anaesthesia has been described. However, a study comparing indirect laryngoscopic vs fibreoptic intubation under local anaesthesia and sedation appears lacking. Therefore, we evaluated both techniques in 100 patients with an anticipated difficult nasal intubation time for intubation the primary outcome. We also assessed success rate, glottic view, Ramsey score, and patients' and anaesthetists' satisfaction. The median (IQR [range]) time for intubation was significantly shorter with the videolaryngoscope with 38 (24-65 [11-420]) s vs 94 (48-323 [19-1020]) s (p < 0.0001). There was no difference in the success rate of intubation (96% for both techniques; p > 0.9999) and satisfaction of the anaesthetists and patients. We conclude that in anticipated difficult nasal intubation a videolaryngoscope represents an acceptable alternative to fibreoptic intubation.

Passiflora incarnata L. (Passionflower) extracts elicit GABA currents in hippocampal neurons in vitro, and show anxiogenic and anticonvulsant effects in vivo, varying with extraction method.

Potential mechanisms of Passiflora incarnata extracts and the effect of extraction methods on ingredients and biological effects were explored. Using the same batch of plant material, total flavonoid yields as measured by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) increased substantially with hot versus cold extraction methods. Whole Passiflora extract induced prominent, dose-dependent direct GABA(A) currents in hippocampal slices, but the expected modulation of synaptic GABA(A) currents was not seen. GABA was found to be a prominent ingredient of Passiflora extract, and GABA currents were absent when amino acids were removed from the extract. Five different extracts, prepared from a single batch of Passiflora incarnata, were administered to CF-1 mice for 1 week in their drinking water prior to evaluation of their behavioral effects. Anticonvulsant effects against PTZ-induced seizures were seen in mice that received 2 of the 5 Passiflora extracts. Instead of the anxiolytic effects described by others, anxiogenic effects in the elevated plus maze were seen in mice receiving any of the 5 Passiflora extracts.

[Ciprofloxacin treatment in bacterial skin infections]. / Ciprofloxacin-Behandlung bei bakteriellen Hautinfektionen.

In a controlled bacteriological study, the effectiveness and tolerance of ciprofloxacin was investigated in 61 patients with extensive bacterial skin infections. The pathogens found, all of which were sensitive to ciprofloxacin, were, for the most part, Staphylococcus aureus and hemolytic streptococci. Ciprofloxacin was administered at a daily oral dose of 2 x 500 mg for an average of 12 days. Primary elimination of the pathogen was achieved in 96 per cent of the patients, in 4 per cent there was a marked reduction in in vitro pathogen growth. Clinical healing or improvement was observed in 98.3 per cent of the patients. Treatment with ciprofloxacin was very well tolerated. No changes in the laboratory parameters, blood count, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, urea, SGOT, SGPT or urinary status were observed. By way of undesired side effects, transient diarrhea occurred in only a single patient. The results of this study demonstrate the considerable therapeutic value of ciprofloxacin in the treatment of bacterial skin infections.