[Video-assisted patient education in anaesthesiology: possibilities and limits of a new procedure for improvement of patient information]. / Videoassistierte Patientenaufklärung in der Anästhesiologie: Möglichkeiten und Grenzen eines neuen Verfahrens zur Verbesserung der Patienteninformation.

In video-assisted patient education (ViPa), patients watch an educational video about the process and the risks of anaesthesia in addition to the preanaesthetic interview with the anaesthesiologist. Used as a supplement to the preanaesthetic visit, the videos can increase patients' knowledge and satisfaction without having any negative effect on perioperative anxiety. Because the video graphically depicts the basic information, the preanaesthetic visit can then focus on specific aspects of the individual patient, i.e. high anxiety or specific questions. The redundant and monotonous explanations about the procedures and risks of anaesthesia by the interviewing anaesthesiologist are partly replaced by the video, but for medico-legal reasons the ViPa cannot totally replace the preanesthetic interview. It can be used in pediatric anaesthesia and reduces parental anxiety. Because of the lack of studies, the effects of the ViPa on perioperative patient compliance, especially for outpatient surgery, and on the economics of anaesthesia clinics are unclear.

[Current level of patients' knowledge of anaesthesiology]. / Zum Kenntnisstand von Patienten über die Aufgaben der Anästhesiologie.

The anaesthesiologist's competence in anaesthesia, intensive care medicine, pain therapy and emergency medicine is accepted throughout the medical society. Nevertheless, during the last decades patient surveys demonstrated a considerable lack of information of the responsibility of our work. By continuous education and information anaesthesiologists have aimed to improve the information and decision-making process for the patient. This multicentre trial was designed to investigate the current public view on our profession in seven German hospitals. In-hospital patients were asked to fill out a standardised questionnaire prior to the anaesthesia premedication visit and a total of 692 questionnaires (77%) were analysed. Results demonstrated an increased level of knowledge for anaesthesia (>95%), intensive care medicine (74%), and pain therapy (50% acute pain; 32% severe pain). In the case of emergency medicine (10%) the in-hospital and out-of-hospital responsibilities were not clear among patients. We conclude that the continuous distribution of information in recent years has contributed to improving patients' knowledge on interdisciplinary responsibilities. Future efforts should focus on the gaps in patient's knowledge to allow the patient to ask the right questions necessary for decision-making.

[The radiologic Lachman test--a simple and sure method for the detection of damage to the cruciate ligament]. / Der radiologische Lachman-Test--eine einfache und sichere Methode zum Nachweis von Kreuzbandschäden.

The Lachman test, a method allowing to verify a lesion of the anterior cruciate ligament, is not yet generally known, but it is considered to be the only test which provides clear evidence. A radiological check of this test performed by us with a special holding device proved its high qualitative and quantitative value. The possibility to diagnose also lesions of the posterior cruciate ligament could be demonstrated. A special template has been developed for a rapid reading of the test results. The test is particularly suited for the examination of fresh lesions of the knee joint without anesthesia, for the follow-up of surgical transposition of ligaments, and for the elaboration of medical expert opinions.