The pathological oral cavity as a preventable source of postoperative pneumonia in thoracic surgery: a prospective observational study.

Background: Pneumonia after thoracic surgery considerably contributes to perioperative morbidity and mortality. So far, the forced expiratory volume in one second and diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon dioxide are the most common validated prognosticators to estimate individual risk. Beyond functional parameters, modifiable risk factors for respiratory complications like pneumonia are poorly investigated in a prospective way.

Validation of the Symptom and Problem Checklist of the German Hospice and Palliative Care Evaluation (HOPE).

Context: The German Hospice and Palliative Care Evaluation (HOPE) is a national, long-term quality assurance project. Every year, German hospice and palliative care institutions document a core data set for their patients for a period of three months.

Objectives: To validate the multidimensional symptom and problem checklist (HOPE-SP-CL) of the core data set and report details on reliability and validity.

The utilization of liver transplantation in the management of acute liver failure: comparison between acetaminophen and non-acetaminophen etiologies.

Liver transplantation (LT) may be life-saving in severe acute liver failure (ALF). The aim of this study was to compare the utilization of LT in acetaminophen and non-acetaminophen ALF. Between 1992 and 2006, 469 patients with ALF were admitted, and 104 underwent LT.

Liver derived pro-inflammatory cytokines may be important in producing intracranial hypertension in acute liver failure.

We describe a patient with paracetamol induced acute liver failure (ALF) who fulfilled criteria for poor prognosis and was waiting for a liver to become available for transplantation. Because of severe uncontrolled intracranial hypertension she underwent a hepatectomy that resulted in stabilization of her systemic and cerebral hemodynamics. She remained anhepatic for 14 h and was successfully bridged to liver transplantation.