[Aseptic non-touch technique in the operating room: keep it simple].

Objective: The Dutch national patient safety platform developed a protocol for the preparation of intravenous medication; the Aseptic Non-Touch Technique (ANTT). Use of ANTT on nursing wards has shown to reduce contamination of intravenous medication. Therefore it is dictated by the Dutch Healthcare Inspectorate that this technique has to be used at all departments in the hospital, including the operating theatre.

[Available options for operating on a non-fasted patient].

Aspiration of gastric contents during or after induction of anaesthesia can be prevented by adhering to preoperative fasting guidelines of 6 hours for solid foods and 2 hours for clear liquids. There are frequent cases in which the patient cannot be regarded as having fasted; this applies in particular to non-planned acute or semi-acute patients. Instead of postponing surgery to later the same day or even the next day, there are alternatives, such as bedside ultrasound assessment of the stomach volume or accelerating gastric emptying by administering a low dose of erytromycin.

Mechanical ventilation induces a Toll/interleukin-1 receptor domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon beta-dependent inflammatory response in healthy mice.

Background: Mechanical ventilation (MV) can induce lung injury. Proinflammatory cytokines have been shown to play an important role in the development of ventilator-induced lung injury. Previously, the authors have shown a role for Toll-like receptor 4 signaling.

Isoflurane attenuates pulmonary interleukin-1beta and systemic tumor necrosis factor-alpha following mechanical ventilation in healthy mice.

Background: Mechanical ventilation (MV) induces an inflammatory response in healthy lungs. The resulting pro-inflammatory state is a risk factor for ventilator-induced lung injury and peripheral organ dysfunction. Isoflurane is known to have protective immunological effects on different organ systems.

Low-tidal-volume mechanical ventilation induces a toll-like receptor 4-dependent inflammatory response in healthy mice.

Background: Mechanical ventilation (MV) can induce ventilator-induced lung injury. A role for proinflammatory pathways has been proposed. The current studies analyzed the roles of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 and TLR2 involvement in the inflammatory response after MV in the healthy lung.