Online tissue discrimination for transcutaneous needle guidance applications using broadband impedance spectroscopy.

This paper reports on a novel system architecture for measuring impedance spectra of a biological tissue close to the tip of a hollow needle. The measurement is performed online using fast broadband chirp signals. The time domain measurement raw data are transformed into the transfer function of the tissue in frequency domain.

Position article for the use of extracorporeal life support in adult patients.

Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) is one of the recent fields in cardiac surgery which has improved significantly the quality of patient care in acute or chronic end-stage heart disease. The safe use of this new technology requires many different prerequisites which are summarized in this position article. It includes the necessary personnel and their qualifications, the structural assumptions, the required equipment, and the parameters which have to be monitored for the safe usage of these devices.