Holy springs and holy water: underestimated sources of illness?

Use of holy springs and holy water is inherent in religious activities. Holy spring water is also used extensively for personal drinking water, although not assessed according to drinking water standards. Holy water in churches and chapels may cause infections via wetting of lips and sprinkling on persons.

[Manual compression versus mechanical compression device (FemoStop) after diagnostic coronary angiography with/without intervention].

Background: The aim of our study was to evaluate the practicability and the complication rates of two different forms of the post-angiographic closure of the femoral artery.

Methods: We randomized 239 patients over a time period of 4 months to either a mechanical compression system (FemoStop, 111 patients) or to conventional manual compression (128 patients). A Doppler-sonographic examination was performed if the patient reported pain of the puncture site, or if auscultation or palpation suspected a complication on the day after compression.

Colour duplex sonography-guided local lysis of occlusions in the femoro-popliteal region.

Background: To evaluate colour duplex sonographic guidance of local lysis of occlusions in the femoropopliteal region.

Methods: Thirteen consecutive patients (8 female, mean age 67) with peripheral artery disease with acute and subacute occlusions in the superficial femoral or popliteal artery were included in this study. The lesions were identified by colour duplex ultrasound (Acuson 128 XP/10) After anterograde puncture the guidewire was advanced through the arterial lesions under B-mode image control.

Endothelial cell compatibility of clindamycin, gentamicin, ceftriaxone and teicoplanin in Bier's arterial arrest.

In patients with infected diabetic foot lesions, and gangrenous, peripheral, occlusive arterial disease, it is important to achieve high concentrations of antibiotics in the tissues, as the extent of amputation is often influenced by the presence of infection. Local transvenous pressure injection of antibiotics, in Bier's arterial arrest, allows high local tissue concentrations to be attained in the extremities. Information on the endothelial compatibility of antibiotics in high concentrations combined with the effect of reperfusion injury following tissue hypoxia is lacking.