The impact of isoflurane, desflurane, or sevoflurane on the frequency and severity of postoperative nausea and vomiting after lumbar disc surgery.

Study Objective: To test the hypothesis that anesthesia with the low-soluble inhalation anesthetics, sevoflurane, and desflurane, may result in a lower frequency and severity of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) than anesthesia with isoflurane.

Design: Prospective, observational study.

Setting: Postoperative care unit and neurosurgical ward at a university hospital.

[Metoclopramide and dexamethasone in prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting after inhalational anaesthesia].

Objective: Because of its complex profile of action (binding to dopamine, serotonin and histamine receptors), low rate of adverse effects and low cost as a medicinal preparation, metoclopramide is an interesting substance for the prophylaxis of post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV). As a single substance its antiemetic effects are slight at the usual dose, so the aim was to test the efficacy of a combination of metoclopramide and dexamethasone for the prevention of PONV on a group of patients with the same operative trauma.

Method: All patients (n = 204) were recruited prospectively (January-October 2002) and were to undergo a lumbar disc operation.

[Effects of sevoflurane versus propofol on oculocardiac reflex--a comparative study in 180 children].

Oculocardial reflex (OCR) occurs particularly through manipulation of the medial rectus muscle and results in a bradycardic arrhythmia. In children the incidence is between 60 and 80%. After using sevoflurane in clinical practice, the absence or non-occurrence of this reflex was observed.

[Standards for treatment and expert opinion on transsexuals. The German Society for Sexual Research, The Academy of Sexual medicine and the Society for Sexual Science].

Over the last two-and-a-half years a committee of experts, consisting of members of the three leading German sexology associations, developed guidelines for treating and assessing transsexuals. Their purpose is to improve the care for patients with sex identity disorders and to ensure that such care is of uniform quality to avoid erroneous decisions to the disadvantage of those affected. The guidelines are set out in full.