[Monitoring of respiratory failure in polytraumatized patients with pulmonary contusion (author's transl)].

In polytraumatized patients, pulmonary contusion complicated by pneumonia is associated with a high risk of fatality. The effects of both contusion and bacterial infection on pulmonary function can be estimated early by measuring the parameters PAPd-PCWP, pulmonary shunt volume and maximal PaO2 following FiO2 = 1.0 for 20 min.

[Haemochron--a simple method of monitoring heparin level during extracorporeal circulation].

Tow forms of heparin management during cardiopulmonary bypass were compared in order to analyze the role of the heparin level in relation to postoperative blood loss. The study was divided in three groups: In group I, the control group, 3 mg/kg body weight heparin was given as an initial dose and maintained at a dose of 1.0 mg/kg every 60 min during cardiopulmonary bypass; group II received the same initial dose, but additional doses were based upon the activated clotting time measured with a Haemochron; in group III, the Haemochron time was measured at 10-min intervals to establish a base value.