[Routine Practice Data for Evaluating Intervention Effects: Part 2 of the Manual].

The evaluation of intervention effects is an important domain of health services research. The ad hoc commission for the use of routine practice data of the German Network for Health Services Research (DNVF) therefore provides this second part of its manual focusing on the use of routine practice data for the evaluation of intervention effects. First, we discuss definition issues and the importance of contextual factors.

[Omalizumab therapy in adolescents with severe allergic asthma - results of a post-marketing surveillance].

Background: Omalizumab has been successfully established as add-on therapy to improve asthma control in adults and children aged 6 years and older with uncontrolled severe persistent allergic asthma (GINA 2009 step 5).

Patients And Methods: 15 patients between 12 and 20 years of age with severe allergic asthma, which was inadequately controlled despite intensive antiasthmatic therapy according to NVL step 4 /5, received treatment with omalizumab for 6 - 69 months. After 12 months of treatment the effect was evaluated by means of objective parameters.

[Agenesis of the left lung in combination with a persistent left superior vena cava and al cor triatriatum sinister in a 77 year old man].

We report the case of a 77 year old man, who was hospitalized in the final stadium of his congenital disease. Following a pneumonia in the right lung the respirator therapy was needed. Later the patient died by a chronic right heart failure.

[Merkel cell tumor of the hand in a 104-year-old patient. Case report with review of the literature].

Merkel cell tumors represent a rare subepidermal tumor of the skin. Despite the high tumor-mitosis-rate, the survival rate is rather high. This characterizes the biologic behavior of these tumors.

[Diverticulitis of the jejunum as a rare cause of acute gastrointestinal hemorrhage--diagnosis and therapy].

Small bowel diverticulosis is in contrast to large intestine diverticulosis an uncommon, acquired entity. In most cases it was found in duodenum and as a Meckel's diverticulum. Jejunal or ileal diverticulosis is a relatively rare disease.

[Transient paraplegia of the legs after sigmoid resection--late complication after implantation of an aortic bifurcation prosthesis in arterial occlusive disease?].

Ischemic spinal lesions following graft replacement of an infrarenal aortic aneurysm are rare complications. Even more rare is the development of this complication in case of aortoiliac occlusive disease. We report one further case who developed transient paraplegia following sigma resection six years after implantation of an aortobifemoral bifurcation graft because of aortoiliac occlusive disease.

[Struma as a cause of a brachialgia].

A 76-year-old woman with a great multi-nodular goitre and no neurological deficits suffered from increasing pain of the lateral upper arm. A combination of nerve blockades and physical measures was not effective in terms of continuous pain control. Subtotal thyroidectomy resulted in a long-term complete pain relief.

[Surgical treatment of habitual patella dislocations by combined soft tissue surgery].

Since January 1988 21 operations using a modified Madigan and Goldthwait method have been carried out on 18 patients suffering from recurrent dislocation of the patella. This soft tissue procedure is presented here in its individual operational steps. The average age of the patients was 22 years and the majority were female (6:1).

[Preoperative hemodilution before elective resections of colorectal cancers for sparing homologous blood transfusion].

The records of 389 patients following elective resection of colorectal carcinoma were analysed in order to examine perioperative transfusion. Preoperative hemoglobin levels of 12.8 g/dl in women and 14.

[Slit drainage--progress in drainage treatment after herniotomy].

In a prospective randomized study was conducted on 80 patients undergoing elective hernia repair to assess whether a new slit-suction drainage is less painful than a Redon-suction drainage. Main endpoint of the study was the traction power in order to remove the drain. Other endpoints were pain at the time of removal of the drain and the effectiveness to draw off secretion.

[Rectal cancer with choriocarcinomatous differentiation].

Extragonadal choriocarcinoma are extremely rare. In the cases reported until now most of the extragonadal choriocarcinoma were localized in the stomach. The case described in this report is a carcinoma of the rectum with choriocarcinomatous elements.

[Port-catheter perforation into the duodenum and other early complications after port implantation before intra-arterial infusion therapy of the liver with chemotherapeutic drugs].

Early complications following implantation of intraarterial hepatic port catheter systems from 1985 to 1988 in 24 patients are reported with special view to the perforation of a port catheter into the duodenum. In this case the primary postoperative angiographic control four weeks after implantation showed correct placement and perfusion of the liver. The perforation occurred before starting any cytostatic regimen.

[Follow-up in stomach carcinoma].

For ten years after resection of stomach cancer patients were routinely examined to detect early asymptomatic recurrence, 96 records were analyzed, 21 patients with recurrence of cancer were found--3 local recurrence and 18 distant metastases. There was no anastomosis recurrence, 20 of these patients had clinical symptoms. About 90 percent of all recurrences were found in the first two years.

[Morbidity and mortality after elective resections of colorectal cancers].

There are few actual published results about morbidity and mortality after elective resection of colorectal cancer. Out of 596 patients with colorectal cancer, the medical records of 492 who had been prepared preoperatively according to our predefined standards and electively operated on, were analysed. We studied the results of morbidity and mortality and their association with preexisting conditions and preoperative complications.

[Ultra-high dosage lysis of deep venous thrombosis in ipsipedal administration along with compression].

The ipsipedal application of UHSK leads to a decisive increase of recanalisation. The fibrinolyticum will be brought in a greater quantity to the thrombotic region. The adjuvant supramalleolar compression and the increase of volume seems to be beneficial.

[Individual risk-related after-care in colorectal cancer?].

Efficacy of the regular follow-up program and influence on survival rate following treatment of recurrence were evaluated. 556 follow-up records of patients after resection of colorectal cancer were analysed. The primary drop-out rate was 12.

[The effect of age and sex on localization, tumor stage and prognosis of colorectal carcinoma].

In a retrospective study including 946 cases with colorectal cancer we analysed age, sex, distribution and stage. There was a significant higher prevalence in women and in all tumor stages women were older than men. The frequencies of Dukes C and proximal colon cancer was significantly higher in women.

[External synovial fistula of the infrapatellar bursa following arthroscopic meniscus resection. A clinical case report and topographic-anatomic study].

Following arthroscopic meniscectomy a 41-year old patient developed an external synovial fistula in the area of the central joint approach with a communication to the deep intrapatellar bursa. Anatomical preparations performed on 20 knee joints revealed extraordinary variations in the dimension of the infrapatellar bursa with a mean longitudinal diameter of 24 mm and a transversal diameter of 38 mm. The distance between bursa and the distal margin of the patella measured 15 to 39 mm.

[Clinical basic documentation in surgery].

Clinical basic documentation allows a cost lowering and personal saving application of modern data processing technology within the clinical routine. The concept presented in this article has been successful for ten years. Soon after its installation this documentation provides its user with valuable data for internal quality control.

[Early complications and fatalities following surgical treatment of fractures of the upper ankle joint].

In a retrospective study of 1,140 patients (1970-1988) with ankle joint fractures, treated according to the AO principles, we analyzed the surgical treatment. After surgical treatment of 501 patients the rate of early complications was 5% and the mortality 1%. In our opinion all fractures should be treated by the AO principles to ensure a good follow-up result.

Follow-up results of 3,500 arthroscopic operations on the knee joint.

In a clinical study the postoperative results of 3,500 arthroscopic operations on the knee joint were analyzed with a follow-up period of 1 year. At the time of examination 55.3% of patients were symptom-free, 33.