Transfusion Risk in Open, Laparoscopic, and Robotic-Assisted Surgery: A Propensity Score Matched Case-Control Study across Surgical Disciplines.

Introduction: Robotic-assisted surgery is increasingly performed in various surgical disciplines demonstrating improved oncological and functional outcomes compared to conventional surgery.

Objective: Unclear is how robotic-assisted surgery affects perioperative anemia and the need for blood products.

Methods: In this case-control study, 15,009 matched patient pairs undergoing urological, visceral, or thoracic surgery were included.

German Patient Blood Management Network: effectiveness and safety analysis in 1.2 million patients.

Background: Patient Blood Management (PBM) is a patient-centred, systematic, evidence-based approach to improve patient outcomes by managing and preserving a patient's own blood whilst promoting patient safety and empowerment. The effectiveness and safety of PBM over a longer period have not yet been investigated.

Methods: We performed a prospectively designed, multicentre follow-up study with non-inferiority design.

Association of anaemia, co-morbidities and red blood cell transfusion according to age groups: multicentre sub-analysis of the German Patient Blood Management Network Registry.

Background: Blood transfusions are common medical procedures and every age group requires detailed insights and treatment bundles. The aim of this study was to examine the association of anaemia, co-morbidities, complications, in-hospital mortality, and transfusion according to age groups to identify patient groups who are particularly at risk when undergoing surgery.

Methods: Data from 21 Hospitals of the Patient Blood Management Network Registry were analysed.

Preoperative anaemia and red blood cell transfusion in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid and intracerebral haemorrhage - a multicentre subanalysis of the German PBM Network Registry.

Purpose: Anaemia is common in patients presenting with aneurysmal subarachnoid (aSAH) and intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH). In surgical patients, anaemia was identified as an idenpendent risk factor for postoperative mortality, prolonged hospital length of stay (LOS) and increased risk of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion. This multicentre cohort observation study describes the incidence and effects of preoperative anaemia in this critical patient collective for a 10-year period.

Preoperative Anaemia in Primary Hip and Knee Arthroplasty.

Introduction: Approximately one in three patients has untreated preoperative anaemia, which in turn is associated with an increased need for transfusion of allogenic red blood cell concentrates (RBC) and complications in the context of a surgical intervention. Here, the prevalence of preoperative and postoperative anaemia as well as their effects on transfusion rate, hospital length of stay and hospital mortality in primary hip and knee arthroplasty has been analysed.

Methods: From January 2012 to September 2018, 378,069 adult inpatients from 13 German hospitals were analysed on the basis of an anonymized registry.

Utility of a commercially available multiplex real-time PCR assay to detect bacterial and fungal pathogens in febrile neutropenia.

Infection is the main treatment-related cause of mortality in cancer patients. Rapid and accurate diagnosis to facilitate specific therapy of febrile neutropenia is therefore urgently warranted. Here, we evaluated a commercial PCR-based kit to detect the DNA of 20 different pathogens (SeptiFast) in the setting of febrile neutropenia after chemotherapy.

Comparison of different decontamination methods for reagents to detect low concentrations of bacterial 16S DNA by real-time-PCR.

Contamination of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) reagents continues to be a major problem when consensus primers are used for detection of low concentrations of bacterial DNA. We designed a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for quantification of bacterial DNA by using consensus primers that bind specifically to the 16S region of bacterial DNA. We have tested four different methods of decontamination of PCR reagents in a project aimed at detecting bacterial DNA at low concentrations: deoxyribonuclease (DNAse) treatment, restriction endonuclease digestion, UV irradiation, and 8-methoxypsoralen in combination with long-wave UV light to intercalate contaminating DNA into double-stranded DNA.

Real-time PCR for detection and differentiation of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

We developed a consensus real-time PCR protocol that enables us to detect spiked bacterial 16S DNA from specimens such as water, urine, plasma, and sputum. The technique allows an exact Gram stain classification of 17 intensive care unit-relevant bacteria by means of fluorescence hybridization probes. All tested bacteria were identified correctly, and none gave a false-positive signal with the opposite Gram probe.