Search

Introduction: Lung cancer is the malignancy with the highest mortality rate worldwide. In January 2025, the German public healthcare system will introduce a new regulation according to which a centre can offer surgery for lung cancer only if it carries out a minimum number of lung resections. The purpose of this directive is to reduce the number of centres offering surgical treatment for primary lung cancer, thus centralising and improving lung cancer care. It is expected that the introduction of this regulation will lead to a significant shift in the staffing of thoracic units. The purpose of this survey was to examine the current occupational structures behind the units of thoracic surgery and respiratory medicine., Methods: We performed an online survey through the German Society for Thoracic Surgery and the Association of Respiratory Physicians. The responding centres were divided in two groups, centres that were certified by the German Cancer Society or the Society for Thoracic Surgery and centres which were not certified., Results: The response rate was 29.3% (respiratory physicians) and 31.9% (thoracic surgeons); 67% of the participating colleagues answered that their unit was an independent department. The majority of the participants reported having to share the on-call duty of the trainees with other departments in order to be able to cover the required shifts. 35% of the respiratory physicians and 57% of the thoracic surgeons reported having vacant job posts in their units., Discussion: The introduction of the minimum quantity regulation will have significant consequences for the treatment of lung cancer in Germany. The current staff shortage in healthcare will lead to both medical and nursing staff needing to be redistributed in order to meet the needs that will arise in 2025. Operating lists, theatre days, and operative equipment will need to be redistributed as well, not only within hospitals but probably on a nationwide level. A negative impact of the new regulation is to be expected on research and academic activities since most university hospitals are not expected to reach the minimum number of lung resections that is required in order keep performing lung cancer surgery., Competing Interests: Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Acute dyspnoea is one of the most common internal medicine symptoms in the emergency department. It arises from an acute illness or from the exacerbation of a chronic illness. Symptom-related emergency structures and corresponding structural guidelines already exist in the stroke and chest pain units for dealing with the leading symptoms of acute stroke and acute chest pain. These are lacking in Germany for the key symptom of dyspnoea, although the benefits of these structures have already been proven in other countries. The German Society for Pneumology and Respiratory Medicine (DGP) has now set up a task force together with the Association of Pneumology Clinics (VPK), in order to deal with the topic and develop appropriate structural guidelines for such "dyspnoea units" in Germany. At the end of the process, the certification of such units at German hospitals is optional., Competing Interests: Dominic Dellweg: Vortragshonorar für die Firma Löwenstein Medical. Georg Nilius: Forschungsförderung von Sleep well, Löwenstein medical, Fisher & Paykel Healhtcare, Lungpacer, EllyLilly, Onera, Vortragshonorare von AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Berlin Chemie, Löwenstein Medical, Insmed, Reisekosten Fisher Paykel Healthcare. Achim Grünewaldt: Vortragshonorare: Boehringer Ingelheim; Honorare für Advisory Board: GSK, Forschungsunterstützung: TNI. Matthias Held: Beratungshonorare von Actelion, Bayer Healthcare, Bristol Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Janssen, MSD, Pfizer, Vorträge: Actelion, Astra Zeneca, Bayer HealthCare, Berlin Chemie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Daichi Sankyo, Janssen, MSD, Pfizer, Santis. Andreas Schlesinger: Vortragshonore von Chiesi, Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, Linde, Boehringer Ingelheim, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Bayer, Berlin Chemie, medac. Winfried Randerath gibt keinen direkten Interessenkonflikt im Zusammenhang mit dem vorgelegten Beitrag an. Er hat in den vergangenen 3 Jahren Honorare für die Mitarbeit in einem Advisory Board der Firmen Bioprojet, CSL Behring, Procter & Gamble, Jazz Pharmaceuticals sowie Honorar und Reisekosten für Vortragstätigkeiten der Firmen Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, Bioprojet, Berlin Chemie, GSK, MSD, Westfalen Medical, Heinen und Löwenstein, Philips Respironics, Habel Medizintechnik erhalten. Die anderen Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: Die Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht.

Competing Interests: D. Köhler, M. Hetzel, M. Klingner, S. Ewig, G. Becher, H. Lindemann, T. Voshaar, und U. Costabel geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht.T. Koch: Das Institut für Kolbenmaschinen am KIT finanziert sich neben einer Basisfinanzierung zu einem überwiegenden Maße durch öffentliche Drittmittel von Ministerien, Stiftungen, Fördergesellschaften oder der Forschungsvereinigung FVV, typischerweise mit Fördermitteln der AIF oder Cornet. Ein deutlich kleinerer Anteil wird durch Drittmittel aus einer weitgefächerten Industrielandschaft (Energietechnik, Zulieferindustrie, Messtechnik, Fertigungstechnik, Fahrzeug- und Motorenindustrie) durch Forschungsaktivitäten beigesteuert. Ein Interessenkonflikt oder gar eine Beeinflussung hinsichtlich der Beiträge in dieser Publikation liegen nicht vor.

Competing Interests: Jeder Autor ist Chefarzt einer pneumologischen Klinik.

Background: Hospitals have a unique key role in promoting smoking cessation. However, cessation interventions are uncommon in clinical routine despite their proven effectiveness. For planning a tailored intervention for hospitalised patients we examined the characteristics of smokers in our department for lung diseases., Methods and Patients: From July to September 2009 we evaluated the smoking status of all admitted patients. The smoking status was validated by measuring the CO-Hb. Smokers admitted for the first time on one of our regular wards received a comprehensive questionnaire. Patients with a duration of stay of 2 days or less and patients with substantial cognitive or linguistic limitations were excluded. Clinical data was collected from the participating smokers., Results: 25% of all admitted patients were smokers. The participation rate was almost 90% of the eligible smokers. Our questionnaire was very well accepted und provided multitude helpful information for a following cessation counselling. Up to 3 or 4 smokers per day should be anticipated for a cessation intervention at an 80-bed-hospital. At least one counselling contact could be enabled. Although 75% of participants had experienced at least one unsuccessful quit attempt, only a minority used any support or help for cessation so far., Conclusions: Specific questionnaires to evaluate the smoking history of patients in hospitals are very suitable and facilitate a subsequent bedside-counseling. To come up with their key role in promoting smoking cessation more hospitals as yet should implement cessation interventions., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Flexible bronchoscopy is a standard examination today and is conducted not only in nearly every hospital but also in privately owned practices. The vast majority of patients want sedation for this examination. Such a procedure is nearly always necessary in complex and interventional procedures, irrespective of the patient's wish. The recommendation at hand to use sedation measures for flexible bronchoscopy is based on the results of numerous clinical studies and also takes account of individual experiences in this area. The structural and procedural requirements and the requirements for staff training are defined and should describe the minimum standard when it comes to conducting a bronchoscopy under sedation. Furthermore the drugs recommended for sedation are discussed and their methods of application shown. Finally the recommendations also include suggestions for patient clarification, monitoring and discharge. They should provide the examiner with concrete operating options and therefore above all increase patient safety., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Bronchoscopic training courses are an essential part of the education in bronchoscopy for all kinds of specialisations and professions performing such investigations. All aspects of the application should be mentioned during a course. These recommendations are necessary because the number of bronchoscopies performed in the last years has increased due to the increasing number of patients, improved equipment and better availability. Courses should provide the basic knowledge including main points of indications, preconditions for the procedure and decisions of consequence after bronchoscopy. Participants should be trained in the skills of correct handling and performing flexible bronchoscopies in training dummies. Necessary competence requirements on the course instructor are adequate professional qualifications, paedagogic skills and the availability of appropriate teaching material. Quality assurance of the course should be achieved by consequent evaluation. A widely spread field of bronchoscopic applications can improve patient care in many medical specialisations., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Background and Objectives: Tobacco smoking is the main preventable risk factor resulting in multiple diseases and premature death. In particular, the airways and the lungs are affected by the effects of smoking. Hospitals have considerable potential to advance smoking cessation. However, so far there have only been a few data on availability and effectiveness of smoking cessation programs in hospitals. This study aimed to assess such programs in general hospitals with a special department for lung disease in South West Germany., Methods: 40 hospitals with at least one pulmonary specialist were identified. This doctor was subsequently interviewed by a telephone call. 39 hospitals participated, one could not be reached by telephone., Results: Although most of the interviewed specialists confirmed the importance of smoking cessation in the field of pneumology only 3 hospitals had own activities for promoting smoking cessation. Another 7 hospitals cooperated with other institutions. Accompanying pharmacotherapy was not practised regularly. The main reasons for a lack of smoking cessation activities in the hospitals were due to the lack of personnel, time and money., Conclusion: Our study highlights the tremendous difficulties facing general hospitals when trying to implement a smoking cessation program. Changes in the economic frameworks, and further examination of appropriate measures for brief interventions in the hospital setting are necessary., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart, New York.)

13 patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome treated with CPAP-therapy and complicating affections of the nasal and pharyngeal mucosa were enrolled in a randomized cross-over study comparing therapy with a heated humidifier (HC 100, company Fisher & Paykel) and treatment with a heat and moisture exchanger (Typ I, company Dahlhausen). We assessed the bacterial and fungal colonisation of the nasal masks of all patients. Samples of mask rinses were taken after the two treatment periods (2 weeks each) and the period without humidification in between. All microbes were found to have pathological potency. There was no significant difference in the total concentration of the microbes in the different treatment modalities. In a few cases however, gram negative bacteria were detected on the masks during humidification with a heated humidifier, but not with heat and moisture exchangers. Legionella spec. were not detectable in any of the samples. Candida albicans was the only fungus detectable. No patient had any infection of the upper or lower respiratory system associated with humidification therapy.

Between April 1981 and May 1983, 921 patients with coronary sclerosis underwent a bypass operation. Following the operation, 327 of these patients were asked to give their professional status. These were compared with the surgical result and the clinical findings. During the 22-month follow-up period 47.1% were without work. 52.9% returned to work after an average of 3.3 months. The following factors played a significant role in the decision whether or not to return to work: 1) the age of the patient (p less than 0.001); 2) the degree of physical stress to which the patient was subjected in his job before the operation (p less than 0.001); 3) the severity of the postoperative angina pectoris symptoms (p less than 0.01); 4) the improvement in the output of the left ventricle (p less than 0.05) and 5) the participation in rehabilitation treatment (p less than 0.01). By reducing the preliminary investigation period, increasing the operation capacity and making more effective use of the rehabilitation programme, more people could return to work after the operation and this in turn would increase our patients' quality of life.