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Unlabelled: Two commercially available bacterial filters to be used as part of the mechanical ventilation unit during anaesthesia were tested for hygienic criteria. Manufacturers claim that bacterial breathing filters have a filtration capacity of about 99.995%, so that there would be no need for thermal disinfection of tubing and ventilation circuits after each use. One filter is designed for a single use only, the other can be used up to 24 times after sterilisation. Both filters consist of hydrophobic glass fibres., Methods: During simulated mechanical ventilation for 24 h, an alcoholic suspension of Bacillus subtilis was atomized in front of the filters tested. A gelatin membrane filter was integrated in the ventilation circuit and captured the filtered gas behind the test filter., Results: During simulated mechanical ventilation for 24 h, the filtration capacity of both the disposable and reusable filters (Table 2) did not confirm the manufacturers' short-term technical findings over 8 s (DIN-EN 143)., Conclusions: The use of bacterial filters during mechanical ventilation reduces the probability of bacterial contamination, but does not make sterilisation of the tubes and ventilation circuit unnecessary.

121 patients with multilevel, lower extremity arterial occlusive disease were treated by aortofemoral reconstruction and extended profundoplasty. Early and late results of 201 limbs were analyzed according to their preoperative grade of ischemia. In the case of moderate claudication the success rate was 43% postoperatively and 81% after 5 years. When having severe claudication the success rate was 62% and 79% after 5 years. The revascularisation of the deep femoral artery helps developing the collateral arteries, responsible for an improvement after a considerable period of time. In limbs with rest pain we got a success rate of 78% postoperatively and 76% after 5 years. In the case of gangrene the primary success rate was 40% and 68% after 5 years. Angiographically, severe arteriosclerotic lesions were documented in the deep femoral artery and popliteal artery when limb-threatening ischemia was present. Nevertheless, the combined aortofemoral and extended deep femoral artery reconstruction was efficient in treating the multilevel occlusive disease; subsequent femoro-distal bypass was necessary only in case of threatening ischemia for 9.3% of limbs. Our findings show there is no indication for simultaneous aortofemoral and femoro-distal bypass grafting in the treatment of the multilevel disease.