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Background: To the best of our knowledge, there is no validated classification to assess intraoperative adverse events (iAEs) in ophthalmic surgery. ClassIntra is a newly developed classification for surgery- and anaesthesia-related iAEs that has been recently validated in various surgical disciplines, but not in ophthalmic surgery. We aim to assess the validity and practicability of ClassIntra in patients undergoing ophthalmic surgery., Methods: A consecutive sample of in-hospital patients undergoing any type of ophthalmic surgery was included in this single-centre prospective cohort study. iAEs were classified using ClassIntra, consisting of 5 severity grades according to the symptoms of the patient and the required treatment. All patients were followed for two weeks to record all postoperative adverse events according to Clavien-Dindo. The primary endpoint was the risk-adjusted association between the most severe iAE and the weighted sum of all postoperative adverse events within the two-week follow-up using the Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI). In addition, ophthalmologists and anaesthesiologists were asked to complete an online survey assessing the severity of iAEs for 10 fictitious clinical case scenarios. Reliability was assessed by comparing the clinicians' ratings to the prespecified benchmark rating of the study team., Results: In this study, 100 in-hospital patients with an average age of 64 years (SD 15) were included. The majority of all patients were ASA II (n = 53, 53%) or III (n = 42, 42%). Thirty-two iAEs were recorded in 22 patients (17 grade I, 12 grade II, 3 grade III). Ninety-four postoperative adverse events occurred in 50 patients (44 grade I, 36 grade II, 14 grade IIIa). We found a mean difference in CCI of 2,1 (95% confidence interval [CI] - 2,5 to 6,8) per one unit increase in severity grades of ClassIntra. Fifty ophthalmologists and anaesthesiologists completed the online survey (response rate 54%). The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0,79 (95% CI 0,64 to 0,94)., Conclusions: The application of ClassIntra during daily routine in ophthalmic surgery showed the usefulness and practicability of this classification for the standardised assessment of intraoperative adverse events. Although construct validity could not be demonstrated, the good reliability in the survey's rating underlines the criterion validity of this newly developed classification in ophthalmic surgery., Competing Interests: Einige der Co-Autoren (RR und SDK) waren Teil des Teams, das ClassIntra entwickelt und validiert hat. ClassIntra wurde als Handelsname bei der World Intellectual Property Organization registriert. Keiner der Autoren hat einen finanziellen Nutzen durch den Gebrauch der Klassifikation und somit auch keinen Interessenkonflikt. Rachel Rosenthal ist eine Mitarbeiterin von Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (beinhaltet S-SARs). Die aktuelle Studie weist keine Verbindung zu ihrer Anstellung bei der Firma auf. Rachel Rosenthal hat weiterhin eine Affiliation mit der Universität Basel. Pascal W. Hasler ist Berater für die Firmen Roche, Novartis, Bayer, Allergan und Topcon und hat keinen Interessenkonflikt., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Clarification of the function of bestrophin, the gene product of VMD2, establishes a basis for the understanding of the pathomechanisms leading to Best's vitelliform macular degeneration. Studies of heterologously expressed bestrophin showed that bestrophin can function as a Cl(-) channel. All four known bestrophins were found to display Cl(-) channel activity. A loss in Cl(-) channel function would elegantly explain the development of the leading symptom for Best's disease, the reduction of the light peak amplitude in the patient's electro-oculogram. However, there are still gaps in the chain of evidence demonstrating that bestrophin is a Cl(-) channel, and this hypothesis is inconsistent with newly published follow-up observations. In an alternative hypothesis bestrophin appears as a regulator of voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channels assuming an indirect involvement of bestrophin in the generation of the light peak. Further studies on either bestrophin-deficient mice or transgenic mice will show that either one of the hypotheses is right or maybe both will be proven correct, showing bestrophin as a Cl(-) channel and Ca(2+) channel regulator.

Aim: This study has assessed the suitability of an educational concept for the introduction and training of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, a newly established operational procedure, within an university teaching hospital with a large number of surgeons., Patients and Methodology: Since introduction of the first laparoscopic cholecystectomy all cholecystectomies were prospectively assessed over a period of two years (from May 1990 till May 1992). The educational concept applied was such that a given surgeon would first receive training from an instructor for 15 procedures and then assume responsibility for instruction of a subsequent trainee., Results: In two years 355 patients underwent cholecystectomy. 60% of the operations were performed laparoscopically and 40% of the operations performed openly. During the two year period 13 surgeons were trained in the new technique, with an average of 16 operations per surgeon. Throughout the introductory phase there were no serious complications, and in particular no damage to the bile duct., Discussion: The advantage of this introductory training phase has repeatedly been subject of discussion in the literature. In the meanwhile guidelines from specialist bodies and national institutions exist for regulating the education of new surgical techniques. In the past few years introduction to new techniques has gradually shifted toward training on the skill-stations and virtual reality trainers., Conclusion: The described educational concept for the introduction and training of laparoscopic cholecystectomy has been well approved and accepted since the early 90's.

Over the recent years laparoscopic splenectomy has become the preferred approach for the treatment of many conditions requiring splenic removal. At first limited to small spleens and to benign hematologic disorders, this procedure is now used for a variety of indications. Enlarged spleens are possible to be removed laparoscopically, although this is still a demanding procedure. Two factors facilitated the technique and contributed to its wide acceptance: 1) Change in the technique originally used, by positioning the patient in right lateral decubitus, and approaching the spleen from a postero-lateral direction. 2) The development of new technologies to dissect and divide tissues and vessels, including the ultrasonic shears and the laparoscopic linear stapler. In this article we review the current indications for laparoscopic splenectomy, as well as the techniques to accomplish this procedure.

Pancreatic pseudocysts are rare in children. Traumatic injury accounts for 80% of the cases. We present the case of a pancreatic injury with pseudocyst formation in a child and discuss the initial management of pancreatic injury as well as the treatment of pseudocyst formation in children.

Phaeochromocytoma is a rare tumour which produces a variety of symptoms. The most important factor is to think of the diagnosis, and there are many biochemical and pharmacological tests as well as radiological procedures to confirm it. Once the phaeochromocytoma is localised, it should, if possible, be removed. Surgery is the treatment of choice. In 1972 Ross described the diagnosis and therapy as "think of it, confirm it, find it and remove it". Today, 28 years later, this paper reviews the diagnosis and therapy of phaeochromocytoma under these key headings.

We describe two different manifestations of cardiac myxoma. Both have in common late diagnosis. The first patient suffered from a right sided myxoma. The histological diagnosis is unexpected. In the second case, the diagnosis of a myxoma in the left arterial cavity is made only two years after the first symptoms. We discuss epidemiology, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of atrial myxoma.

Patients comparable in disease, therapy and serum bilirubin concentration were either treated with mezlocillin intravenously or not at all. The bile of each patient was collected either from a T-drainage or from a percutaneously placed drainage into the bile ducts. The concentrations of GGT and AP, which were liberated by destroyed liver cells, and of bilirubin and mezlocillin, which were secreted actively, were analysed. Those patients who had normal serum bilirubin concentrations had a significantly higher biliary bilirubin excretion than those with high serum bilirubin level. The maximum excretion was after 4 hours. While the biliary concentration of bilirubin decreased, the concentration of secreted mezlocillin increased. Due to destroyed liver cells those patients with pathologically elevated blood bilirubin levels had a 50-fold lower mezlocillin excretion than those with normal blood values.

In order to assess the success of therapy in cases of bronchial carcinoma, the clinical course of 38 untreated patients was studied retrospectively. We were unable to demonstrate a significant difference in the survival rate between patients who underwent radical therapy and those who were not treated at all.

A report is given on the treatment planning by computed tomography and monitoring in 37 cases of preponderantly cystic craniopharyngiomas with different solid tumor parts. Colloidal yttrium 90 silicate was used for the intracystic contact irradiation. Two pretherapeutic forms of the solid tumor parts were found in CT examination which correlated with different courses: 1. the polymorphic type and 2. the type with a smooth outline. A posttherapeutic decrease of the cystic volume was observed in 74% of type 1 cases (n = 19) and in 89% of type 2 cases (n = 18). An increase in volume was only found in type 1 (21%). An increase of the solid tumor part was also found exclusively in the polymorphic type (68%). An additional external irradiation should be considered for this CT manifestation of the tumor, as the solid tumor part is not exposed in intracystic contact irradiation.

From 700 mediastinoscopies performed between 1976 and 1985, 11 revealed metastases from extrathoracic malignancies. Primary tumours were eventually located in the gastrointestinal tract (5), the breasts (2), the kidneys (2) and the thyroid gland (1). All lymphatics join within the mediastinum. Therefore mediastinal secondaries from tumours of all body regions may be encountered. Mediastinoscopy facilitates safe biopsy and histological diagnosis. It is essential for adequate therapy.

Pseudoaneurysm of the pancreas is a severe complication secondary to pancreatitis. The splenic artery is most often involved, followed by the pancreaticoduodenal vessels and the gastroduodenal artery. Selective arteriography is considered the method of choice in preoperative diagnosis. In a patient with chronic pancreatitis angio-CT and ultrasound allow a definitive diagnosis of pseudoaneurysm of the splenic artery.