Why hydroxyethyl starch solutions should NOT be banned from the operating room

This review summarises the new insights into the physiology of perioperative fluid therapy and analyses recent studies of the safety of the use of HES solutions in the fluid management of critically ill patients. This analysis reveals a number of methodological issues in the three major studies that have initiated the recommendation of the European Medicine Agency to ban hydroxyethyl starches from clinical practice. It is concluded that, when used in the proper indication, and taking into account the recommended doses, hydroxyethyl starches continue to have a place in perioperative fluid management

The future of privacy - Addressing singularities to identify bright-line rules that speak to us

To apprehend the future of privacy I have opted for a controlled exploration of the issue, mainly taking the form of delamination: an exploration or assessment of privacy in a broad sense is not the object of this reflection. The focus is on technology-related privacy. Is the future of (some aspects of privacy) dependent on the future of technology? What is then the future of technology? What technology brings the future and what future brings technology? We know technology changes rapidly and we, law and technology lawyers or privacy lawyers, update ourselves constantly, including on the various technology-related concepts that come to us from other industries. One author sees a hype cycle at work with machine learning and blockchain currently peaking in the ‘must understand’-lists of technology and big data having lost already all its appea

Burnout in healthcare workers : prevalence, impact and preventative strategies

Approximately, one in three physicians is experiencing burnout at any given time. This may not only interfere with own wellbeing but also with the quality of delivered care. This narrative review discusses several aspects of the burnout syndrome: prevalence, symptoms, etiopathogenesis, diagnosis, impact, and strategies on how to deal with the problem