Echocardiography is the most commonly used imaging method for evaluating the heart. It plays a central role in the cardiology routine and in acute and emergency situations, and is an essential component of the medical decision-making process. In spite of its high clinical relevance, national recommendations standardizing the examination procedure, equipment settings, and image documentation have been lacking. The present guidelines were created by the German Society for Ultrasound in Medicine and the German Cardiac Society in coordination with the German Society of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, German Society of Internal Medicine, Professional Association of German Internists, and the German Association of Cardiologists in Private Practice. The recommendations were formulated in consensus, published as draft guidelines, and finalized by the participating professional associations after evaluation of the feedback. The document meets the criteria for S2k guidelines in accordance with the Association of Scientific Medical Societies in Germany and defines binding standards for performing transthoracic echocardiography. The guidelines define which images and measurements are required to ensure valid and reproducible findings. The main recommendations relate to device settings, image acquisition, the minimum dataset to be acquired, and the definition of focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS). The complete long version of the guidelines is available on the website of the Association of Scientific Medical Societies in Germany. NOTE : The short version of this guideline is being published simultaneously in the journals Ultraschall in der Medizin - European Journal of Ultrasound and Die Kardiologie.

Nosebleed, also known as epistaxis, is a common problem that occurs at some point in at least 60% of people in the United States. While the great majority of nosebleeds are limited in severity and duration, about 6% of people who experience nosebleeds will seek medical attention. For the purposes of this guideline, we define the target patient with a nosebleed as a patient with bleeding from the nostril, nasal cavity, or nasopharynx that is sufficient to warrant medical advice or care. This includes bleeding that is severe, persistent, and/or recurrent, as well as bleeding that impacts a patient's quality of life. Interventions for nosebleeds range from self-treatment and home remedies to more intensive procedural interventions in medical offices, emergency departments, hospitals, and operating rooms. Epistaxis has been estimated to account for 0.5% of all emergency department visits and up to one-third of all otolaryngology-related emergency department encounters. Inpatient hospitalization for aggressive treatment of severe nosebleeds has been reported in 0.2% of patients with nosebleeds.

Nosebleed, also known as epistaxis, is a common problem that occurs at some point in at least 60% of people in the United States. While the majority of nosebleeds are limited in severity and duration, about 6% of people who experience nosebleeds will seek medical attention. For the purposes of this guideline, we define the target patient with a nosebleed as a patient with bleeding from the nostril, nasal cavity, or nasopharynx that is sufficient to warrant medical advice or care. This includes bleeding that is severe, persistent, and/or recurrent, as well as bleeding that impacts a patient's quality of life. Interventions for nosebleeds range from self-treatment and home remedies to more intensive procedural interventions in medical offices, emergency departments, hospitals, and operating rooms. Epistaxis has been estimated to account for 0.5% of all emergency department visits and up to one-third of all otolaryngology-related emergency department encounters. Inpatient hospitalization for aggressive treatment of severe nosebleeds has been reported in 0.2% of patients with nosebleeds.

Following weight loss after bariatric surgery, many people seek body contouring to help with troublesome excess skin. The care of these patients frequently involves a primary practitioner. Understanding the basic concepts of body contouring can help patients with these disorders. We review commonly performed body-contouring procedures that treat excess skin of the abdomen, arms, and thighs in the patient experiencing massive weight loss postbariatric procedures. Key concepts and techniques are highlighted with visual aids to help with understanding.