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In intensive medicine we distinguish between intensive care units which have mostly observatory and monitoring functions and intensive therapy units. For the surgical patients of the ear, nose, and throat department the intensive care units are probably of greater significance. The following play an important role: Preoperative work-up including laboratory fluoroscopy and x-rays, pulmonary function tests and blood gas analysis; induction of anesthesia, access to good veins, gastric intubation, urinary bladder catheterization; maintenance of anesthesia and postoperative observation, fluid balance, oral and parenteral feeding, tracheostomy care, bronchial toilet; inhalation therapy. The last receives an extensive discussion.

The development of interdisciplinary pain clinics is discussed; the organization and staffing is described, and an outline plan is presented. It is emphasized that interdisciplinary pain clincis are the best means of medical care for patients suffering from chronic pain.

Five to six millions of hypertensives live in the Federal Republic of Germany. Of these, about 70% are known to be hypertensives but only 30% are consistently treated. It is therefore not surprising that hypertension is one of the most common risk factors in patients who have to be operatively treated. The commonly approved principles of hypertensive therapy are compiled in the present study and classified with reference to the multivarious pathophysiological processes. In particular, special anesthesiologic problems are dealt with in detail. Furthermore, this paper provides the basic knowledge of the artificial fall in blood pressure under anesthetic conditions.