Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to B L Duffy.
Epidural pethidine was compared with epidural saline for relief of pain from episiotomy wounds. Pethidine 25 mg administered by the lumbar epidural route produced significant analgesia. However, the incidence and severity of episiotomy pain are so variable that routine use of the technique is not recommended.
The reliability in providing a continued venous route to the circulation is compared between a winged needle (Abbott "Butterfly--23 INT") and a plastic catheter (Jelco Teflon "Catheter Placement Unit", 22 gauge). The catheter remained within the vein in all cases and had a much lower incidence of total obstruction during the study period. Where an intravenous infusion is not in place, a plastic catheter provides a more reliable access route to the circulation than does a winged needle.
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Conventional dressings do not always prevent epidural catheter movement into or out of the epidural space. Lack of transparency also prevents observation of the catheter and the puncture site. The "Op-site" surgical dressing is an adherent membrane which has prevented epidural catheter migration in 200 obstetrical patients. The transparent dressing was left uncovered in 100 of these patients so that the catheter could be readily seen and the presence of blood within the catheter could be detected at any time.
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Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
A rare case of bilateral hyperplasia of the mandibular coronoid processes is described in which blind intubation was performed using diethyl ether as the anaesthetic agent. Intra-oral surgery to remove the excess bone resulted in satisfactory mouth opening which was expected to improve further with physiotherapy.
In two of 93 fasting patients undergoing gynaecological laparoscopic procedures, there was evidence of gastric regurgitation to the pharynx. It is suggested that prophylactic measures should be taken in such patients to avoid the acid aspiration syndrome.
The analgesic properties of ethyl alcohol administered i.v. were investigated, using elevation of the pain threshold for applied somatic stimuli as an index. Alcohol proved markedly superior to saline in this respect and produced an effect equivalent to that of i.v. morphine.
Two patients in whom respiratory obstruction with an insidious onset occurred during the use of a Lapro endotracheal tube are described. In one patient, the valvular nature of the obstruction produced bilateral tension pneumothoraces.
A simple method of providing under-water-seal drainage using readily available equipment is described. It enables adequate treatment of pneumothorax to be instituted with the minimum delay.