Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

G R Fernie

Publications and source records attributed to G R Fernie.

42 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

An experimental evaluation of spinal flexibility with respect to scoliosis surgery.

Lateral flexibility of the spinal column was investigated by mechanical analysis and by experiments on fresh cadavers. The work was undertaken with the aim of improving the surgical treatment of scoliosis by quantifying the effects of ribs and transverse processes on lateral spinal flexibility. To this end, flexibilities before and after removal of the bony elements in cadavers' spines were compared. A portable instrument was built to apply loads to the spines. Generally, the spines were tested in the following sequence of conditions: intact, resected ribs on one side, resected ribs and transverse processes on the same side. The results from nine cadavers indicate that only rib resection on the tension side of the induced curve (scoliotic concavity) significantly increased spinal flexibility. It is concluded that the surgical correction of scoliotic curves with instrumentation and fusion is maximized with rib osteotomy or resection.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bladder volume estimation in the elderly using a portable ultrasound-based measurement device.

We assessed the accuracy and ease of use of the BladderScan (BVI 2000) portable ultrasound-based bladder volume measurement device in a geriatric outpatient population. The Geriatric Continence Clinic nurse and physician each made 73 measurements on 36 subjects. Although the correlation coefficients between the true and ultrasound measurements were highly significant the mean differences were significantly different from zero. We suggest that, rather than considering the correlation coefficient, the accuracy required of the device should be described by a function of estimated versus true bladder volume. This function should vary depending on each particular decision-making process in which the estimate of volume is to be used. This instrument automatically estimates bladder volume once the user has completed the image creation and selection part of the process. The users in this study had difficulties with this imaging process. Possible ways in which the device's automated signal processing and volume calculation algorithms could be improved became evident during this study and are discussed.

Adult↗