Postoperative pressure sores after epidural anaesthesia. Informed nursing care is needed.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J A Wildsmith.
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Increased QT dispersion is a marker for cardiac morbidity and mortality. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a potent myocardial toxin and this report describes the change in QT dispersion during intensive care therapy for severe CO poisoning.
A postal survey of NHS hospital-based anaesthetists providing out-patient anaesthesia for dental procedures in children under 10 years of age was conducted in February 1999. Information was sought about quality of care and common practice in Scotland. The experience of the anaesthetists involved in such work was substantial, but the monitoring used did not meet current standards, with only 16% of respondents indicating use of a full range of standard devices. Separate recovery facilities were available to 99%, and all had access to a defibrillator, but the qualifications of dedicated assistant and recovery staff were lacking in 14 and 30%, respectively. Intravenous access was not obtained routinely after inhalational induction of anaesthesia by up to 71% (49%, never; 22%, sometimes). Systemic analgesia or local anaesthesia was used by 88%. Discharge times ranged from 10 min to 6 h.
A computerised database of operating theatre activity was used to estimate the costs of regional and general anaesthesia for varicose vein and inguinal hernia surgery. Data retrieved for each procedure included the anaesthetic technique and drugs used, and the duration of anaesthesia, surgery and recovery. The costs of anaesthetic drugs and disposables, salary costs of the anaesthetic personnel and maintenance costs for anaesthetic equipment were considered. Drugs and disposables accounted for approximately 25% of the total cost of an anaesthetic. Anaesthetic times were 5 min longer for regional anaesthesia, but recovery times were 10 min shorter following regional anaesthesia for varicose vein surgery. Staff costs were dependent on the length of time each staff member spent with the patient. Although the number of cases was small, provision of a field block and sedation for inguinal hernia repair was considerably cheaper than other anaesthetic techniques.
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We describe three histaminoid reactions occurring on induction of anaesthesia. The patients were all resuscitated successfully and subsequent skin testing suggested sensitivity to rocuronium. In this hospital, the incidence of such reactions is of the order of 1 in 3000. This may be coincidental but suggests that there should be close monitoring of the incidence of reactions to rocuronium. Review of the cases suggests that current guidelines on management are not always followed.
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We studied 34 patients undergoing elective repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm under combined general anaesthesia and epidural block to evaluate the acute effects of diaspirin crosslinked haemoglobin (DCLHb) 50, 100 and 200 mg kg-1 i.v. Haemodynamic variables were measured continuously using pulmonary and radial artery catheters, and oxygen delivery and consumption were calculated at regular intervals. DCLHb was shown to be vasoactive, producing an increase in mean arterial pressure of approximately 25% with each dose, with small decreases in cardiac index and calculated oxygen delivery. These effects persisted beyond the end of infusion and provided a degree of cardiovascular stability during the operative procedure. The effects of DCLHb on oxygen consumption at these doses were minimal.
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OBJECTIVE: To identify the true nature of an acute reaction in 25 patients initially diagnosed as allergic to local anaesthetic drugs. SETTING: University General and Dental Hospitals. INTERVENTIONS: Detailed review of each patient's previous exposure to local anaesthetic drugs and of the history of the acute event was followed up with challenge testing by intradermal injection. RESULTS: One patient was subsequently found to be genuinely allergic to a local anaesthetic drug of the amide type. A wide range of conditions had actually precipitated the other adverse reactions, but all could be classified under three major headings: an immunological condition to a different antigen; a manifestation of anxiety; or an iatrogenic problem. CONCLUSION: Local anaesthetic allergy is rare, but does occur. All reactions to local anaesthetic drugs must be assessed carefully and specialist referral may be appropriate.