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Biomedical subjects

J G Stone

Publications and source records attributed to J G Stone.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Do standard monitoring sites reflect true brain temperature when profound hypothermia is rapidly induced and reversed?

BACKGROUND: Brain temperature is closely approximated by most body temperature measurements under normal anesthetic conditions. However, when thermal autoregulation is overridden, large temperature gradients may prevail. This study sought to determine which of the standard temperature monitoring sites best approximates brain temperature when deep hypothermia is rapidly induced and reversed during cardiopulmonary bypass. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients underwent cardiopulmonary bypass and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest in order for each to have a giant cerebral aneurysm surgically clipped. Brain temperatures were measured directly with a thermocouple embedded in the cerebral cortex. Eight other body temperatures were monitored simultaneously with less invasive sensors at standard sites. RESULTS: Brain temperature decreased from 32.6 +/- 1.4 degrees C (mean +/- SD) to 16.7 +/- 1.7 degrees C in 28 +/- 7 min, for an average cerebral cooling rate of 0.59 +/- 0.15 degrees C/min. Circulatory arrest lasted 24 +/- 15 min and was followed by 63 +/- 17 min of rewarming at 0.31 +/- 0.09 degrees C/min. None of the monitored sites tracked cerebral temperature well throughout the entire hypothermic period. During rapid temperature change, nasopharyngeal, esophageal, and pulmonary artery temperatures corresponded to brain temperature with smaller mean differences than did those of the tympanic membrane, bladder, rectum, axilla, and sole of the foot. At circulatory arrest, nasopharyngeal, esophageal, and pulmonary artery mean temperatures were within 1 degree C of brain temperature, even though individual patients frequently exhibited disparate values at those sites. CONCLUSIONS: When profound hypothermia is rapidly induced and reversed, temperature measurements made at standard monitoring sites may not reflect cerebral temperature. Measurements from the nasopharynx, esophagus, and pulmonary artery tend to match brain temperature best but only with an array of data can one feel comfortable disregarding discordant readings.

Adult↗

Deliberate mild intraoperative hypothermia for craniotomy.

BACKGROUND: Despite enthusiasm for the use of mild hypothermia during neurosurgical procedures, this therapy has not been evaluated systematically. This study examined the feasibility and safety of deliberate mild hypothermia and rewarming. METHODS: Thirty patients scheduled for craniotomy were assigned to either a normothermic or mildly hypothermic group. Tympanic membrane temperature was monitored at anesthetic induction, throughout the isoflurane-fentanyl-N2O-O2 anesthetic, and for 18 h postoperatively. Normothermic patients were warmed to 36.5-37.0 degrees C after an initial temperature decrease, and hypothermic patients were cooled to 35 degrees C. In the hypothermic group temperatures were allowed to drift to 34.5 degrees C before rewarming was initiated. Water blankets and convective heating devices were used to cool and rewarm. RESULTS: The minimum temperature achieved by the hypothermic group was 34.3 +/- 0.4 degrees C. Cooling occurred at a rate of 1.0 +/- 0.4 degrees C/h. Rewarming took place at a rate of 0.7 +/- 0.6 degrees C/h (range 0.1-1.8) in the hypothermic group. Hypothermia did not delay emergence from anesthesia (20 +/- 15 min) compared with normothermia (15 +/- 15 min, P = .45). Mean temperature upon intensive care unit admission was 35.8 +/- 1.0 degrees C for the hypothermic group and 37.1 +/- 0.5 degrees C for the normothermic group (P < 0.0001). The hypothermic patients had more postoperative shivering. From 8 to 18 h postoperatively the temperatures of the two groups were similar except for a slightly greater temperature in the hypothermic patients at 12 h (37.6 +/- 0.5 vs. 37.3 +/- 0.4 degrees C, P = .029). CONCLUSIONS: Although deliberate mild hypothermia is easily achieved intraoperatively, complete rewarming may be difficult to attain during craniotomy with current methods. In addition to the need for determining whether deliberate mild hypothermia confers cerebral protection in humans, the potential risks of the therapy need to be further characterized.

Aged↗

Cardiac performance preserved despite thiopental loading.

BACKGROUND: Some cerebral artery aneurysms require cardiopulmonary bypass and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest to be clipped safely. During bypass these neurosurgical patients often are given large doses of thiopental in the hope that additional cerebral protection will be provided. However, thiopental loading during bypass has been associated with subsequent cardiac dysfunction in patients with heart disease. This study was undertaken to determine how patients without concomitant heart disease would respond to thiopental loading. METHODS: Twenty-four neurosurgical patients with giant cerebral aneurysms and little or no cardiac disease were anesthetized with fentanyl, nitrous oxide, and isoflurane. Thiopental was titrated to achieve electroencephalographic burst-suppression before bypass, and the infusion was continued until after separation. Prebypass hemodynamic and echocardiographic measurements were obtained during a stable baseline and 15 min after thiopental loading began. They were repeated after bypass. RESULTS: Prebypass thiopental loading increased heart rate from 61 +/- 11 to 72 +/- 13 beats/min and decreased stroke volume from 43 +/- 10 to 38 +/- 8 ml.beat-1.m-2, but arterial and filling pressures, vascular resistance, cardiac index, and ejection fraction remained the same. Before bypass, thiopental plasma concentration measured 28 +/- 8 micrograms/ml. Loading continued for 2-3 h until after bypass was terminated, and the overall infusion rate was 18 +/- 5 mg.kg-1.h-1. All patients were easily separated from bypass without inotropic support. Following bypass, vascular resistance was decreased; heart rate, filling pressures, and cardiac index were increased; stroke volume had returned to its baseline; and ejection fraction was unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that if preoperative ventricular function is good, thiopental loading to electroencephalographic burst-suppression causes negligible cardiac impairment and does not impede separation from cardiopulmonary bypass.

Adult↗

Prophylactic nitroglycerin infusion during noncardiac surgery does not reduce perioperative ischemia.

We evaluated the impact of prophylactic nitroglycerin on the incidence of perioperative myocardial ischemia in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease who undergo noncardiac surgery. Our goals were to better define the role of nitroglycerin in the management of high-risk patients and to explore the mechanisms of perioperative myocardial ischemia. Patients were assigned randomly to either a control group (n = 23) or to receive 0.9 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 of intravenous nitroglycerin (n = 22). The diagnosis of myocardial ischemia was based on a review of Holter electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings. There was no difference in the incidence of ischemia between groups. Seven control patients (30%) and seven nitroglycerin patients (32%) exhibited ECG evidence of ischemia. The preponderance of myocardial ischemia occurred during emergence from anesthesia (of the 14 patients exhibiting ischemia, 12 did so at emergence). There was an acute increase in heart rate at the onset of ischemia in all patients exhibiting ischemia with 14 of 18 episodes associated with an increase of 20% or greater. The heart rate associated with the onset of ischemia was greater in the nitroglycerin-treated patients than in the control group. We also found that the occurrence of myocardial ischemia on a preoperative Holter recording was strongly predictive of the subsequent occurrence of perioperative ischemia. In conclusion, the addition of nitroglycerin to standard anesthetic management of these high-risk patients does not measurably reduce perioperative ischemia.

Aged↗

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of rocuronium (Org 9426) in elderly surgical patients.

The effects of age on the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic responses to rocuronium (Org 9426) were studied in 20 elderly (> 70 yr) and 20 younger control patients (< 60 yr) during N2O/O2, fentanyl anesthesia. The onset times were the same for both the elderly and younger control group, but the duration of action of rocuronium was significantly prolonged in the elderly patients. Elderly patients, when compared with the younger, also exhibited a significant decrease in plasma clearance (3.67 +/- 1.0 vs 5.03 +/- 1.5 mL.kg-1.min-1, mean +/- SD) and volume of distribution (399 +/- 122 vs 553 +/- 279 mL/kg, mean +/- SD). During the recovery phase of paralysis, no significant difference was seen in the log plasma concentration versus twitch tension response relationship between 20% and 80% paralysis in young and elderly patients receiving rocuronium. The differences in action of rocuronium between the elderly and younger groups can be fully explained by the observed differences in the distribution and elimination of rocuronium between the two groups. The decreased total body water and decreased liver mass which normally accompany aging are likely explanations for the pharmacokinetic changes found in the elderly in this study. We conclude that the action of rocuronium is prolonged in patients aged more than 70 yr because of decreased elimination of the drug.

Adult↗

Moving on: recovering from the death of a spouse.

Grieving is a complex multidimensional process in response to loss. The grief work involved in coping with a loved one's death does not end when the loved one dies. Rather, the grief work continues through a series of recovery stages. Six stages of recovery--loss, protest, searching, despair, reorganization, and reinvestment--are illustrated and discussed using a case study that highlights a wife's recovery from the death of her husband. Recognition of the stages of grief recovery after a death are significant for health care professionals so that bereavement support may be provided throughout the entire recovery process.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Dose-related effects of isoflurane associated with low plasma concentrations of verapamil on global and regional function in normal and compromised canine myocardium.

Global and regional myocardial functions were studied in seven open-chest dogs with constant low plasma concentrations of verapamil as increasing concentrations of isoflurane (0.75, 1, 1.5 MAC) were administered in the presence of normal myocardial perfusion and after application of critical constriction of the left anterior descending coronary artery. In the presence of verapamil, increases in isoflurane concentrations caused dose-dependent myocardial depression both before and after critical coronary constriction. The systemic and coronary vasodilatation associated with high concentrations of isoflurane did not occur in the presence of verapamil. The association of verapamil with isoflurane caused regional myocardial dysfunction that worsened at high isoflurane concentrations. This regional dysfunction could not be antagonized in two dogs. The effects of isoflurane on regional function were not modified by application of a critical coronary constriction.

Animals↗

The grief process: a preparation for death.

Despite the multitude of losses we experience in our lifetime, death is likely to be the most paramount. Acceptance of losses and death takes time and energy as an individual passes through various phases of a process known as the grief process. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross (1969) has defined five stages in the grief process that individuals pass through in moving toward acceptance of losses. A case study has been presented to share one family's journey through these five stages. If a strict disease-oriented viewpoint is adopted, then the case was a failure: the patient died. From an emotional and spiritual viewpoint, however, this individual and his family achieved success, as they had time to complete their journey to acceptance.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest for the management of complex anterior and posterior circulation aneurysms.

Giant aneurysm surgery continues to be a technically difficult task with high operative morbidity. Recent advances in cardiac surgery have fueled interest in the technique of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest for the treatment of giant and complex intracranial aneurysms. Fourteen patients with giant intracranial aneurysms operated on with the technique of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest are presented. All 14 aneurysms were successfully treated. There were 2 intraoperative strokes: 1 resulted in severe disability and 1 resulted in mild disability. No significant neurological complications were related to the technique of cardiopulmonary bypass with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. This initial experience indicates that patients with giant and complex intracranial aneurysms might benefit from a surgical approach that included the use of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest.

Adolescent↗

Effect of massive intraoperative thiopental loading on cardiovascular hemodynamics and myocardial performance.

Anesthetics that protect the brain may also depress the heart. We recently anesthetized a patient with a giant cerebral aneurysm of the basilar artery who had it clipped during circulatory arrest. Thiopental loading was carried out prior to and during cardiopulmonary bypass, and we monitored transesophageal echocardiographic function and the hemodynamic profile throughout. The patient demonstrated little change in cardiovascular parameters or myocardial performance, and we conclude that the massive dose of thiopental was well tolerated.

Journal Article↗

Influence of temperature on in vitro metabolism of esmolol.

Esmolol has been used to improve hemodynamic stability during sternotomy and aortic manipulation for coronary artery bypass graft surgery. In order to investigate the alterations of esmolol metabolism by hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), the effect of temperature on the metabolism of esmolol in vitro was determined. Samples of human whole blood were combined with esmolol solution (50 micrograms/mL in 0.9 mol/L NaCl) and incubated at 4 degrees C, 15 degrees C, 25 degrees C, and 37 degrees C. Aliquots were sampled at 1, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60, and 120 minutes; esmolol concentration was determined using high-pressure liquid chromatography. There was a temperature-dependent decrease in the degradation of esmolol. The half-life for esmolol in human blood was 19.6 +/- 3.8 minutes at 37 degrees C, 47 +/- 10.1 minutes at 25 degrees C, 152 +/- 46.6 minutes at 15 degrees C, and 226.7 +/- 60.1 minutes at 4 degrees C. This study clearly shows marked reduction of esmolol metabolism with hypothermia possibly leading to persistent beta-adrenergic blockade following the discontinuation of CPB. Persistent beta-blockade may provide additional protection to the ischemic myocardium during hypothermic arrest and/or result in difficulty in weaning from CPB.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

Is sufentanil removed by blood conservation devices?

To conserve blood during open heart surgery, cell savers and hemoconcentrators are used. Cell savers retrieve and filter shed blood from the operative field and then wash and separate reconcentrated erythrocytes from a supernatant by centrifugation. Hemoconcentrators are extracorporeal devices that extract an ultrafiltrate from the circulating perfusate during cardiopulmonary bypass. Both cell saver supernatant and hemoconcentrator ultrafiltrate are discarded. Twenty patients were anesthetized with a single dose of sufentanil, 30 microg/kg, and the cell saver supernatant and hemoconcentrator ultrafiltrate were analyzed for sufentanil. The supernatant contained only 0.1% of the total administered dose. Hemoconcentrators from two different manufacturers were tested, and 0.1% of the administered sufentanil was detected in one ultrafiltrate and none was found in the other. Thirty minutes after induction of anesthesia, the plasma sufentanil concentration was 8.5 ng/mL (1.3% of the given dose); 1 hour later, it was 4.9 ng/mL (0.8%). During cardiopulmonary bypass, the plasma level decreased to 2.5 ng/mL (0.6%); after bypass, it fell to 1.5 ng/mL (0.3%). It is concluded that intravenous (IV) sufentanil rapidly leaves the plasma compartment, and little remains available to be extracted by the devices used to process and conserve blood.

Aged↗

Risk of myocardial ischaemia during anaesthesia in treated and untreated hypertensive patients.

Hypertensive patients were monitored for myocardial ischaemia during anaesthesia and surgery with the V5 lead of a standard electrocardiograph. Myocardial ischaemia was detected in 11 of 39 untreated hypertensive patients and in four of seven receiving therapy with a diuretic, but in none of 44 receiving atenolol. Fourteen of the atenolol-treated patients were receiving the drug on a long-term basis and the remaining 30 were treated acutely only on the morning of surgery. When myocardial ischaemia was observed, it was always associated with noxious stimulation and tachycardia, but a conspicuous increase in arterial pressure was not usually present. We conclude that myocardial ischaemia is prevalent during anaesthesia in untreated hypertensive patients, and that pretreatment with atenolol, but not diuretics, provides prophylaxis.

Anesthesia↗

Myocardial ischemia in untreated hypertensive patients: effect of a single small oral dose of a beta-adrenergic blocking agent.

In a non-double-blind, prospective, randomized study, the intra-operative electrocardiograms of 128 mildly hypertensive surgical patients were examined in order to determine the incidence of myocardial ischemia during anesthesia. No patient had been receiving chronic antihypertensive therapy prior to the study, but a single small oral dose of a beta-adrenergic blocking agent (labetalol, atenolol, or oxprenolol) was given to 89 of them along with premedication. Forty-four per cent of the untreated control patients and 61% of the patients pretreated with a beta-adrenergic blocking agent had normal preoperative electrocardiograms and no risk factors for coronary artery disease other than hypertension (this difference between groups was not statistically significant). During tracheal intubation and/or emergence from anesthesia, a brief, self-limited episode of myocardial ischemia was detected in 11 of 39 untreated control patients, and in two of 89 patients pretreated with a beta-adrenergic blocking agent (P less than 0.001). Tachycardia always accompanied the ischemic events, but a conspicuous increase in blood pressure did not. The authors conclude that mild hypertension, when untreated prior to the induction of anesthesia, is associated with a high incidence of myocardial ischemia; and that a single small oral dose of a beta-adrenergic blocking agent, given with pre-medication, can significantly reduce that risk.

Administration, Oral↗

Global and regional myocardial blood flow and metabolism during equipotent halothane and isoflurane anesthesia in patients with coronary artery disease.

Global and regional myocardial blood flow and metabolism were examined in 20 patients with coronary artery disease before surgical stimulation. Half were anesthetized with halothane (0.8%) and half with isoflurane (1.2%). Coronary perfusion pressure decreased similarly in both groups. During halothane anesthesia coronary sinus blood flow, an index of global perfusion, decreased from an awake value of 129 +/- 7 to 97 +/- 7 ml/min (P less than 0.05), and great cardiac vein blood flow, an index of regional perfusion, decreased from 60 +/- 8 to 44 +/- 5 ml/min (P less than 0.05). In contrast, during isoflurane anesthesia global coronary blood flow increased from 131 +/- 13 to 153 +/- 16 ml/min (P less than 0.05), while regional blood flow decreased from 68 +/- 7 to 56 +/- 6 ml/min (P less than 0.05). Thus, the ratio of great cardiac vein blood flow to coronary sinus blood flow was unchanged during halothane anesthesia but decreased significantly during isoflurane. Neither global nor regional coronary vascular resistance was altered by halothane, whereas isoflurane decreased global coronary vascular resistance without affecting regional coronary vascular resistance. All patients receiving halothane had net myocardial lactate extraction. In the isoflurane group, four patients showed global lactate production and three regional lactate production. All patients demonstrating lactate production also developed electrocardiographic evidence of myocardial ischemia, which was not present before induction. The authors conclude that halothane is a preferable anesthetic to isoflurane in patients with coronary artery disease because the latter has the propensity to induce maldistribution of the coronary circulation and myocardial ischemia.

Adult↗