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Biomedical subjects

J M Eaton

Publications and source records attributed to J M Eaton.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Epidural analgesia following upper abdominal surgery: United Kingdom practice.

BACKGROUND: Epidural Analgesia (EA) may be used to provide pain relief after upper abdominal surgery. A variety of drugs and combinations may be used. Potential side effects lead some to believe EA should be restricted to high care areas. METHOD: The use of EA following upper abdominal surgery is surveyed in 214 hospitals in the United Kingdom by means of a postal questionnaire. RESULTS: Sixty-seven percent use EA frequently and 3% not at all. The low thoracic site is the most commonly used, by 65%. Forty-eight percent use a combination of sites. EA is most frequently achieved using a mixture of an opioid and a local anaesthetic (97%). No other agents are used. Fentanyl and diamorphine are the opioids used most widely (61% and 52% departments, respectively) in combination with local anaesthetic. Subcutaneous heparin is regularly used in 89% of departments. In 43%, the epidural is sited shortly after administering heparin. Use of EA is restricted solely to intensive or high-care units in 46% of hospitals. In 82% of departments, EA is continued for up to 72 h. Ninety-six percent of departments use continuous epidural infusions in the post-operative period. Adjunct analgesia includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in 50% of departments. An anaesthetist supervises EA in 89% of hospitals. EA is considered to be the best mode of analgesia available by 80% of respondents. CONCLUSION: EA is widely used in the United Kingdom following upper abdominal surgery. A degree of consensus exists on the choice of drug types, their method of administration and duration. There is no consensus as to whether the technique should be used on a general ward, which opioid should be used or the timing of heparin.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1992

Anaesthetic machine checking practices. A survey.

Forty anaesthetists, of all grades, were interviewed without prior warning and questioned about the checks they had performed on their anaesthetic equipment before use. The results reveal that a substantial percentage (up to 41%) of anaesthetists perform inadequate checks. Furthermore, of those that do, few follow the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland's recent guidelines.

Anesthesiology↗
PubMed1989

Is this really a muscle cramp?

Most muscle cramps are benign, but cramps that occur on exertion or in a patient with abnormal findings on physical examination or electromyography are usually caused by significant systemic disease. The most common systemic causes are metabolic diseases; central or peripheral nervous system diseases are less often responsible. Most systemic diseases that cause muscle cramps are amenable to specific treatment. If symptomatic treatment is desired, the first choice would appear to be stretching. If that is ineffective, carisoprodol (Rela, Soma, Soprodol), vitamin E, or verapamil hydrochloride (Calan, Isoptin) may be used. Quinine sulfate (Quine, Quinamm) is potentially toxic and may not be effective.

Carisoprodol↗
PubMed1987

Muscle disease--a primer.

True weakness, especially in the proximal muscles, is a symptom of muscle disease. In differential diagnosis, conditions mimicking myopathy can be excluded on the basis of physical findings, various tests, and when appropriate, muscle biopsy. Once myopathy has been diagnosed, the physician needs to determine whether the cause is toxic, endocrine, inflammatory, metabolic, dystrophic, or congenital. The distinguishing features of these categories help in reaching a specific diagnosis. Because most of the common myopathies can be treated, recognition is important.

Biopsy↗