Accidents do not happen--they are caused.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to P Sykes.
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Local anesthetics are the most widely administered drugs in dentistry. Significant advances have been made in past decades that have greatly increased both the safety and the efficacy of these important drugs. This paper reviews the history of local anesthesia, pharmacokinetics and clinical implications, techniques, complications, and future directions in the quest for more effective pain control in dentistry.
In the United Kingdom, the number of general anesthetics given under the National Health Service in general dental practice (excluding those given in hospitals) has declined steadily during the past 10 years. The mortality rate has also declined from approximately 1 in 200,000 (1952) to 1 in 2,000,000 (1990). These figures include deaths that occurred following treatment in hospitals and are divided almost equally between anesthetics given in hospitals and those given in dental practices. This paper examines the causes of deaths under dental general anesthesia and evaluates the proposals that have been made by the various official bodies appointed to consider the subject.
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Every dental office needs an adequate emergency treatment structure. While theoretical and practical pregraduate education in emergency medicine is included (in differing degrees) in the curricula of dental schools throughout the world, postgraduate training is generally undertaken on a voluntary basis. Repeated training in emergency techniques is encouraged for the dentist and dental office staff, as the trained and coordinated action of the whole team in the dental office is necessary when an emergency occurs. Whenever possible, a recognized risk factor should be eliminated or its possible influence minimized prior to dental treatment. Patients requiring immediate dental therapy will need appropriate monitoring, adequate application of systemically acting drugs, or even treatment under standby conditions. Diagnostic equipment as well as equipment for monitoring the respiratory and cardiovascular systems should be available. Several monitors (blood pressure, ECG, and pulsoximetry) have been introduced to dentistry and have their indications in special patient groups. Clear therapeutic concepts are the endpoint of proper emergency management. The restoration of an undisturbed vital function has to be achieved, followed by detailed therapy. Dentists should refresh their knowledge of emergency treatment techniques and prepare themselves with therapeutic guidelines.
The physical evaluation of the patient before and during anesthesia and sedation is assuming an ever greater importance with the advent of sophisticated and reliable monitoring devices. This paper reviews the possible methods of evaluation and describes the types of mechanical monitors most suited to the dental office.
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Antibodies to ribosomal P proteins are markers for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) but are often missed by assays utilizing routine immunofluorescence or immunoprecipitation. Expression of autoantigenic sites encoded by complementary DNA (cDNA) clones offers an inexpensive source of antigen for use in quantitative immunoassays. Using a monospecific ribosomal P positive serum to screen a human placental lambda gt11 expression library, a cDNA clone was isolated which reacted with all anti-P human sera tested. Autoantibodies which were affinity purified from the expressed cDNA reacted with the 38 kDa ribosomal Po protein and reactivity was blocked by absorption with recombinant fusion protein. A stable beta-galactosidase fusion protein of 150 kDa was partially purified by a simple differential centrifugation method and used in an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay to reliably quantitate anti-P responses, with a sensitivity and specificity equal to Western blotting. A survey of 84 normals and 151 patients with autoimmune diseases confirmed the high specificity of anti-P antibodies for SLE. The availability of cloned autoantigen will facilitate more detailed clinico-serologic correlations for anti-P antibodies.
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Gross metal poisoning as a causative factor in mental handicap is now relatively rare although historically it was important. Currently attention is being focused on the importance of chronic metal poisoning, there being much debate on, for instance, the possible effects of low levels of lead on intelligence in childhood. This paper examines the levels of a number of metals, both toxic and essential, in two groups of agitated patients in a long-stay psychiatric hospital in the UK. The two groups examined comprise 'hyperactive' mentally handicapped children and senile dementia patients, all of whom showed moderate to severe agitation. Blood and hair tissue were used to assess the body status of a number of metals and the results were compared with controls matched as closely as possible and from a similar hospital environment. The most significant findings are the raised levels of aluminium in the agitated senile dementia patients and the low levels of zinc and raised levels of lead in the hyperactive children.
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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.