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Biomedical subjects

R F Morgan

Publications and source records attributed to R F Morgan.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
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Anesthetic properties and toxicity of bupivacaine and lidocaine for infiltration anesthesia.

The purpose of this study was to measure the toxicity and anesthetic properties of two anesthetic agents, bupivacaine and lidocaine. These anesthetic agents did not damage tissue defenses or invite infection in experimental animals. In addition, the pain of subdermal injection, the onset of anesthesia, and the frequency of satisfactory anesthesia in human volunteers were remarkably similar. Because the duration of anesthesia induced by bupivacaine was nearly four times longer than that by lidocaine, bupivacaine is recommended for infiltration anesthesia of lacerations treated in the emergency department.

Anesthesia↗
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Congenital giant hairy nevus: implications for treatment.

Congenital giant hairy nevi represent a special group of melanocytic lesions which generally cover large areas of the body surface. Giant hairy nevi assume special significance because of their predisposition to malignant transformation. Adequate treatment of this lesion involves complete surgical excision as early in the child's life as possible.

Adult↗
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Biomechanical performance of laser-drilled and channel taper point needles.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the biomechanical performance of laser-drilled and channel needle swages. The laser-drilled swages have a more uniform circumference that encounters lower drag forces than the channel needle swages. In addition, the length of the laser-drilled hole is shorter than that of the channel needles, allowing the physician to grasp the laser-drilled needle close (3 mm) to the needle end without deformation. These benefits of laser-drilled swages indicate that they should replace all channel needles.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy after a minor electric shock.

A 37-year-old right-handed female sustained a minor electric shock to her right hand while changing a bulb in a Kodak Reliant Intelligent Microfilmer 2000. She noted a progressive onset of parasthesias of her right hand that became associated with throbbing pain at rest, as well as swelling and profound weakness of her hand during the next two months. Plethysmography demonstrated arterial vasoconstriction of her right hand. Her reflex sympathetic dystrophy was successfully treated with cervicothoracic sympathetic blocks.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Biomechanical performance of microsurgical spatula needles for the repair of nail bed injuries.

The purpose of this study was to determine the mechanical performance of microsurgical spatula needles for repair of nail bed injuries. Standard biomechanical tests have been devised to evaluate the performance of microsurgical spatula needles. Two comparable groups of microsurgical spatula needles were selected from two different manufacturers for these biomechanical studies. The results of this testing demonstrated that needle point geometry and needle composition were important determinants of needle performance. When needles of comparable size were evaluated, the biomechanical performance of the CS160-8 spatula needle (Ethicon, Inc., Somerville, NJ) was superior to the C-5 spatula needles (Alcon, Inc., Fort Worth, TX). While the development of these biomechanical tests has allowed the evaluation of these microsurgical spatula needles, these same tests can be used to assess the performance of new microsurgical spatula needles.

Alloys↗
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A serious skin sulfur mustard burn from an artillery shell.

Despite the Geneva Protocol of 1925 and the Paris Conference on Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in 1989, sulfur mustard and other chemical weapons continue to pose a hazard to both civilians and soldiers. The presence of artillery shells containing sulfur mustard, both in waters where these shells were dumped and in old battlefields, presents a problem in times of peace, especially for those who collect wartime memorabilia. Past literature has reported several hundred incidents involving fishermen who inadvertently pulled leaking shells aboard their fishing vessels, thereby exposing themselves to the vesicant chemical. Other literature reports exposure to children who found the chemical shells in old battlefields. The purpose of this article is to report the first case of a serious sulfur mustard burn that occurred after removing the detonator from an old artillery shell in a historic battle field near Verdun, France. The circumstances surrounding the injury, the diagnosis and management of injuries secondary to sulfur mustard, and the long-term consequences to the patient are presented and discussed. Although skin grafting has been used in the management of other chemical burn injuries, this report is the first to describe the need for split-thickness skin grafts in the management of a patient with sulfur mustard burns.

Burns, Chemical↗
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A new glove puncture detection system.

A new glove detection system has been developed for early and accurate detection of a hole in the glove. It consists of an inner glove colored by a green dye and outer glove. When a breach in the outer glove occurs, the inner glove develops a dark patch around the needle puncture hole, a visible indicator for immediate glove change. Using a computerized needle penetration system, the immediate and maximal penetration forces as well as the work required for needle penetration of this new double glove was significantly greater than those encountered with either the inner or outer glove tested separately. In addition to hole detection, this double glove provides increased protection against needle penetration.

Coloring Agents↗
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Accidental hypothermia: a potential life-threatening hazard of automobile platform lifts.

The wheelchair/scooter of a patient with a relapsing-remitting form of multiple sclerosis was immobilized after inadvertent slippage of the rear wheels of his scooter off an automobile platform lift during travel. While waiting 45 min for the rescue squad, he developed mild hypothermia that responded to passive external rewarming techniques. This potentially life-threatening injury could have been prevented by using a platform lift equipped with full inboard and outboard roll-stop barriers on the platform.

Automobiles↗
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Surgical glove lubricants: from toxicity to opportunity.

In most emergency departments, surgical gloves are coated with surface powders that act as lubricants to facilitate donning. Cornstarch powder is an absorbable powder employed as a donning agent on most powdered gloves. Talcum powder, a nonabsorbable powder, is used as a mold release agent in glove manufacture and is still commonly found on the surfaces of modern surgical gloves. These powders are foreign bodies that elicit inflammatory responses, leading to a wide number of symptoms and complications. The best method of preventing clinical complications from glove powder is to use powder-free gloves.

Gloves, Surgical↗
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Asymptomatic jaundice after fasting: a diagnostic dilemma.

An 18-year-old female with asymptomatic jaundice presented to the emergency department after fasting. She was referred to the regional medical center for evaluation and treatment. The diagnosis of Gilbert's syndrome was made by fractionation of serum unconjugated and conjugated bilirubin fraction by alkaline methanolysis, followed by thin-layer chromatography and analysis of fasting-state levels of cholyl conjugated bile acids. Methods for diagnosing this disorder are discussed.

Adolescent↗
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Mechanical performance of exertubing for isotonic hand exercise.

The purpose of this study was to determine the mechanical performance of hollow latex rubber tubes used for hand rehabilitation. The results of this investigation provide load extension profiles of each tube that document the forces required to elongate the tube to a specific length. By relating these mechanical performance tests to quantitative measures of hand strength, an individualized exercise prescription can be designed for rehabilitation of the injured hand.

Burns↗
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Pulse oximetry for vascular monitoring in burned upper extremities.

The reliability and accuracy of pulse oximetry as a monitoring device in deep superficial and full-thickness circumferential burns of the upper extremity were evaluated clinically. Pulse oximetry was correlated with the laser Doppler flowmeter experimentally in healthy volunteers. By continuously monitoring oxygen saturation levels, the pulse oximeter detected extremity hypoxia before it resulted in an adverse outcome. Extremities exhibiting oxygen saturation above 95% were treated with early excision and skin grafting without escharotomy. Extremities with O2 saturations of less than 95% underwent immediate escharotomy with return to normal saturation levels. The pulse oximeter is easy to use by nursing personnel; is noninvasive and accurate; and displays the oxygen saturation level within seconds.

Arm↗
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Modern concept for a new, improved microporous skin-closure tape.

A new improved skin-closure tape, Proxi-Strip, has been developed. It has unique performance and handling characteristics that are ideally suited for wound closure. Most importantly, its adhesive provides a strong level of shear adherence to the skin. Its backing is extensive under low forces to accommodate swelling of the underlying tissue. Its great air porosity and water transmission rates augur well for the presence of dry skin under the tape. An antistatic compound has been added to the tape that maintains its flat configuration and facilitates its application to skin. On the basis of these unique performance and handling characteristics, Proxi-Strip skin-closure tape is recommended for wound closure.

Adhesiveness↗
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Computerized analysis of isokinetic torque curves for muscle strengthening.

Isokinetic exercise measurements are widely used in rehabilitation medicine for evaluation and treatment planning. Computerized peak torque, work, and power measurements in isokinetic exercise can be obtained reliably when testing muscles that cross the knee and elbow joints. Important technical considerations in torque curve analysis are axis alignment, instrument calibration, and damp and gravity correction factors. The usefulness of these measurements has been limited by the small number of accurate scientific studies providing valid normative data on healthy individuals.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗
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Biomechanical performance of devices that enhance joint extensibility in the behind-the-back reach test.

Several devices (flexible ladder, towel, cord) have been recommended for use in physical therapy to enhance the range of motion of the joints involved in the behind-the-back reach test. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical performance of these devices by measuring the maximum forces applied to the devices during the behind-the-back reach test. The performance of all of these devices during the behind-the-back reach test was remarkably similar.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Special considerations in the management of a patient with multiple sclerosis and a burn injury.

The purposes of this report were to describe a successful treatment of a burn injury in a patient with multiple sclerosis as well as to outline specific aspects of therapy that contributed to minimizing the risk of complications in this challenging patient. Multiple sclerosis is the leading cause of neurologic morbidity and death among young adults. It is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that involves the autonomic and somatic components and is characterized by a primary destruction of myelin. The demyelinated nerves exhibit an increased temperature sensitivity that accounts for the adverse effects of elevated core temperature on the neurologic signs and symptoms of this disease. Because burn injury, infection, and vigorous exercise elicit an elevation of core temperature with an accompanying deterioration in neurologic function, lowering the elevated core body temperature is mandatory. The dysautonomias of multiple sclerosis may be as devastating as their somatic counterparts and may have life-threatening implications. In recent years, advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of central nervous system dysfunction have enabled physicians to improve dramatically the management of symptoms in multiple sclerosis without significantly altering the progressive long-term course of the disease.

Body Temperature↗