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Biomedical subjects

R K Parikh

Publications and source records attributed to R K Parikh.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

Prolonged postoperative analgesia for arthrolysis of the elbow joint.

We describe the provision of postoperative analgesia for 6 days for a patient undergoing arthrolysis of the elbow joint. Mobilization of the elbow immediately after operation is essential to maintain movement achieved with surgery and this can be obtained only with effective pain relief. We used continuous infusion of 0.125% bupivacaine and subsequent addition of fentanyl to the infusate, via a catheter inserted supraclavicularly into the sheath of the brachial plexus.

Brachial Plexus

Comparison of fentanyl and halothane supplementation to general anaesthesia on the stress response to upper abdominal surgery.

The stress response to surgery and anaesthesia was studied in 20 patients undergoing cholecystectomy or vagotomy and pyloroplasty. Patients were anaesthetized with thiopentone and nitrous oxide; 10 patients received supplements of 0.5-1.5% halothane and the others fentanyl (mean 17 micrograms kg-1). The plasma concentrations of cortisol and glucose increased in both groups during surgery and remained greater than baseline immediately following recovery of consciousness. The hyperglycaemic response in the halothane group was greater than in the fentanyl group. Plasma noradrenaline concentrations increased in the group receiving halothane, but did not increase significantly in the group receiving fentanyl.

Abdomen

Changes in iron metabolism following surgery.

Studies of iron metabolism were made in 24 patients following surgery under general anaesthesia. No postoperative complications occurred. There was a marked fall in serum iron in all patients on the first postoperative day (P less than 0.001) which remained significantly depressed even at the seventh postoperative day. The total iron binding capacity fell progressively to reach the lowest levels on the third postoperative day, returning to normal levels by the end of the study. Serum ferritin concentration rose significantly in a reciprocal pattern to the changes in serum iron. This study highlights the limitation of iron studies in peripheral blood in postoperative patients.

Adult

Effect of certain anaesthetic agents on the activity of rat hepatic delta-aminolaevulinate synthase.

The activity of delta-aminolaevulinic acid synthase (E.C.2.3.1.37) (the rate-limiting enzyme for haem and porphyrin biosynthesis) has been measured in the rat liver after the repeated administration of anaesthetic agents in vivo. The activity of the enzyme was increased by Althesin, chlordiazepoxide, enflurane, etomidate, lignocaine, methohexitone, methoxyflurane, pentazocine and thiopentone and decreased by procaine. No significant changes in activity occurred after the administration of amethocaine, atropine, bupivacaine, diazepam, droperidol, halothane, ketamine, morphine, nitrous oxide, pethidine, phenoperidine, prilocaine and propanidid. It is suggested that those anaesthetic agents which induced activity of the enzyme should not be administered to patients with an acute porphyria.

5-Aminolevulinate Synthetase

Screening for malignant hyperpyrexia.

The methods used to screen patients for malignant hyperpyrexia at present are not sufficiently accurate. This paper reports more specific methods of detecting patients liable to develop malignant hyperpyrexia. A motor-point muscle biopsy is performed for histopathological examination and to detect muscle contracture in vitro after exposure to halothane and suxamethonium.

Acidosis