Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S K Kamath

Publications and source records attributed to S K Kamath.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

A phytochemical screening procedure for sweet ent-kaurene glycosides in the genus Stevia.

Altogether, 110 species of the genus Stevia, comprising both herbarium and fresh leaf samples, were screened for the presence of sweet ent-kaurene glycosides, using a combination of tlc and hplc, followed by gc/ms. Stevioside and rebaudiosides A and C were detected in a Stevia rebaudiana herbarium specimen collected in Paraguay in 1919, and stevioside was observed as a constituent of a Stevia phlebophylla herbarium specimen collected in Mexico in 1889. Steviol glycosides were not detected in any of the other 108 Stevia species studied. The phytochemical results obtained in this study are correlated with those of preliminary organoleptic tests on the sweetness of these Stevia samples, and the chemotaxonomic implications of the present findings are discussed.

Chemical Phenomena↗

Blood utilisation in elective general surgery cases: requirements, ordering and transfusion practices.

AIMS: For elective surgeries, over ordering of blood is a common practice. This can be decreased by simple means of changing the blood cross matching and ordering schedule depending upon the type of surgery performed. The principle aim of the study was to improve the efficacy of ordering system for maximum utilisation of blood and formulation of maximum surgical blood order schedule (MSBOS) for procedures where a complete cross-match appears mandatory. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We evaluated blood ordering and transfusion practices in 500 elective general surgical procedures at our institute. With the help of different indices such as cross-match to transfusion ratio (C/T ratio), transfusion probability (% T) and transfusion index (TI), blood ordering pattern was changed in the next 150 patients. RESULTS: Out of 1145 units of blood crossmatched for the first 500 patients only 265 were transfused with non-utilisation of 76.86% of ordered blood. With the help of the indices the wastage was reduced in next 150 patients, i.e. from 76.86% to 25.26% and improved the utilisation of blood, i.e. from 23.14% to 74.74%. CONCLUSIONS: Change of blood ordering patterns with use of MSBOS can avoid the over ordering of blood.

Blood Grouping and Crossmatching↗

The palm print as a sensitive predictor of difficult laryngoscopy in diabetics: a comparison with other airway evaluation indices.

AIMS: To evaluate the ink impression made by the palm of the dominant hand as a screening tool for difficult laryngoscopy in diabetic patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In this prospective study, airway of 50 adult diabetic patients, undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia, was assessed preoperatively using the common clinical indices such as Modified Mallampati test, thyromental distance, degree of head extension and a specific index- the palm print test. Following induction of anaesthesia and neuromuscular relaxation, laryngoscopy was performed and the laryngoscopic view scored. The sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value of each airway evaluation index were calculated. RESULTS: The incidence of difficult laryngoscopy was 16%. The palm print test had the highest sensitivity (75%) of all the indices. The thyromental distance less than six cm had the highest specificity (95.2%) but was least sensitive (25%). 87% of patients with difficult laryngoscopy had two or more indices abnormal. CONCLUSION: Though the palm print test was the most sensitive index of the four indices studied, a better prediction of difficult laryngoscopy can be achieved by evaluating all the four airway indices preoperatively.

Dermatoglyphics↗

Comparative study of intrathecal pethidine versus lignocaine as an anaesthetic and a postoperative analgesic for perianal surgery.

100 patients with ASA risk I & II and undergoing perianal surgery were studied for anaesthetic effects and postoperative analgesia following either intrathecal pethidine or lignocaine. Saddle block was performed either with intrathecal pethidine 5% (50 mg/ml) 0.5 mg/kg or 1 ml of 5% lignocaine. Sensory and motor block postoperative analgesia, need for additional analgesia were studied. The onset of sensory and motor blockade with lignocaine was faster than pethidine. However the sensory and motor blockade lasted longer with pethidine. The duration of postoperative analgesia was 15.39 +/- 5.14 hours as against duration of postoperative analgesia with lignocaine which was 1.3 +/- 0.53 hours. Only 10% of patients in the pethidine group required intramuscular analgesic supplementation whereas 30% of patients in the lignocaine group required intramuscular analgesic supplementation.

Adjuvants, Anesthesia↗