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Biomedical subjects

S Q Tighe

Publications and source records attributed to S Q Tighe.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The acute pain service: effective or expensive care?

The effect of introducing an Acute Pain Service into a District General Hospital was evaluated by conducting an audit of pain, emesis, sleep and satisfaction before and after inception. A total of 1518 questionnaires were collected; in which surgical patients had been asked to assess their experience pre- and postoperatively. The introduction of an Acute Pain Service significantly (p < 0.0001) improved in-patient perception of pain relief upon return of consciousness after anaesthesia and for 2 days postoperatively, when compared with the experience before its inception. The incidence of emetic sequelae did not increase and both patient satisfaction (p < 0.001) and sleep pattern (p < 0.05) in hospital were significantly improved. An estimate of the economic benefit suggests that the development of Acute Pain Services may be cost effective as well as providing an improved quality of service for patients undergoing surgery.

Adult

Anesthesia in northern Iraq: an audit from a field hospital.

A Royal Naval field surgical team deployed to Iraq for 6 weeks. Seventy-one anesthetics were administered to 52 patients. The Triservice anesthetic apparatus (TSA) was used with controlled ventilation and either halothane plus trichloroethylene or isoflurane. Other techniques included spontaneous ventilation via the TSA, ketamine and midazolam, either with or without controlled ventilation, or local anesthesia. A simple modification allowed preoxygenation with 100% oxygen. Controlled ventilation with air alone was usually associated with satisfactory pulse oximetry and oxygen economy. Isoflurane was not significantly hypotensive and recovery was more rapid than with halothane/trichloroethylene. Drawover techniques with controlled ventilation were satisfactory for children as small as 6.5 kg. Overnight ventilation was instituted on three occasions, and it was found that a simple positive end expiratory pressure system could be applied to the Laerdal valve. Pulse oximetry, ECG, and automatic arterial pressure monitoring facilities were used. The total drug expenditure for all 71 anesthetics was only $178.

Adolescent

A Kurdish fracas.

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Anesthesia, General

Paediatric resuscitation in adverse circumstances: a comparison of three routes of systemic access.

Nine Kurdish children were admitted to a British Surgical Support Team facility in Northern Iraq, requiring resuscitation for dehydration estimated to be of 10% loss of body weight. Systemic access was by intravenous (IV, 6 patients), intraosseous (IO, 6 patients) and/or intraperitoneal cannulation (IP, 4 patients) and resuscitation was according to a defined protocol. Insertion times, maximum initial flow rates and complications were assessed. The mean insertion times were 78, 112 and 26 seconds and the mean maximum initial flow rates of crystalloid were 240, 60 and 400 mls/hour for IV, IO and IP routes respectively. One IV lasted more than 24 hours and three tissued. One IO cannula blocked, and one IP was removed because of saline extravasation. IO bolus injections were painful. Total volumes infused and time to adequate hydration varied widely and there were no correlations. The mortality was 33%, compared with 11% for 18 less severely dehydrated children. It is concluded that the IP and IO routes allow severely dehydrated children to be resuscitated without significant complications when IV access is difficult to establish.

Child

Resuscitation in northern Iraq.

The principles of Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) were adopted by a Royal Navy surgical team deployed to northern Iraq. Over a 6-week period, 18 casualties of both military and civil trauma required active resuscitation, 10 being under the age of 16 years. Triage of multiple casualties was necessary on three occasions. Two patients died. It was difficult to exclude cervical spine injury. Venous cut-down was frequently unsuccessful, so that internal jugular vein cannulation was life-saving. Crystalloid was used as the primary infusion without apparent disadvantage. Cross-matched blood was unavailable and one patient died with haemolysis after massive transfusion. Hypothermia was a problem despite the high environmental temperature. Laboratory and radiological facilities were extremely limited. Non-medical staff were trained most effectively to assess vital signs, although sophisticated monitors became available. These problems are discussed and compared with previous experience. Recommendations are made to improve future outcome.

Adolescent

Continuous coeliac plexus blockade plus intermittent wound infiltration with bupivacaine following upper abdominal surgery: a double-blind randomised study.

In this double-blind trial, we observed the effect of intermittent wound infiltration with local anaesthetic plus continuous coeliac plexus blockade on postoperative pain relief, pulmonary function, the neuroendocrine and acute phase protein response following upper abdominal surgery. In Group A (n = 10) patients received bupivacaine intermittently into the wound and continuously into the coeliac plexus following an initial bolus. A total of 862.5 mg of bupivacaine was used over 12 h with no observed toxicity. Group B (n = 10) received equal volumes of saline. Although pain relief was poor in both groups, the bupivacaine group used less morphine postoperatively and had lower pain scores than the saline group 4 h after operation (P less than 0.05). Pulmonary function was significantly reduced in both groups with no statistical difference between the two. Significant reductions in serum glucose and cortisol were achieved (P less than 0.05), suggesting that afferent neural blockade was partially effective in attenuating the neuroendocrine response. However, the postoperative rise in interleukin-6 was not affected by this technique. It is concluded that total afferent neural blockade cannot be achieved with peripheral wound and coeliac plexus administration of relatively large doses of local anaesthetic during upper abdominal surgery.

Abdomen

An audit of resuscitation and anaesthesia during Operation 'Safe Haven'.

The Royal Navy combined Surgical Support Team deployed for six weeks to Northern Iraq. Eighteen casualties of civilian and military trauma required active resuscitation, 10 of whom were under the age of 16. Three died. Triage of multiple casualties was necessary on three occasions. The principles of Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) were adopted and the experience is described under the ABCDE headings of the primary survey. Deficiencies of training and equipment are identified. Seventy one anaesthetics, administered to 52 patients, were audited prospectively in detail. Systolic blood pressure was significantly higher with isoflurane and controlled ventilation (ICV), compared with halothane and trichloroethylene (HTCV) (P < 0.05). ICV patients recovered more quickly than with HTCV (P < 0.05), but were significantly older and heavier (P < 0.05). Isoflurane should replace the standard halothane/trichloroethylene combination. Controlled ventilation or ketamine anaesthesia allowed satisfactory SpO2 on air alone. With controlled ventilation, anaesthesia was entirely satisfactory for children down to 6.5 kg. Local anaesthetic procedures were useful. The entire anaesthetic drug cost was only 127 pounds. Three patients received a degree of intensive care. Recommendations are made to improve future outcome, but sophisticated resuscitation, anaesthesia and monitoring is now possible in the front line.

Adolescent