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Biomedical subjects

A Herlich

Publications and source records attributed to A Herlich.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

Training with video imaging improves the initial intubation success rates of paramedic trainees in an operating room setting.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Video imaging of intubation as seen by the laryngoscopist has not been a part of traditional instruction methods, and its potential impact on novice intubation success rates has not been evaluated. METHODS: We prospectively tracked the success rates of novice intubators in paramedic classes who were required to watch a 26-minute instructional videotape made with a direct laryngoscopy imaging system (video group). We compared the prospectively obtained intubation success rate of the video group against retrospectively collected data from prior classes of paramedic students (traditional group) in the same training program. All classes received the same didactic airway instruction, same mannequin practice time, same paramedic textbook, and were trained in the same operating room with the same teaching staff. RESULTS: The traditional group (n=113, total attempts 783) had a mean individual intubation success rate of 46.7% (95% confidence interval 42.2% to 51.3%). The video group (n=36, total attempts 102) had a mean individual intubation success rate of 88.1% (95% confidence interval 79.6% to 96.5%). The difference in mean intubation success rates between the 2 groups was 41.4% (95% confidence interval 31.1% to 50.7%, P <.0001). The 2 groups did not differ in respect to age, male sex, or level of education. CONCLUSION: An instructional videotape made with the direct laryngoscopy video system significantly improved the initial success rates of novice intubators in an operating room setting.

Allied Health Personnel↗

Comparison of propofol and methohexital continuous infusion techniques for conscious sedation.

PURPOSE: Methohexital and propofol have been shown to be effective agents for continuous intravenous infusion to produce conscious sedation during oral surgical procedures. The current study was conducted to compare these techniques for intraoperative cardiopulmonary stability, patient cooperation, amnesia, comfort, recovery time, and postoperative nausea and vomiting. METHODS: Seventy ASA Class I or Class II patients between the ages of 18 and 40 years, scheduled for surgical extraction of impacted third molars, were entered into the study. Thirty-five patients were assigned to group A (methohexital) and 35 were assigned to group B (propofol). Intravenous sedation was accomplished using premedication with 1.5 microg/kg of fentanyl and 0.05 mg/kg of midazolam followed by the continuous infusion of methohexital or propofol at a rate of 50 microg/kg/min. The infusion was then titrated to 100 microg/kg/min to accomplish a level of sedation in which the eyes were closed and the patients were responsive to verbal commands. Subjects were monitored for variability of heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, amnesia, comfort, cooperation, nausea and vomiting, and recovery time based on cognitive, perceptual, and psychomotor tests. RESULTS: There was no statistical difference between the two medication groups except for heart rate, which was found to increase by 11 beats/min for group A and only three beats/min in group B. CONCLUSION: A continuous infusion technique using either methohexital or propofol (50 to 100 microg/kg/min) was found to be safe and effective, with no clinically significant differences in cooperation, cardiopulmonary stability, recovery time, amnesia, comfort, and the incidence of nausea or vomiting. However, the cost-effectiveness of methohexital is superior to that of propofol.

Adolescent↗

Traumatic onset of temporomandibular disorders: positive effects of a standardized conservative treatment program.

OBJECTIVE: To compare presenting problems and response to treatment of chronic temporomandibular (TMD) patients who perceive the onset of their symptoms to be related to trauma with those who report symptoms of unknown origin. DESIGN: Prospective treatment outcome study. SETTING: Outpatient multidisciplinary pain treatment center at a university medical center. PATIENTS: A total of 361 were evaluated initially, including 103 who perceived traumatic onset of symptoms and 258 who did not perceive onset to be related to trauma. Two hundred thirty-three (59 trauma and 174 nontrauma) returned for follow-up evaluation 6 months after the conclusion of treatment. INTERVENTIONS: Standardized six-session treatment program consisting of intraoral appliance, biofeedback, and stress management training. OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical changes in muscle pain, temporomandibular joint pain, and mandibular opening. Self-report of change in perceived pain severity (MPQ--short form), depressive symptoms (BDI), catastrophizing about pain (CSQ--catastrophizing scale), MPI--interference scale, oral parafunctional habits, global evaluation of improvement, and use of pain medications at follow-up. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Regression of onset type on pretreatment variables indicated that a small but statistically significant proportion of pretreatment variability (8.7%) could be accounted for by onset. Both traumatic and nontraumatic onset groups showed positive outcomes following treatment. No significant differences between groups were found for any of the clinical or self-reported outcome measures with the exception that a significantly higher percentage of the trauma group reported using pain medication at follow-up. These findings are in contrast with previous suggestions that post-traumatic TMD patients show poorer response to treatment than nontrauma TMD patients.

Adolescent↗

Complications from securing the difficult airway.

Attempts to secure the difficult airway, especially the pediatric airway, can have nightmarish consequences if not successful and may be followed by complications even when successful. Some complications are common and some are rare. To minimize the risk of any complications, the clinician needs to be prepared mentally and technically to manage the difficult airway, must prepare the equipment, and must educate the patient/parents regarding possible difficulties with airway management.

Anesthesia↗

Future directions for resuscitation research. I. Advanced airway control measures.

The efficacy of 'basic' airway control without equipment, using the combination of backward tilt of the head, forward displacement of the mandible, and separation of lips and teeth (i.e. the triple airway maneuver) has been well established. Direct mouth-to-mouth and mouth-to-nose ventilation must continue to be taught to the public. Further improvements are needed for pocket-size mouth-to-mouth barriers to combat infection risks. Dissemination of appropriate information on disease transmission is needed to ensure ventilation by health professionals, using exhaled air ventilation adjuncts and other devices. Much knowledge exists about the pathophysiology of airway obstruction. For patients in coma or anesthesia with airway obstruction, which resists basic airway control measures and standard tracheal intubation, available 'advanced' airway control measures should be mastered and improved. Preparedness for advanced airway control measures differs between elective management of the anticipated difficult airway for anesthesia and emergency airway control with unanticipated difficulties encountered during the ordinary sequential application of measures. Challenges include education research and development of new devices. For airway clearing, pharyngeal intubation, difficult tracheal intubation, cricothyrotomy, transtracheal jet ventilation and emergency use of oxygen - what could and should be taught, to whom, and how? Which new devices and training systems should be developed? The most important alternative to orotracheal or nasotracheal intubation recommended for the development of novel devices and teaching methods for health professionals, are cricothyrotomy (with wide enough airway to also enable spontaneous breathing of air), and translaryngeal or transtracheal oxygen jet ventilation. We recommend openness in communication and joint planning between anesthesiologists, emergency care providers, and appropriate educators, engineers and industries.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation↗

A defasciculating dose of d-tubocurarine causes resistance to succinylcholine.

Forty-four patients, ASA physical status I or II, undergoing thiamylal, fentanyl, N2O/O2 anaesthesia were studied to determine the dose-response to succinylcholine (Sch) without prior defasciculation (24 pt - Group 1), or three minutes following d-tubocurarine (dTC), 0.043 mg.kg-1 (20 pt - Group 2). The individual log dose-logit response curve for each patient was determined using a cumulative dose plus infusion technique and integrated EMG monitoring of the first dorsal interosseous muscle. The mean (+/- SEM) ED50, ED90 and ED95 values for Sch in Group 1 were 0.13 +/- 0.01, 0.19 +/- 0.01 and 0.22 +- 0.01 mg.kg-1, and in Group 2 were 0.16 +/- 0.01, 0.25 +/- 0.01 and 0.29 +/- 0.02 mg.kg-1, respectively. The mean ED values in Group 2 were significantly greater than the equivalent values in Group 1 (P less than 0.05). Compared with values in Group 1, ED values in Group 2 represented mean increases of 23, 32, and 32 per cent, respectively. These pharmacodynamic data indicate that the dose of Sch needs to be increased by 32 per cent following a defasciculating dose of dTC 3 mg.70 kg-1 (0.043 mg.kg-1).

Adult↗

Attenuation of suxamethonium myalgias. Effect of midazolam and vecuronium.

We studied the incidence of fasciculations and postoperative myalgias in 100 female outpatients who had laparoscopy under thiopentone, N2O, isoflurane anaesthesia. Four groups of 20 patients each were pretreated with saline (group 1), tubocurarine 0.05 mg/kg (group 2), vecuronium 0.006 mg/kg (group 3), or midazolam 0.025 mg/kg (group 4), followed by suxamethonium 1.5 mg/kg. Group 5 received only vecuronium 0.1 mg/kg as relaxant (no suxamethonium). Fasciculations were graded, and postoperative myalgias rated on the first and third postoperative days. In groups 1-5 the incidence of fasciculations was 95, 15, 25, 95 and 0%; the incidence of myalgias on the first day after operation was 70, 45, 65, 75 and 60%, and on the third day after operation 20, 5, 20, 20, and 5%, respectively. We conclude that pretreatment with vecuronium, but not midazolam, decreases the incidence of fasciculations after suxamethonium (p less than 0.05) and that in this patient population, postoperative myalgias appear to be unrelated to the use of suxamethonium.

Adult↗

Improvements in craniofacial reconstruction: methods evolved in 235 consecutive patients.

Quality evaluation following craniofacial operative procedures is largely aesthetic and almost impossible to measure. Relapse rates are measurable, and morbidity and mortality can be determined. In our series, infections have decreased from 12.5 to 1.3 percent; operating times have been reduced from a mean of 7 1/2 to 4 hours; and blood loss has been reduced from 86 to 56 percent of the total blood volume. Methods we feel are largely responsible for these improvements are (1) maintaining separation of cranial from oronasal cavities, (2) modification of osteotomies around the orbits, (3) infant surgery and extensive use of craniectomy bone, (4) frequent use of onlay bone grafts, (5) a variety of lesser technical refinements, (6) antibiotic use and anesthetic modifications, and (7) consistent team organization. No deaths or blindness have occurred in any patients in the entire series.

Age Factors↗