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B Ayotte

Publications and source records attributed to B Ayotte.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Prime time torture

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1995

Deaths and injuries caused by land mines in Mozambique.

Land mines in Mozambique are still causing death and injuries years after the initial dispute. Since 1980, 3400 people have had an amputation because of land mine injuries. However, there are no direct estimates of the number of deaths or casualties which are not treated in hospitals. In March, 1994, a medical team assembled by Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) conducted household surveys in the province of Manica and in the sub-district of Metuchira, province of Sofala. The object was to assess the frequency and severity of injuries and mortality caused by land mines in the civilian population. We found ratios of 8.1 and 16.7 casualties per 1000 living people in Manica and Metuchira, respectively. The prevalence of amputees was 3.2 per 1000 in Manica, and 2.3 in Metuchira. These figures are several folds higher than suggested by hospital data. The case fatality rate was 48%. Most of the victims were civilians (68%) and were injured by antipersonnel mines (81%). 16% of victims were women, and 7% were under 15 years of age. Our results suggest that the impact of land mines is substantially higher than originally thought.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Role of the pericardium and intact chest wall in the hemodynamic response to positive end-expiratory pressure ventilation.

The mechanism for the reduction of both systemic arterial blood pressure and cardiac output (CO) and for the elevation of intravascular pressure which accompanies positive end-expiratory pressure ventilation (PEEP) remains uncertain. The role of the intact pericardium and the chest wall has not been defined. This study examines cardiac transmural pressure with PEEP (0, 4, 8, and 16 cm H2O) administration in nine closed chest, anesthetized, normovolemic dogs utilizing direct measurements of intrapericardial pressure. The experiment was repeated following pericadiectomy and left thoracotomy. The closed chest dogs exhibited significant reductions in blood pressure and CO without detectable changes in transmural pressure. With combined pericardiectomy and left thoracotomy, the responses of both CO and blood pressure to PEEP were similar to those observed with the chest closed. Absolute right atrial pressures were similar at all levels of PEEP and were independent of the presence of the pericardium and the intact chest wall. The rise in absolute left atrial pressure observed with these structures intact was completely abolished by pericardiectomy and left thoracotomy. Thus the major hemodynamic effects of PEEP, namely changes in blood pressure and CO, cannot be accounted for by changes in transmural pressure or influences from the intact chest wall and pericardium.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Noninvasive measurement of cardiac function during exercise, using resaturation curves.

The resaturation curve, a noninvasive indicator-dilution test using an ear oximeter to detect rates of change in arterial oxygen saturation during breathing of various concentrations of oxygen, was used to assess cardiac performance in normal subjects and in 108 patients with cardiac valvular disease. Measurements made during exercise included the time constant of resaturation (tau) and beat-to-beat changes in arterial oxygen saturation (the left heart clearance fraction). At maximum rates of voluntary work, patients had a significantly reduced clearance fraction and longer tau than normal subjects. Clearance fraction and tau improved in patients after aortic valve replacement; deterioration occurred in tau and clearance fraction over time in patients treated medically, as compared to normal subjects who showed little change during a ten-year period. Clearance fraction and tau correlated with hemodynamic data obtained during cardiac catheterization. The resaturation curve provides an objective measure of cardiac impairment that can be readily repeated during follow-up of patients with heart disease.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of haemodynamic responses to positive-end-expiratory ventilation and pericardial effusion in dogs.

1. The haemodynamic responses to progressive increments in positive end-expiratory pressure ventilation (PEEP) were assessed in dogs in the presence and absence of pericardial effusion (2.2 ml saline/kg). 2. Increasing levels of PEEP (3, 4, 8, 16 cm H2O) were associated with increases in right atrial, left atrial, pericardial and pulmonary artery diastolic pressure; increases in pulmonary vascular resistance; decreases in aortic blood pressure; and decreases in cardiac index or stroke index. 3. Pericardial effusion that was associated with an increase in pericardial pressure of 3 mmHg was not associated with significant changes in aortic blood pressure or stroke index. In contrast 8 cm PEEP was associated with significant decreases in both these haemodynamic variables yet pericardial pressure increased only 2.2 mmHg. 4. For these levels of PEEP and pericardial effusion, the same haemodynamic response to PEEP was observed regardless of the presence or the absence of pericardial effusion. 5. Similar changes in aortic blood pressure and stroke index despite different pericardial pressures is reflected by significantly different intercepts in the linear model relating these haemodynamic variables to pericardial pressure in the presence and absence of pericardial effusion. 6. The results suggest that these haemodynamic consequences of PEEP are primarily a function of pulmonary hyperinflation and are less dependent on increases in extracardiac pressure per se.

Animals↗