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Biomedical subjects

E A Swai

Publications and source records attributed to E A Swai.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1986

Comparison between pressures measured from the proximal external jugular vein and a central vein.

Mean venous pressures were measured in 20 patients in whom a catheter, inserted via the external jugular vein, failed to pass centrally. The catheter used had a rounded end and two side holes. Pressures were measured with the patient's head in three different positions. The pressures were compared with the central venous pressures measured from a catheter inserted through an antecubital vein (and confirmed to be placed centrally). In all patients the differences between the mean pressures from the two sites were all within 3 mm Hg and were not influenced by alteration in head position or the side of jugular catheterization.

Central Venous Pressure↗
PubMed1986

Excessive work of breathing during intermittent mandatory ventilation.

Difficulties were experienced in weaning a patient from a ventilator by means of intermittent mandatory ventilation (IMV). The difficulty was overcome by installing an alternative IMV system (Hudson "disposable IMV valve") through which the patient drew her spontaneous breaths. Laboratory measurements showed that the resistance of the ventilator breathing system was much higher than that of the alternative system, mainly as a result of the resistance of the humidifier. It was calculated from measurements with a preset pattern of simulated breathing that the extra, external, work of breathing through the ventilator breathing system was approximately 1.5 times the normal internal mechanical work of breathing for a normal patient; with the alternative system, the extra work was only 0.5 times the normal. It is stressed that the breathing systems of IMV ventilators should be judged with the same rigour as other systems through which the patient is required to breathe spontaneously. It is recommended that manufacturers should provide the necessary information.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

An attempt to develop a model to study the effects of intrathecal steroids.

An attempt has been made to develop a chronic inflammatory arachnoiditis model in the rat to study the influence of subarachnoid or epidural steroids. Through chronically implanted catheters in Wistar rats (250-350 g), either triamcinolone (3.5-350 micrograms) or methylprednisolone (3.5-350 micrograms) was injected intrathecally, daily for 7 days or weekly for 7 weeks. Some rats also received 100 mg kg-1 cefoxitin and 0.5 mg deoxycortone by intramuscular injection. Equivalent control groups were included. High doses of intrathecal steroids caused marked weight loss and infection and many rats died. These effects were mitigated at a lower dosage especially by the addition of cefoxitin and deoxycortone. The effects of triamcinolone were more marked than those of methylprednisolone. No systematic histological evidence of neurotoxicity was observed after either steroid. Injections of talc failed to cause arachnoiditis or meningitis probably because sufficient particulate talc could not be injected through the narrow catheter.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

The Afya anaesthesia system. A laboratory study.

The design of and the results of laboratory performance tests on the Afya anaesthesia system are described. The system has a low inspiratory and expiratory resistance and the concentrations of ether delivered ranged from 75 to 130% of the vaporizer setting. The error was maximum at vaporizer settings of between 15 to 20%. The system is suitable for spontaneous and controlled ventilation of the lungs in both adults and infants.

Adult↗