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Biomedical subjects

E A Welchew

Publications and source records attributed to E A Welchew.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Complete airway obstruction during awake fibreoptic intubation.

Awake fibreoptic intubation is well established as the optimum method of securing the airway in patients in whom difficulty is anticipated. We report a patient undergoing awake fibreoptic intubation in whom the use of topical local anaesthetic precipitated acute loss of the airway so that urgent surgical intervention was required.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Carbon monoxide within circle systems.

After reports of carbon monoxide toxicity from the United States, the Medicines Control Agency issued a warning which recommended that soda lime used in circle breathing systems should not be allowed to dry out. We have measured carbon monoxide levels within a circle system in vitro (under a variety of conditions) and in vivo. Carbon monoxide was detected only when a patient was connected to the circle system. As levels in the expiratory limb of the circle system were significantly higher than those in the inspiratory limb, we conclude that the patient acts as the source of carbon monoxide.

Anesthesiology↗
PubMed1993

Anaesthesia and rheumatoid arthritis.

A review of the implications of rheumatoid arthritis on peri-operative anaesthetic management is presented. Pre-operative assessment should include a careful search for articular and systemic manifestations of the disease that may complicate intraoperative care. Drug disposition may vary from the normal patient as a result of changes in serum protein binding, together with possible exaggeration of pharmacodynamic responses. Airway management presents one of the greatest challenges to the anaesthetist, and care in manipulation of the cervical spine is paramount.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Influence of epidural analgesia upon postoperative fatigue.

This study examined the effect of epidural analgesia on the development of postoperative fatigue and the ability to ambulate after surgery. Seventeen patients admitted for elective abdominal surgery were randomized to receive postoperative analgesia with a continuous infusion of epidural fentanyl (epidural group) or intermittent intramuscular morphine (non-epidural group). Fatigue was assessed on an analogue scale of 1 (fit) to 10 (fatigued). Steady state measurements of respiratory gas exchange, respiratory rate, tidal volume and heart rate were made before operation and repeated on the third postoperative day. Energy expenditure was calculated from Weir's formula. Ambulatory measurements were made during treadmill walking at a work rate of 20 kpm min-1 (3.3 W). At rest, patients in both groups had a similar cardiorespiratory response to surgery irrespective of the method of analgesia. Subjective feelings of fatigue were significantly greater in those patients who had received epidural analgesia (P less than 0.01) and patients in this group expended significantly more energy in performing the postoperative exercise test than did those in the non-epidural group (P less than 0.05). The use of epidural opiate analgesia does not limit postoperative fatigue in patients undergoing upper abdominal surgery.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1991

Patient-controlled on-demand epidural fentanyl. A comparison of patient-controlled on-demand fentanyl delivered epidurally or intravenously.

A prospective, open, clinical trial is described in which 20 patients having upper abdominal surgery were randomly allocated to receive fentanyl for postoperative analgesia by patient-controlled demand analgesic computer by either the epidural or intravenous route. Hourly pain, sedation and nausea scores were very similar in the two groups during the first 24 hours after surgery. What few differences there were favoured the epidural group. There was a highly significant difference in fentanyl consumption between the two groups, with the intravenous group demanding consistently more than twice as much as the epidural group.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Changes in cardiorespiratory and muscle function associated with the development of postoperative fatigue.

An understanding of the factors which contribute to postoperative fatigue may benefit the rehabilitation of patients after surgery. Subjective feelings of fatigue and fatigue measured objectively in the adductor pollicis muscle after ulnar nerve stimulation have been studied in relation to changes in cardiorespiratory function and muscular efficiency both at rest and when walking on a treadmill at a work rate of 20 and 56 kpm min-1. Twelve patients admitted for elective abdominal surgery were studied before operation and again on the third postoperative day. The postoperative period was characterized by an increased feeling of fatigue. Surgery had no effect upon fatigue in the adductor pollicis muscle suggesting that the genesis of postoperative fatigue is partly central in origin. Muscular efficiency (s.d.) fell from 34(6) per cent before operation to 22(3) per cent (P less than 0.05) on the third postoperative day and was accompanied by a 19 per cent rise in the net energy (s.d.) expenditure (7.3(0.8) to 8.6(0.3) kJ min-1; P less than 0.03) required to perform a given workload. The increased cardiorespiratory effort and reduced muscular efficiency associated with the performance of low-intensity exercise may limit mobilization after surgery and contribute to a greater feeling of fatigue.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Patient-controlled postoperative analgesia with alfentanil. Adaptive, on-demand intravenous alfentanil or pethidine compared double-blind for postoperative pain.

A double-blind study comparing alfentanil and pethidine given intravenously by an adaptive, patient-controlled on-demand analgesic system is described. It was demonstrated that, despite its well-known rapid onset of effect, alfentanil took several hours to achieve good quality analgesia. Nevertheless, it had a much more predictable consumption pattern than pethidine. Alfentanil was associated with significantly less sedation during the postoperative period than pethidine, and was also associated with a significantly greater urine output during the 24-hour period of study. There was no evidence of tolerance or accumulation with either of the two drugs.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

The optimum concentration for epidural fentanyl. A randomised, double-blind comparison with and without 1:200 000 adrenaline.

A randomised, double-blind study comparing a variety of different concentrations of fentanyl with and without 1:200 000 adrenaline is described. It was shown that the quality and duration of analgesia with epidural fentanyl was concentration-dependent below 10 micrograms/ml, but that the addition of adrenaline abolished this phenomenon. The rate of failure to achieve any analgesia was very high with the more dilute solutions, but adrenaline reversed this problem. In general the incidences of side effects were related to the concentrations of fentanyl used and apart from itching, the incidences of these side effects were reduced by the addition of adrenaline.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Continuous thoracic epidural fentanyl. A comparison of epidural fentanyl with intramuscular papaveretum for postoperative pain.

A prospective open trial was conducted to compare the analgesic and side-effects of continuously infused fentanyl into the thoracic epidural space with those of intramuscular papaveretum given 4 hourly as required. It was demonstrated that during the first 24 hours after upper abdominal surgery thoracic epidural fentanyl produced better analgesia with less sedation than intramuscular papaveretum. However, the epidural group suffered more nausea. Likewise, postoperative respiratory function tests were statistically significantly better in those patients who received epidural fentanyl. Despite a significantly greater volume of nasogastric aspirate during the period of study, the epidural fentanyl group also had a significantly greater urine output than did the patients receiving papaveretum. Hypotension and respiratory depression were not problems, but pruritus occurred in two patients given fentanyl. It is concluded that epidural fentanyl delivered by continuous infusion offers significant advantages over a conventional intramuscular narcotic regime.

Adult↗