PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

G M Watkins

Publications and source records attributed to G M Watkins.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Burn injuries from small airplane crashes.

Because a large amount of general aviation activity occurs in Central Florida, we reviewed our admissions for victims of small airplane crashes. We identified 13 burn victims of small aircraft accidents over a 7-year period. Of the 13, 12 survived their burn injuries, an overall survival rate of 92%. The extent of burn injury, Abbreviated Burn Severity Index (ABSI), complications, other injuries and rehabilitation potential are reviewed. Burn injury resulting from small airplane crashes is usually survivable if the patient arrives at the Burn Center alive. These burn victims generally are highly motivated individuals, are easily rehabilitated, and continue productive lives. Small airports and local hospitals should be aware of burn center availability because of the usual major extent of the burn injury.

Abbreviated Injury Scale↗
PubMed1986

Chromatographic separation of thioridazine sulphoxide and N-oxide diastereoisomers: identification as metabolites in the rat.

(+/-)-Thioridazine and (+/-)-desmethylthioridazine have been oxidized to produce a number of chiral sulphoxide and amine oxide compounds. Diastereoisomeric isomers were separated by thin-layer and high performance liquid chromatography. Thioridazine-5-sulphoxide, N-desmethylthioridazine-5-sulphoxide and thioridazine-N-oxide diastereoisomers were found to be thioridazine metabolites following dosing in rats or after in-vitro incubation with rat liver homogenate.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Radioisotope-assisted diagnosis of traumatic rupture of the diaphragm.

Traumatic rupture of the diaphragm is usually not diagnosed early after injury. We hypothesized that the diagnostic yield could be improved by injecting 50 uC of Tc99m macroaggregated albumin in 300 ml of normal saline solution and using simple scintillation counting. Thirty dogs were divided into four groups, anesthetized, and mechanically ventilated. In all groups, counting was done bilaterally 5 cm from the midline at the sternal notch and at 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, 48, and 56 cm below that level immediately and at 10, 20, and 30 min after instillation of the nuclide. In group I, the nuclide was instilled through a left thoracostomy tube, and counting was done with the dogs in reversed Trendelenberg position. In group II, blunt diaphragmatic rupture was simulated before instillation of the nuclide, and counting was done as in group I. In group III, the nuclide was instilled through a standard peritoneal lavage catheter, and counting was done with the dogs in Trendelenberg position. In group IV, blunt diaphragmatic rupture was simulated, nuclide was instilled, and counting was done as in group III. In each dog, there was no significant difference in the counts per minute (cpm) taken immediately and at 10, 20, and 30 min after instillation. In group I, radioactivity was concentrated in the areas adjacent to the diaphragm. In group II, radioactivity was concentrated at the sites lowest in the abdomen where the mean cpm differed significantly (p = .034) from group I.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Emergent burn care.

The estimated 32,600,000 fires that occur annually in the United States produce over 300,000 injuries and 7,500 deaths. Ten percent of hospitalized burn victims die as a direct result of the burn. Initial evaluation and management of the burn patient are critical. The history should include the burn source, time of injury, burn environment, and combustible products. The burn size is best estimated by the Lund and Browder chart, and the burn depth is determined by clinical criteria. Pulmonary involvement and circumferential thoracic or extremity burns require detection and aggressive treatment to maintain organ viability. Hospitalization is usually necessary for adults with burns larger than 10% of the total body surface area (TBSA) or children with burns larger than 5% of TBSA. Major burns, those of 25% or more of TBSA or of 10% or more of full thickness, should be considered for treatment at a burn center, as well as children or elderly victims with burns of greater than 10% TBSA. Lactated Ringer's solution, infused at 4 ml/kg/% TBSA, is generally advocated for initial fluid restoration. After the acute phase (48 hours), replacement of evaporative and hypermetabolic fluid loss is necessary. These losses may constitute 3 to 5 liters per day for a 40% to 70% TBSA burn. Blood transfusion is often required because of persistent loss of red blood cells (8% per day for about ten days). Many electrolyte abnormalities may occur in the first two weeks. Pulmonary injury commonly is lethal. Circumoral burns, oropharyngeal burns, and carbonaceous sputum are indicative of inhalation injury, but arterial blood gas determinations, fiberoptic bronchoscopy, and xenon lung scans are useful for confirming the diagnosis. Humidified oxygen, intubation, positive-pressure ventilation, and pulmonary toilet are the mainstays of therapy for inhalation injury. Wound care is initially directed at preservation of vital function by escharotomy, if restrictive eschar impairs ventilatory or circulatory function. Antibacterial agents may be applied to the burn, but invasive sepsis, defined as greater than 10(5) organisms per gram of tissue with invasion of subjacent viable tissue, requires systemic antibiotic therapy. Wound debridement is done by daily hydrotherapy, tangential excision, chemicals, primary excision, and grafting, tailoring the technique to the individual burn.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Effects of chlorpromazine and promazine on the visual aftereffects of tilt and movement.

The effects of chlorpromazine (CPZ) and promazine on the visual aftereffects of tilt and motion were measured. CPZ markedly reduced the strength of both aftereffects, while promazine produced a smaller and not always significant reduction. Control experiments suggested that the effects were produced in the central visual system rather than by several possible peripheral artefacts or by drowsiness. The effects are discussed with reference to the pharmacological activity of the drugs and their influence on the strength of inhibition in the visual cortex, both in normal subjects and in schizophrenic illness.

Adaptation, Ocular↗
PubMed1983

Blunt trauma to the thoracic outlet and angiography.

When major injuries occur to the thoracic outlet, common practice is to obtain an arteriogram without other clinical evidence of vascular injury, because of the purported high association of thoracic outlet trauma and vascular injuries, including ruptured aortae. In order to evaluate this association, a review was undertaken of all patients admitted to a major hospital over 5.5 years who underwent angiography or other evaluative measures as a result of their thoracic outlet trauma. There were no great vessel or aortic injuries without overt clinical criteria. Angiography for aortic and great vessel injury is unnecessary unless there is a widened mediastinum or other overt clinical indications of vascular injury. Judicious use or avoidance of angiography is therefore encouraged for multiple reasons.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Diaphragmatic injury: a method for early diagnosis.

Traumatic diaphragmatic hernia, whether of blunt or penetrating etiology, is difficult to diagnose in the acute phase. The lesion is presently best diagnosed by chest X-ray, but only occasionally. Chest X-ray appears normal or nonspecific 25 to 50% of the time. For this reason, simple diagnostic technique using radiographic methodology available in emergency rooms was studied in animals in order to devise a way to diagnose this injury. Eight per cent diatrizoate meglumine and diatrizoate sodium (Renografin, Squibb) was placed into the chest or abdomen of animals with either 8-cm simulated blunt or 5-mm simulated penetrating injuries. The Renografin was infused by either a peritoneal lavage or thoracostomy catheter. Serial X-rays showed diagnostic rate of transdiaphragmatic leakage in 24 of 26 animals with blunt injury and seven of 16 animals with penetrating injury. There was no evidence of pleural, peritoneal, or pulmonary injury from the Renografin itself. It was concluded that the experimental technique may prove useful in screening or confirming traumatic diaphragmatic hernia during the acute or latent phases.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Phenoxybenzamine-a mediator of blood oxygen affinity.

Studies of the effect of phenoxybenzamine on oxygen transport have been concentrated on flow and resistance changes. Previous studies have ignored the possible effects of phenoxybenzamine on the ability of red blood cells to offload oxygen itself. After an initial inhibitory effect phenoxybenzamine greatly enhances the ability of the red cell to offload oxygen under conditions seen at the tissue level. The disparity between P50std and organic phosphate changes found in this and other studies warrants extreme caution to be used in interpreting results where P50 itself is not measured.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1975

Emergency medical technician (EMT-A) training in a medical school environment.

A 22-week training program for EMT-A technicians, developed at the University of Connecticut Health Center, has been described. The program is coordinated by a trauma surgeon and a security officer, and teaching is carried out by faculty, residents, emergency-room nurses, experienced rescue-team members, EMT firemen, and the like. Lectures and videotaped practical problems are used. High levels of teaching and cooperation between the university health center and the community were maintained.

Allied Health Personnel↗
PubMed1974

The left shifted oxyhemoglobin curve in sepsis: a preventable defect.

Nine patients with severe sepsis were studied to determine causes for any alterations in oxygen dissociation. Seven of the patients had oxyhemoglobin curves shifted to the left of expected and diminished DPG levels. These deficiences were not corrected in one case. The other eight patients survived or expired with normal to elevated P(50T) and DPG levels. In this study, three factors occurring either individually, in concordance, or in sequence were present when P(50T) was decreased. Correction of these deficiencies lead to normalization and, in one case, exceedingly high P(50T) and DPG levels. Where hypophosphatemia, acidosis, and transfusion of DPG deficient blood were avoided, no such change occurred. Hypophosphatemia is a common occurrence in the seriously ill patient whether or not hyperalimentation is used and may occur in spite of phosphate supplementation. Blood transfusions with CPD as the preservative are effective in reducing the severity of this disorder by the addition of an inorganic phosphate load. Septic shock itself had no untoward effect on oxygen dissociation. This held true even in the terminal stages of the disease process.

Acidosis↗