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Biomedical subjects

O Mathew

Publications and source records attributed to O Mathew.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

An improved clinical method for detecting meningeal irritation.

Neck stiffness is the most important sign of meningitis. When the neck is flexed, the inflamed nerve roots and meninges of the cervical region get stretched. This causes protective muscle spasm manifesting as neck stiffness. Kernig's sign represents similar phenomena involving the distal spinal cord and related nerves. A manoeuvre that stretches the neural elements of the whole length of the spinal canal simultaneously will be a more sensitive test for meningeal irritation. Eliciting neck stiffness while the patient sits up with knees extended achieves this. This method is more sensitive, specific, and amenable to objective assessment.

Child↗
PubMed1989

Effects of cricothyroid muscle contraction on laryngeal resistance and glottic area.

To determine the functional significance of the cricothyroid muscle (CT) in respiration, laryngeal resistance was measured in anesthetized dogs, along with electromyographic activity of the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle (PCA) and CT. In two dogs the larynx was videotaped simultaneously via a telescope. Increased CT activity was induced by airway occlusion or hypercapnia. Observations were carried out before and during cold blockade of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) or the nerve to the CT (external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve [Ext SLN]). Paralysis of the CT had no effect on laryngeal resistance or glottic area, even at very high levels of CT activity. Blockade of the RLN increased inspiratory resistance, but did not have a significant effect on expiratory resistance. Electrical stimulation of the Ext SLN produced tetanic CT contraction, which increased laryngeal resistance in both inspiration and expiration. This was true even at very high levels of PCA activity. These results indicate that although artificially induced CT contraction markedly affects laryngeal resistance, physiologic levels of respiratory activity do not have a significant effect.

Airway Resistance↗