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Biomedical subjects

R L Blair

Publications and source records attributed to R L Blair.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

An assessment of the incidence of iron deficiency in paediatric otolaryngology inpatients.

The aims of this study were: to determine whether there is an increased incidence of iron deficiency in paediatric otolaryngology inpatients compared with other surgical controls; and to establish whether preoperative screening of haemoglobin level is warranted in such patients. Children aged 1-10 years admitted electively for ENT surgery or for general surgical procedures had blood taken for haemoglobin level, mean cell volume and serum ferritin. Their age, weight, socioeconomic class and ethnic background were recorded. A total of 100 patients entered the study, in a six-month period. The mean ages and weights for the two groups were statistically different, so allowance was made for this in calculations. Social class was not significantly different. No relationship could be established between haemoglobin level and ferritin level for individual patients. Multiple regression analysis for haemoglobin level, mean cell volume and for ferritin level showed that allowing for the age and weight differences these variables were not significantly different for the two groups. This study has therefore shown no increased incidence of iron deficiency in paediatric ENT inpatients. Each Department should formulate its own policy on pre-operative haemoglobin screening, based on local considerations.

Child↗
PubMed1989

Laryngeal electromyography.

Over the last 40 years sporadic reports have appeared in the otolaryngological and neurological literature describing techniques and applications of laryngeal electromyography. Despite considerable refinements in methodology and instrumentation over that time laryngeal electromyography has not been widely adopted in routine clinical practice. This paper describes a simple, reliable and reproducible technique which has been employed by the author over a 15-year period. The indications for laryngeal electromyography are reviewed and the technique currently used is briefly described with reference to alternative techniques. The usefulness of the information obtained by this examination is discussed.

Electromyography↗
PubMed1988

Thermal myringotomy (an alternative to grommet insertion in childhood secretory otitis media?).

Thirty-six children with bilateral secretory otitis media were treated by thermal myringotomy and middle ear aspiration in one ear, and conventional myringotomy, middle ear aspiration and Shepard grommet insertion in the other ear. All children underwent adenoidectomy. Comparing the effectiveness of the two different procedures over a three-month review period, our main findings are as follows. All thermal perforations were closed by 42 days. Elimination of middle ear fluid was achieved in 81 per cent of the thermal myringotomy group, and in 100 per cent of the grommet group. While there was no significant difference in the hearing improvement between the procedures, conventional myringotomy and grommet insertion provided significantly better sustained middle ear ventilation.

Adenoidectomy↗
PubMed1979

Brain stem audiometry: status and clinical applications of click evoked brain stem responses.

Over the past 10 years, numerous reports on click evoked brain stem responses have appeared in both the general otolaryngologic and the audiologic literature. Equipment is now commercially available, is relatively simple to operate, and permits the routine recording of these potentials. The technique is especially useful in the objective establishment of hearing thresholds in the newborn and in adult subjects and appears to be more reliable than the cortical evoked response (AEP). Other uses and applications of the technique, as in the detection of brain stem lesions and acoustic tumors, in coma and brain death, are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

A method of percutaneous laryngeal electromyography.

A method of percutaneous laryngeal electromyography is described. The technique is simple, safe and it allows a sampling of muscles within the superior laryngeal and recurrent laryngeal territories. The procedure can be performed on an out-patient basis in a conventional electromyography laboratory, and complications have not been encountered.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1977

Laryngeal electromyography - techniques, applications, and a review of personal experience.

The techniques and observations of earlier authors on laryngeal electromyography are briefly reviewed. Our personal experience with the use of a percutaneous method in a series of 27 patients is described and discussed. The percutaneous technique is a simple, safe method and permits the examination to be performed on a routine out-patient basis. The presence of denervation, the degree of paralysis, evidence of recovery, can be readily obtained and this permits a more accurate assessment and prognosis to be made.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1976

Central auditory dysfunction.

The numerous tests applicable to the assessment of central deafness are briefly reviewed. It is likely that the more specific verbal and non-verbal tests, which assess more complex auditory function, will prove to be most useful in the assessment of these problems. We believe that the concept of a spectrum of clinical-anatomical types of central deafness is useful, namely, cortical, brainstem and more peripheral forms; a detailed study of an example of a predominantly brainstem type of central deafness is presented. An interdisciplinary approach which applies the methods of the audiologist, otolaryngologist, and neurologist to these patients is required to localize the site of the lesion, to detect and describe the deafness and to establish its etiology.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Click evoked eighth nerve and brain stem responses (electrocochleogram)--experimental observations in the cat.

The origin of waves two to five occurring in the first 10 milliseconds after repetitive click stimuli is not definitely established. Published studies have suggested that waves two and three are derived from the cochlear nucleus and superior olivary complex respectively and that waves four and five are generated by the inferior colliculus. Our studies of the effect of chronic brain stem lesions in the cat do not support this hypothesis of specific localization, but reveal that a more general reduction in amplitude, and at times prolongation in latency, occurs with lesions in the pons and lower midbrain and that wave one amplitude is also diminished with brain stem lesions.

Animals↗