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Biomedical subjects

W A Vekovius

Publications and source records attributed to W A Vekovius.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1984

Amputation risk factors in concomitant superficial femoral artery and vein injuries.

Only a small subset of patients with combined superficial femoral artery and vein injuries results in amputation. The importance of the venous component as a risk factor for amputation is uncertain. Ligation vs. reconstruction of venous injuries is controversial. For clarification of these issues, we analyzed retrospectively multiple risk factors for amputation in combined superficial femoral artery and vein injuries in a civilian population. There were 25 patients treated in a 20-year period. Sixteen injuries were caused by small caliber missiles, six by shotgun blasts, and three by knife wounds. Three patients (12%) ultimately underwent amputation. The major risk factor for amputation was method of vascular reconstruction. All three amputations underwent ligation of the superficial femoral vein with arterial reconstruction by placement of a reversed interposition saphenous vein graft (p = 0.0009). None of the remaining 22 patients with salvaged limbs underwent reconstruction by this combination of techniques. Consequently, the authors emphasize the importance of venous reconstruction, particularly in combined injuries with major arterial involvement requiring interposed grafts.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Side effects of antimotion sickness drugs.

The possible influence on operational proficiency of the side effects of the anti-motion sickness drugs was investigated using a computerized pursuit meter as the test device. The medications and doses tested were scopolamine (Hyoscine) 0.25 mg and 0.50 mg oral doses, promethazine (Phenergan) 25 mg oral and 25 mg I.M. doses. Combinations of promethazine 25 mg with 10 mg d-amphetamine (Dexadrine) oral were also used, as was a combination of promethazine 25 mg oral with promethazine 25 mg I.M. and 10 mg of oral d-amphetamine. The proficiency on the pursuit meter task was not significantly altered by 0.25 mg or 0.50 mg doses of scopolamine. The combination of promethazine 25 mg oral with 10 mg d-amphetamine did not produce a significant decrement of performance. When promethazine 25 mg was given as an oral or I.M. dose without amphetamine the decrement of performance was significant and was approximately equivalent to an alcohol blood level of 25-50 mg% (one-two drinks). When a combination of promethazine 25 mg oral plus promethazine 25 mg I.M. with 10 mg d-amphetamine was tested, the error scores were significantly lower than with the oral or I.M. dose of promethazine. This combination also produced an error score significantly higher than placebo level. Promethazine by the I.M. route was slowly absorbed and 6 of the 10 subjects reported drowsiness at 6 h post injection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Pursuit Meter II, a computer-based device for testing pursuit-tracking performance.

The Pursuit Meter II, a microcomputer-based device developed for the quantitative determination of human pursuit-tracking performance, is described. Computer-generated moving patterns are displayed on a high resolution color video monitor. For the subject the task is to attempt to superimpose a red line presented on the screen, the vertical location of which he controls with a steering device, over a blue line the computer generates as the problem. Both lines, each composed of 279 segments, are generated at the same rate, left to right on the monitor. The individual differences between the subject's response and the problem are summed and stored by the computer as an error score which correlates inversely to the subject's ability to perform the task. Three Pursuit Meter II problems were presented to 26 male college students. Our data demonstrated that different levels of performance to the problems resulted and that the Pursuit Meter II can be used to quantify human pursuit-tracking performance.

Computers↗
PubMed1982

Volume-adjusted maximal mid-expiratory flow (Iso-volume FEF25-75%): definition of "Significant" responsiveness in healthy, normal subjects.

Iso-volume FEF25-75% was evaluated in 30 non-smoking, healthy subjects (16-58 years) to define the percentage change over baseline required for responsiveness to inhaled bronchodilators using this measurement to be significant. The mean percentage change from baseline for Iso-volume FEF25-75% was 15.3% +/- 17.2% (1 SD). Improvement of greater than 49.6% (mean +/- 2 SD) over baseline is required for the change reflected by the Iso-volume FEF25-75% to be significant.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

The clinical significance of volume-adjusted maximal mid-expiratory flow (Iso-volume FEF25-75%) in assessing airway responsiveness to inhaled bronchodilator in asthmatics.

The clinical significance of Iso-volume FEF25-75% in assessing airway responsiveness to an inhaled bronchodilator was evaluated in 167 asthmatics who presented with variable degrees of airway dysfunction. Iso-volume FEF25-75% identified responsiveness in one patient (5%) out of 20 of the most dysfunctional asthmatics, in three (20%) out of 15 of the least dysfunctional asthmatics and over-all in four (8%) out of 47 asthmatics not showing significant responsiveness via the FEV1. Over-all, FEV1 identified significant responsiveness in more patients (68.6%) than did the Iso-volume FEF25-75% (61%). The authors conclude that the Iso-volume FEF25-75% adds little to the FEV1 in the assessment of obviously dysfunctional asthmatics, the FEF25-75% as conventionally measured is a relatively useless post-bronchodilator measurement and that the FEV1 remains the single best spirometric test with which to assess airway responsiveness in asthmatics.

Administration, Intranasal↗
PubMed1981

Comprehensive hearing aid program within an ear, nose, and throat office.

Hearing aid dispensing within an otolaryngological/audiological clinic is a well accepted fact, and offers total hearing care in a professional setting. The effectiveness of such a program as to wearing habits and acceptance of services rendered, to my knowledge, has not been studied. This paper discussed data obtained from a questionnaire sent out to 1100 hearing aid patients. The questionnaire was designed to study satisfaction with clinic services and costs, acceptance and adjustment, communication abilities and wearing habits. Statistical analysis was performed by the Department of Biometry at LSU Shreveport. The information received is valuable in determining when hearing aids are most helpful and least helpful and brings out some factors which should influence one in determining who should and should not be fitted with amplification.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

A classification system for asthmatic patients: clinical-physiological correlation.

A classification system for asthmatics based on simple, readily available clinical tools is defined and evaluated. Asthmatics so classified differed significantly in terms of their degree of dysfunction at the time of presentation. Comments regarding the relative importance and proper perspective of pulsus paradoxus and retraction of the sternocleidomastoid muscle in each classification of asthmatics is made.

Adolescent↗