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One-stage correction of imperforate anus and rectovestibular fistula in girls: Preliminary results.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: This prospective study was designed to assess the safety, cost effectiveness, and advantages of performing posterior sagittal anorectoplasty without colostomy on girls with imperforate anus and rectovestibular fistula. METHODS: Four girls with imperforate anus and rectovestibular fistula were entered into the study. Chest x-ray, renal ultrasound scan, and lateral fistulogram were done. Rectal pouches were washed through the fistula with NaCl and aqueous povidone-iodine solutions. Peña's posterior sagittal anorectoplasties were done in the prone positions. Cephalosporin and metronidazole were given as perioperative antibiotics. RESULTS: All patients had intermediate anomalies. There were no other major associated congenital anomalies. Washout through the fistula was easy. There were no particular problems with posterior sagittal anorectoplasty in the prone positions. Two patients had perianal skin excoriations; one had superficial infection of the posterior sagittal wound. Two patients have undergone follow-up for a year. All are having monthly dilatations. All patients pass stool without need of stool softeners or enemas. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study shows that it is feasible for girls with imperforate anus and rectovestibular fistula to have safe posterior sagittal anorectoplasty without colostomy. The advantages of one, instead of 3 major operations, are many, especially in developing countries.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

The incidence of vision loss due to perioperative ischemic optic neuropathy associated with spine surgery: the Johns Hopkins Hospital Experience.

STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-year retrospective review of 14,102 spine surgeries. OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of perioperative ischemic optic neuropathy (POION) in spine surgery at our institution. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: In recent years, perioperative vision loss in patients undergoing spine surgery has become an issue of increasing concern to physicians, patients, and medicolegal experts. The incidence of POION in spine surgery has been addressed in two separate studies that found incidences of 0% and 0.12%. METHODS: We performed a 20-year database search for all patients who underwent spine surgery and had a concurrent ICD-9 discharge diagnosis pertaining to vision loss. Patient charts were reviewed in detail to confirm the diagnosis of POION. RESULTS: Of 14,102 cases of spine surgery during the study time frame, we identified 4 cases of POION, for an incidence of 0.028%. In 3 of the 4 cases, surgery was performed with the patient in the prone position; the fourth patient was placed in the lateral decubitus position. All affected patients had experienced intraoperative anemia, hypotension, or both. The average time of surgery was 420 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: POION is a rare but potentially devastating and untreatable complication of spine surgery, particularly that performed with the patient in the prone position. Anemia, hypotension, long duration of surgery, and significant intraoperative hydration may all be risk factors for this condition. All patients undergoing spine surgery should be informed about the low but definite risk of this condition, and every attempt should be made during surgery to maintain stable hemoglobin and mean arterial pressure and to avoid overhydration.

Academic Medical Centers↗

Mechanisms of increased intracranial pressure in rabbits exposed to head-down tilt.

Changes in intracranial pressure (ICP) resulting from head-down tilt (HDT) were studied in rabbits, and a possible role of edema formation in the change of ICP was examined. Animals were anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium and artificially ventilated. ICP was continuously monitored through a catheter inserted into the subarachnoid space. It increased depending on the tilt angle and decreased when the tilt angle was reduced. ICP elevated from 4.6 +/- 0.7 mmHg (mean +/- standard error of the mean) at horizontal prone position to 13.7 +/- 1.0 mmHg immediately after the onset of 45 degrees HDT and gradually reduced toward the pre-HDT baseline in the next 8 h. ICP decreased below the pre-HDT baseline value immediately after returning to the horizontal prone position, and gradually increased toward the baseline during the 2 h of recovery period. Histological examination (HE stain) demonstrated that exposure to 8 h of HDT did not cause remarkable edema in either the gray matter or the white matter in rabbits. Water content and specific gravity of brain tissues both were increased in the HDT group in comparison with the control group. These results suggest that edema formation plays little role in the elevation of ICP during the acute phase of HDT in rabbits.

Animals↗

Biomass exposure and the high resolution computed tomographic and spirometric findings.

BACKGROUND: The adverse health effects of biomass fuel exposure (BFE) is complex and widespread. According to our knowledge, the interstitial lung disease due to BFE is not clear in literature. OBJECTIVE: In this descriptive crossectional study, the main objective was to assess the effects of BFE on the respiratory system. METHODS: Patient group was included non-smoker 21 woman and the control group was included non-smoker 22 woman. High resolution computed tomographic (HRCT) examinations were made with supin and prone positions in two groups. The spirometric measurements, including the diffusion capacity at rest for carbon monoxide, single breath (DLCO), were also made. RESULTS: It was found that BFE caused obstructive and restrictive spirometric impairments. The prevalence of the fibrotic bands, peribronchovascular thickenings, nodular radio opacities, and curvilinear densities in the high resolution computed tomographic examinations were 7, 5, 7, and 16 times higher in the exposure group than the control group, respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between the forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume first second (FEV(1)), FEV(1)/FVC, forced expiratory flow during middle half of forced vital capacity (FEF25-75), DLCO and the volumetric densities of the HRCT slices with deep expiration in prone position. CONCLUSIONS: We think that, the findings due to BFE, pose a special situation and it can be named "biomass lung".

Adult↗

Lung recruitment during mechanical positive pressure ventilation in the PICU: what can be learned from the literature?

A literature review was conducted to assess the evidence for recruitment manoeuvres used in conventional mechanical positive pressure ventilation. A total of 61 studies on recruitment manoeuvres were identified: 13 experimental, 31 ICU, 6 PICU and 12 anaesthesia studies. Recruitment appears to be a continuous process during inspiration and expiration and is determined by peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) and positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP). Single or repeated recruitment manoeuvres may result in a statistically significant increase in oxygenation; however, this is short lasting and clinically irrelevant, especially in late ARDS and pneumonia. Temporary PIP elevation may be effective but only after PEEP loss (for example disconnection and tracheal suctioning). Continuous PEEP elevation and prone positioning can increase P(a)O2 significantly. Adverse haemodynamic or barotrauma effects are reported in various studies. No data exist on the effect of recruitment manoeuvres on mortality, morbidity, length of stay or duration of mechanical ventilation. Although recruitment manoeuvres can improve oxygenation, they can potentially increase lung injury, which eventually determines outcome. Based on the presently available literature, prone position and sufficient PEEP as part of a lung protective ventilation strategy seem to be the safest and most effective recruitment manoeuvres. As paediatric physiology is essentially different from adult, paediatric studies are needed to determine the role of recruitment manoeuvres in the PICU.

Anesthesia↗

Reliability of two goniometric methods of measuring active inversion and eversion range of motion at the ankle.

BACKGROUND: Active inversion and eversion ankle range of motion (ROM) is widely used to evaluate treatment effect, however the error associated with the available measurement protocols is unknown. This study aimed to establish the reliability of goniometry as used in clinical practice. METHODS: 30 subjects (60 ankles) with a wide variety of ankle conditions participated in this study. Three observers, with different skill levels, measured active inversion and eversion ankle ROM three times on each of two days. Measurements were performed with subjects positioned (a) sitting and (b) prone. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC[2,1]) were calculated to determine intra- and inter-observer reliability. RESULTS: Within session intra-observer reliability ranged from ICC[2,1] 0.82 to 0.96 and between session intra-observer reliability ranged from ICC[2,1] 0.42 to 0.80. Reliability was similar for the sitting and the prone positions, however, between sessions, inversion measurements were more reliable than eversion measurements. Within session inter-observer measurements in sitting were more reliable than in prone and inversion measurements were more reliable than eversion measurements. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that ankle inversion and eversion ROM can be measured with high to very high reliability by the same observer within sessions and with low to moderate reliability by different observers within a session. The reliability of measures made by the same observer between sessions varies depending on the direction, being low to moderate for eversion measurements and moderate to high for inversion measurements in both positions.

Adult↗

Regional variations in lung expansion in rabbits: prone vs. supine positions.

We studied the vertical gradient in lung expansion in rabbits in the prone and supine body positions. Postmortem, we used videomicroscopy to measure the size of surface alveoli through transparent parietal pleural windows at dependent and nondependent sites separated in height by 2-3 cm at functional residual capacity (FRC). We compared the alveolar size measured in situ with that measured in the isolated lungs at different deflationary transpulmonary pressures to obtain transpulmonary pressure (pleural surface pressure) in situ. The vertical gradient in transpulmonary pressure averaged 0.48 +/- 0.16 (SD) cmH2O/cm height (n = 10) in the supine position and 0.022 +/- 0.014 (SD) cmH2O/cm (n = 5) in the prone position. In mechanically ventilated rabbits, we used the rib capsule technique to measure pleural liquid pressure at different heights of the chest in prone and supine positions. At FRC, the vertical gradient in pleural liquid pressure averaged 0.63 cmH2O/cm in the supine position and 0.091 cmH2O/cm in the prone position. The vertical gradients in pleural liquid pressure were all less than the hydrostatic value (1 cmH2O/cm), which indicates that pleural liquid is not generally in hydrostatic equilibrium. Both pleural surface pressure and pleural liquid pressure measurements show a greater vertical gradient in the supine than in the prone position. This suggests a close relationship between pleural surface pressure and pleural liquid pressure. Previous results in the dog and pony showed relatively high vertical gradients in the supine position and relatively small gradients in the prone position. This behavior is similar to the present results in rabbits. Thus the vertical gradient is independent of animal size and might be related to chest shape and weight of heart and abdominal contents.

Animals↗

[The direct, dorsal approach to the treatment of unstable tibial posteromedial fracture-dislocations].

The surgical treatment of highly unstable tibial posteromedial fracture-dislocations (medial split fracture,Moore type I) is demanding and may cause significant problems. The anterior and the posteromedial approach require detachment of the medial capsuloligamental structures or arthrotomy of the knee joint. Neither of these operative techniques allow the optimal posterior positioning of the buttress plate in order to prevent caudal dislocation of the fragment during knee flexion. The published posterior approaches to the proximal tibia allow appropriate positioning of the anti-glide plate. However, these surgical exposures involve transsection of the semi-membranous and popliteal muscles as well as the partial dissection of the medial gastrocnemius muscle. We present a direct posterior approach and an operative treatment of medial split fractures with open reduction and internal fixation in a prone position. This position simplifies the reduction of the posteromedial fragment by hyperextension and axial traction, as well as osteosynthesis with lag screws and the placement of the buttress plate (radial T-plate). The surgical exposure requires minimal soft tissue dissection. The inferior spike of the fragment can be visualized by partial subperiosteal detachment the popliteal muscle,whereas the medial gastrocnemius muscle and the semi-membranous muscle are preserved. Due to the voluminous subcutaneous tissue in the posteromedial tibial aspect, the closure of the skin incision over the medial gastrocnemius muscle can be performed without difficulty. Three cases of tibial posteromedial fracture-dislocation were treated by the direct posterior approach in a prone position in January and February 2002. The present report shows that the direct posterior surgical technique allows optimal exposure, reduction and internal fixation of medial split fractures of the tibial plateau with minimal trauma.

Adult↗

Optimization of CT colonography technique: prospective trial in 180 patients.

PURPOSE: To assess the added benefits of prone positioning in addition to supine positioning and oral iodinated contrast medium for help in the detection of colonic polyps at computed tomographic (CT) colonography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CT colonography was performed in prone and supine positions in 180 patients with polyps or risk factors for colonic neoplasia. Patients were randomly assigned to receive a standard bowel preparation or a standard preparation plus oral iodinated contrast medium. One radiologist interpreted supine images alone, and another analyzed supine and prone images. All patients subsequently underwent colonoscopy. RESULTS: At colonoscopy, 121 large (> or =1-cm-diameter) polyps and 142 smaller (0.5-0.9-cm) polyps were identified. Prone positioning resulted in increased sensitivity for identification of patients with large (> or =1-cm) polyps (increase from 70% to 85%, P: =.004) and of patients with polyps 0.5 cm or larger (increase from 75% to 88%, P: <.005), with no change in specificity. Use of oral contrast medium did not significantly improve polyp detection even in the subset of patients in whom colonic fluid attenuation was markedly increased. CONCLUSION: Acquisition and review of supine and prone CT colonographic images significantly improves the ability to identify patients with polyps 0.5 cm in diameter or larger. Administration of oral iodinated contrast medium does not significantly improve polyp detection.

Colon↗

Description of adult rolling movements and hypothesis of developmental sequences.

Physical therapists frequently evaluate and teach patients to roll from a supine to a prone position. The purposes of this study were 1) to describe the rolling movements of adults and 2) to determine whether the movement patterns used to roll might represent different developmental steps within three body regions. Thirty-six healthy adult subjects were videotaped during 10 trials of rolling from a supine to a prone position. Written descriptions of each subject's movements were reduced to general categorical descriptions of movement patterns for three body regions (upper extremities, lower extremities, and head and trunk). Stage theory criteria were used in an attempt to order the movement patterns into developmental sequences. The most common combination of movement patterns was used to describe adults' rolling action. Although stage theory criteria were not met, developmental sequences of movement patterns were proposed for the three body regions. Subjects were quite variable in their rolling movements. The most common form of rolling occurred in less than 12% of the subjects' trials. The descriptions of adults' rolling action gathered in this study provide physical therapists with a variety of movement patterns for teaching patients to roll.

Adult↗

Transient neurologic syndrome in one thousand forty-five patients after 3% lidocaine spinal anesthesia.

UNLABELLED: Recent reports have discussed the potential risk of transient radicular irritation (TRI) after spinal anesthesia with lidocaine. Because we have not encountered such neurologic sequelae with the high incidence reported, we prospectively examined the incidence of TRI after spinal anesthesia with lidocaine. One thousand forty-five adult patients (aged 47 +/- 15 yr) receiving spinal anesthesia with 3% hyperbaric lidocaine (1.0-1.5 mL) for anorectal surgery were consecutively studied. After the induction of spinal anesthesia, all patients were placed in the prone position for surgery. Patients were evaluated for neurologic symptoms in the buttocks, thighs, or lower extremities using a checklist to standardize data collection. Although there was no complaint of neurologic symptoms on Postoperative Day (POD) 1, four patients (0.4%) reported aching, hypesthesia, numbness, or dull pain of both lower extremities and buttocks by the morning of POD 3. In three patients, the symptoms resolved without any treatment by POD 5, whereas in one patient, numbness of the lower extremities lasted until POD 7. We conclude that a combination of lidocaine with surgical position or leg manipulation during surgery might be a major contributing factor in the development of transient neurologic syndrome. IMPLICATIONS: Recent studies have reported the potential risk of transient neurologic syndrome after lidocaine spinal anesthesia. The current study reports a low incidence of such sequelae in 1045 patients undergoing anorectal surgery during the prone position. Other factors, such as surgical position, may be important in the development of this syndrome.

Adult↗

Computerized detection of colorectal masses in CT colonography based on fuzzy merging and wall-thickening analysis.

In recent years, several computer-aided detection (CAD) schemes have been developed for the detection of polyps in CT colonography (CTC). However, few studies have addressed the problem of computerized detection of colorectal masses in CTC. This is mostly because masses are considered to be well visualized by a radiologist because of their size and invasiveness. Nevertheless, the automated detection of masses would naturally complement the automated detection of polyps in CTC and would produce a more comprehensive computer aid to radiologists. Therefore, in this study, we identified some of the problems involved with the computerized detection of masses, and we developed a scheme for the computerized detection of masses that can be integrated into a CAD scheme for the detection of polyps. The performance of the mass detection scheme was evaluated by application to clinical CTC data sets. CTC was performed on 82 patients with helical CT scanners and reconstruction intervals of 1.0-5.0 mm in the supine and prone positions. Fourteen patients (17%) had a total of 14 masses of 30-50 mm, and sixteen patients (20%) had a total of 30 polyps 5-25 mm in diameter. Four patients had both polyps and masses. Fifty-six of the patients (68%) were normal. The CTC data were interpolated linearly to yield isotropic data sets, and the colon was extracted by use of a knowledge-guided segmentation technique. Two methods, fuzzy merging and wall-thickening analysis, were developed for the detection of masses. The fuzzy merging method detected masses with a significant intraluminal component by separating the initial CAD detections of locally cap-like shapes within the colonic wall into mass candidates and polyp candidates. The wall-thickening analysis detected nonintraluminal masses by searching the colonic wall for abnormal thickening. The final regions of the mass candidates were extracted by use of a level set method based on a fast marching algorithm. False-positive (FP) detections were reduced by a quadratic discriminant classifier. The performance of the scheme was evaluated by use of a leave-one-out (round-robin) method with by-patient elimination. All but one of the 14 masses, which was partially cut off from the CTC data set in both supine and prone positions, were detected. The fuzzy merging method detected 11 of the masses, and the wall-thickening analysis detected 3 of the masses including all nonintraluminal masses. In combination, the two methods detected 13 of the 14 masses with 0.21 FPs per patient on average based on the leave-one-out evaluation. Most FPs were generated by extrinsic compression of the colonic wall that would be recognized easily and quickly by a radiologist. The mass detection methods did not affect the result of the polyp detection. The results indicate that the scheme is potentially useful in providing a high-performance CAD scheme for the detection of colorectal neoplasms in CTC.

Algorithms↗

Effects of prone and supine position on sleep characteristics in preterm infants.

The purpose of this study was to address the influence of sleep position on sleep characteristics in preterm infants. We studied 16 infants at a mean post-conceptional age of 36.5 weeks. Infants were successfully recorded with videopolysomnograph in the supine and prone position. Between the two positions, there were no significant differences in percentage of active sleep and quiet sleep (QS), the occurrence of arousal, and the incidence of apnea. The first QS after the feeding was longer in the prone position. The sleep position could affect sleep characteristics but not respiratory characteristics in preterm infants.

Arousal↗

Rectal wall sparing by dosimetric effect of rectal balloon used during intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for prostate cancer.

The use of an air-filled rectal balloon has been shown to decrease prostate motion during prostate radiotherapy. However, the perturbation of radiation dose near the air-tissue interfaces has raised clinical concerns of underdosing the prostate gland. The aim of this study was to investigate the dosimetric effects of an air-filled rectal balloon on the rectal wall/mucosa and prostate gland. Clinical rectal toxicity and dose-volume histogram (DVH) were also assessed to evaluate for any correlation. A film phantom was constructed to simulate the 4-cm diameter air cavity created by a rectal balloon. Kodak XV2 films were utilized to measure and compare dose distribution with and without air cavity. To study the effect in a typical clinical situation, the phantom was computed tomography (CT) scanned on a Siemens DR CT scanner for intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment planning. A target object was drawn on the phantom CT images to simulate the treatment of prostate cancer. Because patients were treated in prone position, the air cavity was situated superiorly to the target. The treatment used a serial tomotherapy technique with the Multivane Intensity Modulating Collimator (MIMiC) in arc treatment mode. Rectal toxicity was assessed in 116 patients treated with IMRT to a mean dose of 76 Gy over 35 fractions (2.17-Gy fraction size). They were treated in the prone position, immobilized using a Vac-Loktrade mark bag and carrier-box system. Rectal balloon inflated with 100 cc of air was used for prostate gland immobilization during daily treatment. Rectal toxicity was assessed using modifications of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) and late effects Normal Tissue Task Force (LENT) scales systems. DVH of the rectum was also evaluated. From film dosimetry, there was a dose reduction at the distal air-tissue interface as much as 60% compared with the same geometry without the air cavity for 15-MV photon beam and 2x2-cm field size. The dose beyond the interface recovered quickly and the dose reductions due to air cavity were 50%, 28%, 11%, and 1% at 2, 5, 10, and 15 mm, respectively, from the distal air-tissue interface. Evaluating the dose profiles of the more clinically relevant situation revealed the dose at air-tissue interface was approximately 15% lower in comparison to that without an air cavity. The dose built up rapidly so that at 1 and 2 mm, there was only an 8% and 5% differential, respectively. The dosimetric coverage at the depth of the posterior prostate wall was essentially equal with or without the air cavity. The median follow-up was 31.3 months. Rectal toxicity profile was very favorable: 81% (94/116) patients had no rectal complaint while 10.3% (12/116), 6.9% (8/116), and 1.7% (2/116) had grade 1, 2, and 3 toxicity, respectively. There was no grade 4 rectal toxicity. DVH analysis revealed that none of the patients had more than 25% of the rectum receiving 70 Gy or greater. Rectal balloon has rendered anterior rectal wall sparing by its dosimetric effects. In addition, it has reduced rectal volume, especially posterior and lateral rectal wall receiving high-dose radiation by rectal wall distension. Both factors may have contributed to decreased rectal toxicity achieved by IMRT despite dose escalation and higher than conventional fraction size. The findings have clinical significance for future very high-dose escalation trials whereby radiation proctitis is a major limiting factor.

Catheterization↗

[Obstructive sleep apnea in the child: an interdisciplinary treatment concept with special reference to craniofacial changes].

Diagnosis and therapy of obstructive sleep-related breathing disturbances SRBD in adults may not be applied without hesitation to children. SRBD in newborn and infants are often due to craniofacial disturbances (Pierre Robin syndrome, Goldenhars syndrome etc.), obesity is of minor importance. More than 30 infants with SRBD and craniofacial changes have been diagnosed and successfully treated over a 2-year period. Conservative therapy starts immediately after birth. The first step in newborn with Pierre Robin syndrome, for instance, is prone position for protrusion of tongue and mandible and mandibular growth stimulation. Intermediate nightly nasopharyngeal tubes are an alternative to nCPAP-/BiPAP treatment. Conventional orthopaedic/orthodontic treatment should not be neglected, even if it takes years to become effective. Surgical therapies are able to support, sometimes to replace or at least to shorten conservative methods. In rare cases when prone position in combination with palatal plates in cases of Robin syndrome, for instance, are not fully effective, mandibular extension is indicated. Aplasia or defects demand adequate surgical reconstruction, even if this does not necessarily mean abolishment of SRBD. In contrast to adults adenotonsillectomy is highly effective in infants and does not only reduce SRBD, but also improves nasal breathing and thus positively influences facial growth. A relatively new method is gradual mandibular distraction osteogenesis according to Ilizarov, which also enhances soft tissue growth. Maxillary and mandibular advancement osteotomies should not be considered before the termination of facial growth. Thanks to this refined treatment concept we were able to avoid tracheotomies in children during the past few years.

Adolescent↗

Repetitive inhalation endotracheal anaesthesia for cobalt radiotherapy in a child.

PURPOSE: Provision of general anaesthesia in areas remote from the operating room creates many difficult challenges especially if required for repeated radiotherapy in the prone position. This case illustrates these problems and some innovative solutions. CLINICAL FEATURES: A nine-year-old girl with medulloblastoma became extremely distressed whenever cobalt radiotherapy was attempted. Sedation with midazolam and high dose propofol infusion failed to achieve satisfactory conditions and caused concerns regarding airway management. The patient received a total of 37 endotracheal anaesthetics in the prone position using isoflurane in oxygen. Activated charcoal was used to scavenge anaesthetic vapors and adequate gas supplies were assured by connecting an "H' size tank to the oxygen pipeline inlet of the anaesthesia machine. Measurement of isoflurane in exhaust gases using gas chromatography confirmed the effectiveness of scavenging. No serious complications occurred related to repeated anaesthesia. CONCLUSION: The methods and equipment described permitted safe delivery of repeated inhalation general anaesthesia for radiotherapy. The same methods could be applied to anaesthesia in other remote locations.

Anesthesia, Inhalation↗

Effects of prone and supine position on heart rate, respiratory rate and motor activity in fullterm newborn infants.

Polygraphic recordings were obtained for 24 normal full-term neonates on their 4th or 5th day of life. Thirteen of the infants were first fed, laid supine for 3 hours, fed again around noon and laid prone for 3 more hours. The other 11 were first laid prone and then supine. The awake state was observed more in the supine than the prone position (P less than 0.001). Wakefulness occurred at the expense of state 1 and/or state 2. The heart rate (HR) was higher in babies lying prone. It was also higher in the afternoon than in the morning. No such relationship was found for the respiratory rate (RR). There was higher average EMG activity during state 1 in the prone position. The cross-correlation between HR and EMG activity was positive during state 2, and states 4 and 5, regardless of the position. The cross-correlation between the RR and the EMG was usually negative in state 2, and in states 4 and 5, there being many exceptions. The cross-correlation between breathing and heart-beat was mostly negative during state 2, but it eventually became positive due to periodic breathing, central apnoeas with bradycardia, stretches, and crawling movements.

Electrocardiography↗

Extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy for distal ureteric calculi.

The results of 67 consecutive patients referred to the New South Wales Lithotripter Centre with distal ureteric calculi were evaluated. All these patients were treated on the Dornier HM3 Lithotripter. Distal ureteric calculi were classified as those at, or distal to, the proximal margin of the sacro-iliac joint. Eleven patients with stones overlying the sacro-iliac joint were treated in the prone position, while 56 patients with stones distal to the sacro-iliac joint, were treated in the saddle (astride) position. Of the 64 patients in whom follow-up was available, 44 (69%) were rendered totally stone free by extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL). Lithotripsy has proved an effective treatment for distal ureteric calculi and has rendered 69% of patients stone free with minimal morbidity. Stones overlying the sacro-iliac joint can be successfully treated in the prone position.

Adult↗