Critical reviews in biomedical engineering
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The aim of this article is to give an overview of recent developments in the field of general anesthesia monitoring. We measure different physiological signals related to the functioning of several nervous systems. ⋯ Modeling of the underlying physiological mechanisms of the anesthesia may help for better understanding the interactions between anesthetic agents and nervous systems. Physiological-model-based general anesthesia monitoring and control can then be considered and optimized for each patient.
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Assessing adequacy of anesthesia requires evaluation of its components: hypnosis, analgesia, and neuromuscular transmission. In order to do this, many methods have been developed that process signals representing different modalities. ⋯ This article presents an overview of the current state of methods available for measuring each of these components. We conclude that, whereas important gains have been made in the area of assessment of hypnosis, mainly owing to the advancement of methods using EEG and auditory evoked potentials, and whereas neuromuscular transmission can be objectively monitored using motor nerve stimulation, assessment of analgesia still contains many challenges.
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Electrical stimulation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, analogous to pacing the human heart, is an attractive idea. This is because these organs, like the heart, have their own natural pacemakers, and the electrical signals they generate can be altered by externally delivering certain types of electric currents via intraluminal or serosal electrodes to certain areas of the GI tract. A number of studies on animals have been accomplished successfully to treat a variety of disease models, including gastroparesis, dumping, and short bowel syndrome. ⋯ First the electrophysiology of the GI tract and history of GI electrical stimulation are introduced. Then various methods of electrical stimulation of the stomach and small bowel in healthy animals and models of GI diseases are reviewed. Finally clinical applications of electrical stimulation to GI disorders and their possible mechanisms are discussed.
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This article reviews the various modeling techniques for neuromonitoring depth of anesthesia (DOA). Traditional techniques such as parametric, predictive, optimal, and adaptive modeling, proportional, integral, derivative (PID) modeling, together with modern techniques such as bispectral-based, artificial neural-network-based, fuzzy logic, and neuro-fuzzy modeling, bring us to the current state of the art in DOA neuromonitoring. This article reviews historical information about each of the modern techniques and provides an example demonstrating its implementation; reviews drug pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) and drug interaction PK/PD modeling techniques for a balanced total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) administration; and discusses the existing technical problems and clinical challenges, suggesting new techniques necessary for the future development of a DOA monitoring and control system.