Anaesthesia
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The neuromuscular effects of intravenous rocuronium bromide, 0.6 mg.kg-1 or 0.9 mg.kg-1, were studied in four groups of 10 patients during anaesthesia with or without halothane (0.5-0.75% inspired concentration). Neuromuscular block was monitored using mechanomyography and train-of-four stimulation. The mean times to onset of complete neuromuscular block were 58 and 59 s using the 0.6 mg.kg-1 dose in patients anaesthetised with fentanyl and halothane respectively. ⋯ All the parameters were significantly different between the 0.6 mg.kg-1 and 0.9 mg.kg-1 doses. Halothane in the concentrations used did not influence the neuromuscular effects. It is concluded that rocuronium is a rapidly acting non-depolarising muscle relaxant with a duration of action similar to that of vecuronium and may be a useful alternative to suxamethonium for rapid tracheal intubation.
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The working practices and outcomes from UK intensive care units are poorly documented to date. We have reviewed 2000 consecutive admissions to one intensive care unit in a tertiary referral centre with initially six, then eight beds. The study was a retrospective review of contemporaneous data collection within the period 1986-1990. ⋯ The report illustrates some of the advantages and disadvantages of one method of data collection. As it represents one unit only, care must be taken in extrapolating results to others. The timing of admissions suggests that a review of medical staffing practices would be useful.
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Case Reports
Cardiac arrest under anaesthesia in a child with previously undiagnosed Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome.
A 7-year-old Sikh boy with a history of syncopal attacks and congenital deafness was admitted for elective adenoidectomy and examination of his ears under general anaesthesia. Immediately after induction of anaesthesia an ECG demonstrated T wave inversion in the CM5 lead. ⋯ A 12-lead ECG performed later demonstrated a prolonged Q-Tc interval (0.52 s). The child was diagnosed as having the Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome.
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A case of acute severe organophosphate poisoning by deliberate self administration is reported. The patient required intensive therapy for 30 days. Unusual features of the case were the avoidance of atropine, because of the high risk of ventricular fibrillation, and the ineffectiveness of pralidoxime.
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Ex-premature babies are at risk of apnoea after surgery. Regional anaesthesia has been used as an alternative to general anaesthesia for some surgical procedures in the belief that it may be safer. However, single dose caudal epidural and subarachnoid anaesthetics have a duration of action which may be insufficient for some operations. ⋯ One other baby needed supplementation with nitrous oxide in oxygen in order to complete the surgery. The majority of babies slept throughout surgery. There were no reported postoperative complications.