Anaesthesia
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Case Reports
Removal of obstructing blood clot from the lower airway: an alternative suction technique.
Clotted blood or organised thrombus in the lower airway may present clinicians with life-threatening airway obstruction or pulmonary collapse. An alternative suction technique is described, which applies suction directly to a tracheal tube.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Maternal cardiovascular consequences of positioning after spinal anaesthesia for Caesarean section: left 15 degree table tilt vs. left lateral.
Sixty healthy women undergoing elective Caesarean section were randomly allocated to either a measured 15 degrees left table tilt position (n = 31) or full left lateral position (n = 29) for a 15-min period after spinal blockade. Arm and leg blood pressure, ephedrine requirements, symptoms, fetal heart rate, cord gases and Apgar scores were recorded. ⋯ Differences in maternal nausea, vomiting and bradycardia and fetal outcome were not statistically significant. Following spinal anaesthesia, even a true 15 degrees left table tilt position is associated with aortic compression.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
The effect of phenylephrine and norepinephrine in patients with chronic pulmonary hypertension*.
In this study the effect of phenylephrine and norepinephrine for the treatment of systemic hypotension were evaluated in patients with chronic pulmonary hypertension. When systemic hypotension (systolic arterial pressure < 100 mmHg) occurred following induction of anaesthesia, either phenylephrine or norepinephrine were infused in a random manner to raise the systolic blood pressure by 30% and 50% above baseline values. ⋯ These vasoconstrictors showed different systemic and pulmonary haemodynamic effects in patients with chronic pulmonary hypertension as compared to acute pulmonary hypertension. Norepinephrine was considered to be preferable to phenylephrine for the treatment of hypotension in patients with chronic pulmonary hypertension.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Supplementary oxygen administration for elective Caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia.
We investigated the necessity for administration of supplementary oxygen to mothers undergoing elective Caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia. Sixty-nine women undergoing elective Caesarean section were randomly allocated to one of three groups to be given either oxygen (40%) by facemask, air by facemask or oxygen at 2 l x min(-1) by nasal cannulae. ⋯ We also assessed the patient acceptability of oxygen administered by facemask vs. nasal cannulae should the need for supplementary oxygen arise. It was found that use of the facemask impeded communication.