Anaesthesia
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Biography Historical Article
Francis Percival de Caux (1892-1965). An anaesthetist at odds with social convention and the law.
All doctors practice medicine within the confines of what is termed 'acceptable practice'. This acceptable practice is delineated by medical ethics, the actions of one's colleagues, social custom, and the laws of the country. Failure to conform to any or all of these constraints may result in professional ostracism or even loss of liberty. The life and work of Frances Percival de Caux clearly shows these effects in their most damaging manner.
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Letter Case Reports
Dosage of phenylephrine in spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Intravenous lignocaine and sympathoadrenal responses to laryngoscopy and intubation. The effect of varying time of injection.
We have studied the effect of varying the timing of a prior dose of intravenous lignocaine 1.5 mg/kg on the cardiovascular and catecholamine responses to tracheal intubation. Forty healthy patients were given an intravenous injection of either placebo or lignocaine 2, 3 or 4 minutes before tracheal intubation. There was a significant increase in heart rate of 21-26% in all groups. There was no significant increase in mean arterial pressure in response to intubation in any group of patients given lignocaine before intubation, but in the placebo group, mean arterial pressure increased by 19.1% compared to baseline values (p less than 0.05).
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Epidural infusion of diamorphine with bupivacaine in labour. A comparison with fentanyl and bupivacaine.
We have compared the analgesic effects of three epidural infusions in a randomised, double-blind study of 61 mothers in labour. An initial dose of bupivacaine 0.5% 8 ml was followed by either bupivacaine 0.125%, bupivacaine 0.125% with diamorphine 0.0025% or bupivacaine 0.125% with fentanyl 0.0002%. ⋯ Diamorphine was shown to be the more effective supplement to bupivacaine. The 5% incidence of pruritus in the opioid groups was less than that reported by earlier authors.