British journal of anaesthesia
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Comparative Study
Force and pressure distribution using Macintosh and GlideScope laryngoscopes in normal and difficult airways: a manikin study.
The forces applied to the soft tissues of the upper airway may have a deleterious effect. This study was designed to evaluate the performance of the GlideScope compared with the Macintosh laryngoscope. ⋯ The GlideScope allowed the participants to obtain a successful intubation applying a lower force. A flatter and more uniform pressure distribution, a higher successful rate, and a better glottic view were observed with the GlideScope.
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Currently, there are no established definitions or terminology for sedation-related adverse events (AEs). With clear terminology and definitions, sedation events may be accurately identified and tracked, providing a benchmark for defining the occurrence of AEs, ranging from minimal to severe. ⋯ We present a consensus document from the International Sedation Task Force (ISTF) of the World Society of Intravenous Anaesthesia (World SIVA). The ISTF is composed of adult and paediatric sedation practitioners from multiple disciplines throughout the world.
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Brain tissue partial oxygen pressure (Pbt(O(2))) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) are novel methods to evaluate cerebral oxygenation. We studied the response patterns of Pbt(O(2)), NIRS, and cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) to changes in arterial pressure (AP) and intracranial pressure (ICP). ⋯ NIRS and transcranial Doppler signals reacted first to AP and ICP changes. The reaction of Pbt(O(2)) is delayed. The results imply that the analysed modalities monitor different stages of cerebral oxygenation.
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Historical Article
Organ transplantation: historical perspective and current practice.
Over the course of the last century, organ transplantation has overcome major technical limitations to become the success it is today. The breakthroughs include developing techniques for vascular anastomoses, managing the immune response (initially by avoiding it with the use of identical twins and subsequently controlling it with chemical immunosuppressants), and devising preservation solutions that enable prolonged periods of ex vivo storage while preserving function. ⋯ The results of organ transplantation continue to improve, both as a consequence of the above innovations and the improvements in peri- and postoperative management. This review describes some of the achievements and challenges of organ transplantation.
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We have developed a technique for measuring a characteristic of the tracheal tube (TT)-trachea interface: the leak conductance (LC). This study aimed to validate the technique in the laboratory and to compare LC with measurements of fractional volume loss (FVL) in neonates undergoing mechanical ventilation. ⋯ LC can be derived remotely and was correlated with FVL, a conventional proxy for tube fit. It may be a better measure of TT fit than FVL.