Journal of clinical monitoring and computing
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Pulse oximetry, a non-invasive method for accurate assessment of blood oxygen saturation (SPO2), is an important monitoring tool in health care facilities. However, it is often not available in many low-resource settings, due to expense, overly sophisticated design, a lack of organised procurement systems and inadequate medical device management and maintenance structures. Furthermore medical devices are often fragile and not designed to withstand the conditions of low-resource settings. ⋯ Improving the probe wiring would increase the life span of pulse oximeter probes. Increasing the life span of probes will make pulse oximetry more affordable and accessible. This is of high priority in low-resource settings where frequent repair or replacement of probes is unaffordable or impossible.
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J Clin Monit Comput · Jun 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialInexpensive video-laryngoscopy guided intubation using a personal computer: initial experience of a novel technique.
Video-laryngoscopy may provide an enhanced view of laryngeal structures compared to direct visualization. Commercial video-laryngoscopes are often expensive, limiting its adoption for routine use. We describe our initial experience using an inexpensive custom made device. ⋯ The custom-made, inexpensive, video-laryngoscopy device is safe and reliable for clinical use. Real-time visualization and endotracheal intubation were successful in all patients, including those with anticipated difficult airway. Further, this device helps in archiving the video of intubation.
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J Clin Monit Comput · Jun 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialThe use of train of four monitoring for clinical evaluation of the axillary brachial plexus block.
The axillary approach of brachial plexus anesthesia is the most commonly used technique for forearm and hand surgery. Dynamometer is known as objective test for the clinical assessment of motor block of the nerves in brachial plexus block. However, the use of this device may not always be practical in operating room. ⋯ TOF values were gradually decreased and significant difference was observed between the development of a complete and partial motor block at 30th minute. TOF values were also significantly less in patients of complete sensory block than the patients of partial sensory block at 30th minute. The use of TOF monitoring may be beneficial to assess the objective clinical effect of motor block in the patients with axillary brachial plexus nerve block.
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J Clin Monit Comput · Jun 2014
Respiratory induced dynamic variations of stroke volume and its surrogates as predictors of fluid responsiveness: applicability in the early stages of specific critical states.
Respiratory induced dynamic variations of stroke volume and its surrogates are very sensitive and specific predictors of fluid responsiveness, but their use as targets for volume management can be limited. In a recent study, limiting factors were present in 53 % of surgical patients with inserted arterial line. In the intensive care unit (ICU) population the frequency is presumably higher, but the real prevalence is unknown. ⋯ The prevalence was similar in patients with shock. Occurrence of minor factors can pose further bias in evaluation of these patients. General use of dynamic variations guided protocols for initial resuscitations seems not universally applicable.
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J Clin Monit Comput · Jun 2014
Clinical TrialVariations in the pre-ejection period induced by deep breathing do not predict the hemodynamic response to early haemorrhage in healthy volunteers.
Monitoring that can predict fluid responsiveness is an unsettled matter for spontaneously breathing patients. Mechanical ventilation induces cyclic variations in blood pressure, e.g. pulse pressure variation, whose magnitude predicts fluid responsiveness in mechanically ventilated patients. In this study, we hypothesised that a deep breathing manoeuvre with its effect on heart rate variability (HRV) could induce similar cyclic variations in blood pressure in spontaneously breathing healthy subjects and that the magnitude of these variations could predict the hemodynamic response to controlled haemorrhage. 37 blood donors were instructed to perform two simple deep breathing manoeuvres prior to blood donation; one manoeuvre with a respiratory cycle every 10 s (0.1 Hz) and one every 6 s (0.167 Hz). ⋯ At none of the respiratory manoeuvres was ∆PEP nor ∆PEP/RMSSD prior to haemorrhage correlated to changes in cardiac output following haemorrhage. Deep breathing induces cyclic changes in blood pressure that are strongly dependent on HRV. These blood pressure variations do, however, not predict the cardiac output response to controlled haemorrhage.