Ann Acad Med Singap
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Ann Acad Med Singap · Nov 1994
Case ReportsHigh resolution computed tomography of the temporal bone: preliminary experience.
High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) can demonstrate the detailed anatomy and pathology of the temporal bone and is fast becoming an important imaging modality in the diagnosis and preoperative management of our local patients with temporal bone diseases. We present our experience in the usage of HRCT in temporal bone lesions in Tan Tock Seng Hospital, using 8 cases as illustration. ⋯ We also give an overview of those clinical conditions whereby HRCT can provide information which will help surgeons in the management of their patients. These clinical conditions are hearing loss, external auditory canal atresia, middle ear inflammation/cholesteatoma, temporal bone trauma, pulsatile tinnitus and vascular tympanic membrane.
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Formal Quality Assurance programmes have been widely promoted and applied in anaesthesia departments in the United States of America. The rationale of three well-known programmes is examined. Although they may be of use as a method of examining one's own practice, there is little objective evidence to support the idea of measuring an anaesthesiologist's competence. There is also a danger that licensing authorities will misuse such spurious information.
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Ann Acad Med Singap · Sep 1994
Occupational burns in the Burns Centre at the Singapore General Hospital.
This study reviewed all work-related burn injuries within the period 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993 for the purpose of establishing data on occupational burns in Singapore to identify the specific at-risk population and formulate prevention strategies. All 163 patients who were admitted to the Burns Centre, Singapore General Hospital, as a result of burns suffered in the workplace were reviewed using the World Health Organisation Burns Data Protocol. Burns data recorded included demography, industrial sector involved, aetiology, extent of injury and eventual outcome in terms of mortality and morbidity. ⋯ Seven patients died, giving a mortality rate of 4.3%. The average BSA for these patients was 46.4% and all had respiratory burns. In all, occupational burns accounted for 2011 patient-days of hospitalization, 630,637 lost days at work and inpatient treatment costs amounting to S $1.32 million.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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The mechanism of anaesthesia is still a black box, although many investigators have been concerned about this theme since the 19th century. It is too complex to clarify the mode of anaesthetic action, as a variety of compounds have been adopted as anaesthetics. Hill coefficients calculated from the righting reflex dose-response curve in enflurane, isoflurane sevoflurane and halothane anaesthesia in a certain strain of mice were from 14 to 56. ⋯ It is suspected from Overton's experiment that the action site is not in the core of lipid bilayer but on the surface of membrane. It was demonstrated by 2 methodologies. Two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser effect spectrum in H1-NMR spectra of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) vesicle membrane in the presence of methoxyflurane revealed from the existence of the cross-peak between the methoxy-proton and the choline methyl-proton that methoxyflurane molecule interacted only to the polar head of lipid membrane at lower temperatures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)