Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica. Supplementum
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand Suppl · Jan 1998
Comparative StudyWhitacre or Quincke needles--does it really matter.
Postdural puncture headache (PDPH) and backache are well known complications of spinal anaesthesia. The incidence of PDPH may be significant in young people (< 50 years). The present study was undertaken in order to compare the utility and complication rate of the Whitacre and Ouincke spinal needles. ⋯ For routine clinical use the Whitacre needle appears to be associated with better performance and increased reliability. In younger patients the Whitacre needle have the additional advantage of decreasing the risk of postdural puncture headache.
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Changes in body position alters the functional residual capacity (FRC). Most anesthetics reduce FRC in the recumbent but not sitting position. Inspired gas distribution in anesthesia-paralyzed subjects whose lungs are mechanically ventilated, is different from that in the awake state in all but the prone position. ⋯ Also the end-expiratory shape is affected by induction of anesthesia, but this shape change contributes little to the reduction of FRC. The distribution of pulmonary blood flow is determined not only by gravity, but also by an intrinsic non-gravity dependent factor. These two factors can be additive in some positions but opposing in others.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand Suppl · Jan 1998
Biography Historical ArticleXylocain (lidocaine, lignocaine), its discovery and Gordh's contribution to its clinical use.
Hans v. Euler, while investigating how genes and enzymes were chemically related in some chlorofylldefective mutants of barley, isolated gramine, an indole. Erdtman synthetized isogramine and found it to have weak anesthetic properties. ⋯ Xylocain, however, has had an excellent record of safety. Only during the last years have there been reports on possible toxic irritation and damage by Xylocain used for spinal anesthesia. The aetiology is still not clear In this connection two early observations by Gordh and his coworkers are discussed.