Canadian Anaesthetists' Society journal
-
This study was designed to assess operating room contamination with nitrous oxide and halothane when nitrous oxide 3 1/min and oxygen 2 1/min containing halothane one per cent were passed into a semiclosed circle absorber system from which the patients' lungs were ventilated with an Ohio ventimeter through a cuffed tracheal tube, with the exhaled gas vented to the floor. The normal room ventilation did not consistently maintain levels below the suggested amounts, which are nitrous oxide 25 ppm and halothane 2 ppm. ⋯ The Protection Filter Foregger 7--365--001 was only effective in removing halothane and only if the plastic holder provided was radically modified. Attention is drawn to the numerous factors influencing the magnitude of contamination, aspects of controlling it, and the necessity to cope with the problem of dealing with scavenged gases and vapours.
-
The results of this study demonstrate that 60 mg of lidocaine sprayed down the tracheal tube before extubation and 40 mg sprayed down the tracheal tube before extubation and 40 mg sprayed down during tracheal tube removal prevents increases in blood pressure and pulse rate during and after extubation. The data suggest that this manoeuvre should be of advantage to patients with coronary artery disease who may not be able to tolerate the increased cardiac dynamics which usually accompany extubation.
-
The median as well as the ulnar nerve may be used effectively in the evaluation of neuromuscular blockade with the peripheral nerve stimulator. Both ulnar and median nerve stimulation produce flexion of the fingers. For maximum neural stimulation either during the routine use of the peripheral nerve stimulator or when it is used as an aid to peripheral nerve block, the negative pole should be attached to the exploring needle or over the nerve to be stimulated.
-
In cardiopulmonary bypass the effect on plasma vasopressin levels of the addition of whole blood to the pump priming solution was measured. Six patients (Group I) had blood added to the lactated Ringer's solution for the prime, and six patients (Group II) had only lactated Ringer's solution. ⋯ Greater decreases in haematocrit and urinary K+ and greater increases in urinary Na+ occurred in Group II. The degree of haemodilution does not appear to effect plasma vasopressin levels but may alter the degree of electrolyte shift.