The Ceylon medical journal
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We compared a simple method of warming stored blood by immersion of blood bags in warm water, to the standard method using portex blood warming infusion coils, which are not freely available in Sri Lanka. The mean temperature of blood after warming by immersion of blood bags was 29.5 degrees C and by infusion coil 30.2 degrees C. ⋯ Ten units of blood in each group were compared with regard to changes in free haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), and hydrogen ion concentration, and no statistically significant difference was observed. We recommend immersion warming as a safe and effective alternative to warming by infusion coil.
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Three hundred and fifty children below 5 years of age undergoing surgery for repair of cleft lip and palate received endotracheal halothane anaesthesia. For induction of anaesthesia a mixture of nitrous oxide (N2O), oxygen (O2) and halothane was given by mask. Orotracheal intubation was carried out without administration of relaxants and spontaneous respiration was maintained. ⋯ No life-threatening complications were seen during surgery or in the post-operative period. The mortality in this group was zero. The study showed that anaesthesia for cleft lip (CL) and cleft palate (CP) surgery could be given relatively safely in developing countries where facilities and resources available are minimal.