Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
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Biography Historical Article
Harold Griffith Memorial Lecture. The Griffith legacy.
1992 was the anniversary of Crawford Long's use of ether in 1842, and Griffith and Johnson's introduction of Intocostrin into anaesthetic practice in 1942. Harold Randall Griffith was born in Montreal in 1894 and died in 1985. He interrupted his medical studies to serve in the first world war and was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry at the battle of Vimy Ridge. ⋯ He was one of those responsible for inaugurating the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiology and was President of the First World Congress of Anaesthesiology in 1955. It is remarkable that the introduction of curare into anaesthetic practice was delayed until 1942, since curare had been used in anaesthesia some 30 years previously. However, it was probably Griffith's confidence in his own clinical abilities which enabled him to seize the opportunity when it was offered.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Intubating conditions and haemodynamic changes following thiopentone or propofol for early tracheal intubation.
Intubating conditions and haemodynamic changes were studied 30 sec after a fixed induction dose of thiopentone or propofol in patients scheduled for elective surgery. The hypnotic agent was preceded by the administration of papaveretum 10 mg three minutes before induction and alcuronium 0.2 mg.kg-1 at induction. Ease of intubation was graded and the study conducted in a randomised double-blind fashion. ⋯ In the propofol group there was a decrease in systolic pressure after induction (average 14.4%; range 15.5% increase to 41.4% decrease, P < 0.05) but the subsequent pressor response to intubation was markedly attenuated compared with baseline (average systolic pressure decreased 15.5% (range 22.4% increase to 42.7% decrease)). Following intubation and maintenance, ventilation with nitrous oxide 70% and halothane 1% the systolic pressure decreased markedly in both groups with a greater reduction in the propofol group (P < 0.05). Compared with baseline there were increases (P < 0.0001) in heart rate in both groups from induction of anaesthesia to the end of study.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Laryngoscope blade design has tended to be relatively arbitrary and so far scientific analysis has not allowed useful comparisons between blade shapes. A new theoretical method of analysing laryngoscope blades is introduced and uses the depth of insertion profiles of two angular measurements. One represents eyeline displacement and the other the forward space that the blade occupies at the level of the mandible. ⋯ All three are superior to the straight Soper size 3 blade. The Macintosh size 1 and 2 blades are quite different from the larger Macintosh blades. This theoretical basis for blade analysis is consistent with commonly expressed clinical opinions and may influence blade design in the future.