Anaesthesia
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
The effect of pre-operative oral fluids on morbidity following anaesthesia for minor surgery.
Postoperative morbidity and serum osmolality were studied in 46 patients who were encouraged to drink water until 3 h pre-operatively and 49 receiving the normal fasting regimen prior to minor surgery. There was significantly less thirst in the postoperative period in those patients allowed to drink and subjectively better recovery than after previous anaesthesia. There was no morbidity from ingestion of up to 11 of water 2.5 h pre-operatively. Although there was only a moderate improvement in postoperative recovery we feel that allowing patients to drink water pre-operatively improves patient comfort, especially since patients may have to fast for much longer than guidelines recommend, simply because of the traditional organisation of operating lists.
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We report the management of anaesthesia for Caesarean section in a woman with severe extensive tracheal stenosis. Management was initially with spinal anaesthesia, but general anaesthesia became necessary as a result of profuse intra-operative bleeding. We describe the use of the Hayek oscillator cuirass ventilator to allow instrumentation of the larynx whilst maintaining respiratory support, and for weaning from mechanical ventilation.
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Biography Historical Article Classical Article
A new mechanical ventilator. 1961.