British journal of anaesthesia
-
Perfluorocarbon (PFC) has been widely used in the treatment of respiratory diseases; however, PFC content of the breathing gases remains unknown. Therefore, we developed an absorber using PFC selective zeolites for PFC measurement in gases and investigated its accuracy. ⋯ This zeolite absorber is an accurate method to quantitatively determine PFC in breathing gases and can be used as a reference method to validate other PFC sensors.
-
Previous pharmacovigilance studies have indicated a low rate of adverse events in patients receiving human albumin. However, the incidence of adverse events is likely to have been underestimated because of under-reporting. A more accurate estimate may be possible during a period such as 1998-2000, when awareness regarding albumin safety was heightened by publication of a meta-analysis. ⋯ Although the observed incidence of adverse events is likely to be an underestimate, nevertheless both non-fatal and fatal serious adverse events in albumin recipients appear to be rare. These results add further support to the excellent safety record of human albumin.
-
We present a case of pulmonary thromboendarterectomy performed successfully in a patient with stomatocytosis. Stomatocytosis is a rare condition of abnormal erythrocyte morphology in which haemolysis and hyperkalaemia occur at cooler temperatures. ⋯ He had undergone splenectomy as a child, which rendered him hypercoagulable as the spleen normally removes the haemolysed red cell fragments from blood. By constantly monitoring urine for macroscopic haematuria, arterial and mixed venous blood gas analysis perioperatively and by limiting the period of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest that is normally required for this operation, we were able to perform the operation successfully.
-
Heart block and arrhythmia are complications of pulmonary artery and cardiac catheterization. Injury to the conducting system of the heart often involves the right bundle causing right bundle branch block (RBBB). If patients already have left bundle branch block (LBBB), complete heart block (CHB) may result. ⋯ The function of the AV node and bundle of His in these patients has not been studied before. We report a patient with LBBB who developed CHB during insertion of a central venous cannula. Conduction through the AV node and His-Purkinje system was intact, showing that the transient RBBB was caused by traumatic injury rather than by other disease of the conduction system.