Journal of clinical monitoring and computing
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J Clin Monit Comput · Jan 1999
Computerized monitoring of physical activity and sleep in postoperative abdominal surgery patients.
Assessment of early postoperative activity is important in the documentation of improvements of peri-operative care. This study was designed to validate computerized activity-based monitoring of physical activity and sleep (actigraphy) in patients after abdominal surgery. ⋯ Computerized activity monitoring by actigraphy is a reliable and easy method for monitoring physical activity and sleep-wake cycles after major abdominal surgery.
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J Clin Monit Comput · Dec 1998
Clinical TrialPerioperative tissue thickness measurement by a new miniature ultrasound device.
A recently developed mini ultrasound device for measurement of peripheral tissue thickness is now available for use in clinical practice. Whether this device allows a better guidance of perioperative fluid therapy has to be investigated. Therefore, it is necessary to get basic data on the parameter tissue thickness in otherwise healthy patients during surgery. The aim of the present study was to evaluate differences in tissue thickness change between patients in supine and head down position with a novel handheld ultrasound device during the perioperative course of healthy surgical patients under a standardized fluid regimen. ⋯ The findings suggest that fluid replacement after an NPO period and the expected changes of forehead TT due to positioning of the patient are detectable by this new ultrasound device.
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J Clin Monit Comput · Dec 1998
Use of an automated anesthesia information system to determine reference limits for vital signs during cesarean section.
We evaluated whether automated anesthesia information systems can be used to calculate reference limits (population-based "normal values") for vital signs. We considered four populations of women undergoing cesarean section: healthy under spinal anesthesia, healthy under general anesthesia, pre-eclamptic/eclamptic under spinal anesthesia, and pre-eclamptic/eclamptic under general anesthesia. ⋯ Automated anesthesia information systems can be used to determine reference limits for vital signs during anesthesia. Reference limits may play a role in malpractice cases when an expert claims that care by an anesthesiologist was sub-standard as shown by vital signs that were not maintained within the normal range during the critical portions of an anesthetic. Automated anesthesia information systems may enhance expert witnesses' clinical judgment.
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J Clin Monit Comput · Dec 1998
Stabilization and stability of twitch force during mechanomyography of the adductor pollicis muscle.
In order to study the stabilization time, the increase in twitch force during stabilization and the maintenance of stability during mechanomyography of the adductor pollicis muscle, neuromuscular function was monitored in 20 patients anaesthetized without the use of a neuromuscular blocking agent. The effect of the type of stimulation (single twitch [ST; 0.1 Hz], or train-of-four [TOF; 4 stimuli at 2 Hz, repeated every 12 s]) on these variables was studied. When applying TOF stimulation, the variables were also investigated for the TOF percentage [quotient of fourth and first twitch of a TOF stimulus x 100%]. ⋯ Stabilization of twitch force takes too long for many studies of neuromuscular function in the clinical research setting. Therefore, we do not recommend its routine use when performing mechanomyography of the adductor pollicis muscle.