Articles: monitoring.
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Achieving and monitoring adequate depth of anaesthesia is a challenge to the anaesthetist. With the introduction of muscle relaxing agents, the traditional signs of awareness are often obscured or difficult to interpret. These signs include blood pressure, heart rate, pupil size, etc. ⋯ The EEG was collected from the left hemisphere and analysed by FFT to 1 sec epochs and the spectral edge frequency was calculated. Both the changes in ARX extracted AEP and the spectral edge frequency of the EEG correlated well with the time interval between propofol induction and onset of anaesthesia measured by clinical signs (i.e., cessation of eye-lash reflex). The MTA extracted AEP was significantly slower in tracing the transition from consciousness to unconsciousness.
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The goals of the study were to investigate the value of intraoperative electrically evoked nerve action potentials (NAPs) in the surgical treatment of traumatic peripheral nerve injuries (nerve lesions in continuity). ⋯ In nerve lesions in continuity with complete loss of nerve function, intraoperative NAPs are able to detect axonotmetic lesions in regeneration. Thus, unnecessary further surgical procedures can be avoided. On the other end of the spectrum, no recordable NAP together with a caliber shift of the nerve (suggesting a neuroma in continuity) may facilitate the surgeon's decision for a grafting procedure without a time-consuming internal neurolysis. But there is also evidence from our data that not every nerve lesion in continuity without a NAP needs to be grafted.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Assessment of accelerography with the TOF-GUARD: a comparison with electromyography.
The TOF-GUARD is a new device for monitoring the neuromuscular function using acceleration measurement. It is quick and easy to apply and does not require a rigid support for the arm. ⋯ The levels at intubation as well as at full recovery of the patients can be assessed equally by the two monitors. Thus, the TOF-GUARD is a reliable clinical monitor in daily anaesthesia practice.
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This article discusses some of the routine as well as more specialized monitoring devices available. In thoracic surgery monitoring may be even more challenging because the surgery itself may involve manipulation of the airways, the pulmonary as well as cardiovascular systems. The anesthesiologist must have a full understanding of the required monitoring devices and decide which if any special techniques are needed depending on the surgical procedure and the patient's preoperative condition.