A neuromuscular monitoring system based on a personal computer

We have developed a computerized neuromuscular monitoring system (NMMS) using commercially available subsystems, i.e., computer equipment, clinical nerve stimulator, force transducer, and strip-chart recorder. This NMMS was developed for acquisition and analysis of data for research and teaching purposes. Computer analysis of the muscle response to stimulation allows graphic and numeric presentation of the twitch response and calculated ratios. Since the system can store and recall data, research data can be accessed for analysis and graphic presentation. An IBM PC/AT computer is used as the central controller and data processor. The computer controls timing of the nerve stimulator output, initiates data acquisition, and adjusts the paper speed of the strip chart recorder. The data processing functions include establishing control response values (when no neuromuscular blockade is present), displaying force versus time and calculated data graphically and numerically, and storing these data for further analysis. The general purpose nature of the computer and strip chart recording equipment allow modification of the system primarily by changes in software. For example, new patterns of nerve stimulation, such as the posttetanic count, can be programmed into the computer system along with appropriate data display and analysis routines. The NMMS has functioned well in the operating room environment. We have had no episodes of electrocautery interference with the computer functions. The automated features have enhanced the utility of the NMMS. The prime advantages of this system are (1) the ability to customize its features by altering its controlling programs, (2) the ready availability of the hardware and software, (3) the general purpose nature of the system, so that it is not limited to this one application, and (4) the adaptable nature of the system.     

Response of lower esophageal contractility to changing concentrations of halothane or isoflurane: A multicenter study

A multiple-center study was performed to determine the relationship between lower esophageal contractility, clinical signs, and anesthetic concentration as expressed by minimum alveolar concentration (MAC). One hundred four American Society of Anesthesiologists Class I through III patients were exposed to isoflurane (with and without nitrous oxide) or halothane in concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 MAC. Heart rate and systolic blood pressure were continuously monitored. Both the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous and provoked lower esophageal contractions were measured in situ by using a 24-F probe equipped with provoking and measuring balloons. Combined results demonstrated statistically significant correlations (P<0.001) between lower esophageal contractility and MAC. Spontaneous lower esophageal contractions decreased from 1.10±0.12 (SEM) contractions per minute (0.5 MAC) to 0.42±0.05 (1 MAC) to 0.18±0.05 (1.5 MAC). Provoked lower esophageal contractility values decreased from 45±4 mm Hg (0.5 MAC) to 29±3 (1 MAC) to 19±2 (1.5 MAC). Heart rate changes did not correlate with MAC, and systolic blood pressure correlated in only one of three centers. Intracenter and intercenter analyses failed to demonstrate a significant relationship between lower esophageal contractility and heart rate or systolic blood pressure. No intracenter differences in either amplitude or frequency of lower esophageal contractions were observed, despite differences in volatile agents, induction techniques and agents, patient populations, and duration of anesthesia. Our studies indicate that lower esophageal contractility may be an indicator of anesthetic depth as reflected by MAC, but further studies are needed to quantify the effects of surgical stimulus, intravenous anesthetics, vasodilators, anticholinergics, calcium channel blockers, beta-adrenergic agonists, and the presence of a nasogastric tube.     

广泛性焦虑症与抑郁症患者免疫、内分泌及单胺递质的对照研究

目的探讨广泛性焦虑症(GAD)与抑郁症(MD)患者在免疫、内分泌和单胺递质方面的差异。方法 对30例GAD患者(焦虑症组)、38例MD患者(抑郁症组)在治疗(5-羟色胺再摄取抑制剂治疗6~8周)前后分别检测血清白细胞介素2(IL-2)、白细胞介素6(IL-6)、白细胞介素1β(IL-1β)、白细胞介素8(IL-8)、可溶性白细胞介素6受体(SIL-6R)、肿瘤坏死因子α(TNF-α)、皮质醇(CS)、促肾上腺皮质激素(ACTH)、肾上腺素(EPH)和去甲肾上腺素(NE)水平。选择30名年龄和性别与患者组相匹配的健康人为对照组。结果 (1)焦虑症组治疗前IL-8[(122±76)ng／L]、SIL-6R[(2 065±790)ng／L]水平均高于对照组(99±68)ng／L]、[(294±48)ng／L,IL-6水平为(1.6±0.7)ng／L,低于对照组[(5.3±2.7)ng／L],差异均有显著性意义(P<0.05);抑郁症组治疗前IL-2[(7.7±6.7)ng／L]、IL-8[(119±67)ng／L]、SIL-6R[(1308±371)ng／L]水平均高于对照组,差异均有显著性意义(均P<0.05)。经治疗后,焦虑症组IL-6[(4.3±1.2)ng／L]水平较治疗前升高,IL-8[(39±9)ng／L]水平较治疗前降低(P<0.05);抑郁症组IL-2[(2.4±1.2)ng／L]、IL-8[(47±15)ng／L]水平较治疗前降低(P<0.05);均接近于对照组水平(均P>0.05)。(2)焦虑症组治疗前ACIH[(49±28)ng／L]、EPH[(67±45)ng／     

经食管超声心动图在心血管手术麻醉与监测中的应用

目的　评价经食管超声心动图 (TEE)在心血管手术麻醉中的价值。方法　本组共完成 1 2 2例TEE监测。主要观察指标 :(1 )对 4 1例瓣膜置换患者的瓣膜作返流和狭窄分级及评价机械或生物瓣的功能 ;(2 ) 4 8例不停跳冠状动脉搭桥 (CABG)患者手术前后心功能变化〔①面积减少分数(FAC) ;②E波与A波峰值流速比率 (E/A)和各自的流速时间积分比率 (VTIE/VTIA) ;③E波减速时间 (DT) ;④心脏指数 (CI)〕 ;(3)手术前后对 2 0例不停跳CABG患者左室室壁 (前壁、后壁、侧壁和室间隔 )运动分级 ;(4 )监测先心病矫正前后心脏结构变化。结果　TEE检测瓣膜病变与经胸超声结果一致 ,手术后瓣膜活动正常。术后FAC、CI和VTIE/VTIA分别为 (0 5 2± 0 0 8)、(2 6 4± 0 6 9)L·min 1 ·m 2 和 1 2 9± 0 1 8,与术前比较 (0 4 2± 0 0 9)、(2 0 5± 0 4 8)L·min 1 ·m 2 和 1 1 4± 0 1 6有显著性差异 (P <0 0 5 ) ;术后E/A 0 86± 0 2 1与术前 0 77± 0 1 8比较P <0 0 1。DT无显著性变化。术前节段性室壁运动异常大于 2级的占 1 0 % ,术后为 5 %。结论　在心血管手术中 ,TEE是一种新的有用的监测技术     

Use of long catheters for multipatient anesthetic monitoring at high respiratory frequencies

Anesthetic gases from several patients can be monitored simultaneously with a centrally located mass spectrometer. Such monitoring requires catheters from patient to spectrometer that are several meters long. Scamman (J Clin Monit 1988;4:227–229) found that when the respiratory frequency is high, as with infants, the CO₂ signal from the patient is unacceptably distorted during passage down the catheter. This is due to Taylor dispersion of the input signal. An outline of the theory of Taylor dispersion is given. The equations describe the interaction between the velocity distribution (which, in laminar flow, is parabolic) and the radial diffusion of CO₂. This interaction keeps a tracer signal together in a pulse, as it moves down the tube with themean velocity, spreading somewhat as it proceeds. How much does an initially sharp signal become blurred? The spread of such a signal when it reaches the detector, measured in time, can be expressed in various ways. Measurement is complicated, however, by the fact that the gas pressure may fall by as much as a factor of 10 along the line. The resultant expansion and acceleration of the gas cannot be ignored. A full treatment of this complication is given elsewhere, but the following simple equation is described: {ie237-1} Typically, the spread time is up to a quarter of a second for catheters of 50 m, such as used by Scamman. This is comparable with the period of CO₂ rise and fall for infants and explains the serious distortion in wave form that Scamman found. Some distortion can be eliminated by reducing R to 0.1 or less, but the extent of this improvement is small. Ideally, for fast-breathing patients, the catheter length should be reduced to 20 m or less, if possible.     

Measurement of acceleration: a new method of monitoring neuromuscular function

A new method for monitoring neuromuscular function based on measurement of acceleration is presented. The rationale behind the method is Newton's second law, stating that the acceleration is directly proportional to the force. For measurement of acceleration, a piezo-electric ceramic wafer was used. When this piezo electrode was fixed to the thumb, an electrical signal proportional to the acceleration was produced whenever the thumb moved in response to nerve stimulation. The electrical signal was registered and analysed in a Myograph 2000 neuromuscular transmission monitor. In 35 patients anaesthetized with halothane, train-of-four ratios measured with the accelerometer (ACT-TOF) were compared with simultaneous mechanical train-of-four ratios (FDT-TOF). Control ACT-TOF ratios were significantly higher than control FDT-TOF ratios: 116 +/- 12 and 98 +/- 4 (mean +/- s.d.), respectively. In five patients not given any relaxant during the anaesthetic procedure (20-60 min), both responses were remarkably constant. In 30 patients given vecuronium, a close linear relationship was found during recovery between ACT-TOF and FDT-TOF ratios. It is concluded that the method fulfils the basic requirements for a simple and reliable clinical monitoring tool.     

三峡建坝后血吸虫病传播危险因素研究Ⅲ库区血吸虫病监测方案的研究

目的了解三峡库区血吸虫病传播危险因素,为三峡库区血吸虫病动态监测提供技术方案。方法在三峡库区进行钉螺生存模拟试验,调查库区流动人口、家畜血吸虫病传染源和钉螺输入库区的潜在危险因素,以及建坝后社会经济发展变化对血吸虫病传播的潜在影响因素,找出库区血吸虫病监测的重点。结果钉螺在三峡库区的适宜环境中能够生长繁殖;血吸虫病传染源主要是往返于血吸虫病流行区的流动人口;从血吸虫病疫区引进花草树木和牲畜,存在将钉螺和动物传染源输入库区的可能;库区社会经济发展可使血吸虫病传入的危险增加,三峡库区已成为血吸虫病的潜在流行区。结论三峡库区血吸虫病监测工作重点应是流动人口、引进的牲畜等血吸虫病传染源和钉螺输入因素的监测。     

The accuracy of a fiberoptic oximeter over a wide range of arterial oxygen saturation values in piglets

A piglet model was used to evaluate the accuracy of a fiberoptic oximeter over a wide range of arterial oxygen saturation (SaO₂) values. In eight anaesthetized piglets, the inspired oxygen concentration was varied from 30% to 6% resulting in a SaO₂ range from 100% to 15%. Paired data of the Opticath® fiberoptic catheter, which was placed in the descending aorta, and blood sample SaO₂ values assessed by a multiwavelength oximeter, were analysed. After in vitro calibration according to the manufacturer's instruction, the fiberoptic catheter started to underestimate the SaO₂ below 78%, worsening towards lower SaO₂ values. The overall bias was -3. 4% and the precision 3. 8%. An off-line fit with a non-linear model resulted in a standard deviation of residuals of 2. 6%. After several in vivo calibration adjustments when the Fiberoptic oximeter deviated more than 4% from the blood sample value, the bias was eliminated over the total SaO₂ range and the precision was 3. 7%. The Opticath® fiberoptic oximeter could have an accuracy for the whole SaO₂ range between 15–100% close to the accuracy of the multiwavelength oximeter, when the fiberoptic oximeter is adapted for the underestimation below 78% SaO₂.     

Differential effect of pancuronium at the adductor pollicis, the first dorsal interosseous and the hypothenar muscles. An electromyographic and mechanomyographic dose-response study

Cumulative dose-response curves were constructed from evoked compound electromyographic (EMG) recordings in man to compare the sensitivity to pancuronium of the adductor pollicis, the hypothenar and the first dorsal interosseous muscles. Also, the EMG and mechanomyography-based sensitivity of the adductor pollicis muscle were compared. The EMG and the mechanomyogram were evaluated in random sequence in each of 21 adult thiopental, fentanyl and diazepam anesthetized patients. The EMG-based ED50 were 36-38 micrograms.kg-1 with no differences between muscles. The EMG-based ED90 of the adductor pollicis and the hypothenar muscles were 62-65 micrograms.kg-1 compared to the 60 micrograms.kg-1 of the first dorsal interosseous muscle (P < 0.05). ED50 (34 micrograms.kg-1), and ED90 (56 micrograms.kg-1) obtained from the adductor pollicis mechanomyogram were significantly lower than those based on the EMG (P < 0.05). It is concluded that differences in sensitivity to pancuronium exist between the three muscles when evaluated from the EMG, and that the apparent sensitivity of a given muscle to a muscle relaxant may depend upon whether the response is evaluated using EMG or mechanomyography.     

脑电双频指数用于门诊无痛内镜检查的临床研究

目的　观察脑电双频指数 (BIS)监测对门诊无痛内镜检查病人麻醉过程及恢复的意义。方法　 12 0例择期在丙泊酚 芬太尼静脉麻醉下行胃镜检查的门诊病人 ,随机分为BIS监测组 (A组 )与常规监测组 (B组 ) ,每组 6 0例。静脉给予芬太尼 1μg/kg、丙泊酚 0 5mg/kg负荷量后 ,丙泊酚的维持量A组根据BIS值 (4 5～ 6 0 )调节 ,B组仅根据临床体征调节。记录丙泊酚用量、术中反应、胃镜检查时间及留观时间等。结果　两组间一般资料及麻醉前MAP、HR、SpO2 、BIS均无显著性差异(P >0 0 5 )。丙泊酚用量A组明显少于B组 ,留观时间A组显著短于B组 (P <0 0 1)。MAP在麻醉诱导入睡后和插镜时两组均有下降 ,但A组降幅低于B组 (P <0 0 1)。不良反应发生率A组明显少于B组 (P <0 0 1)。结论　BIS监测用于门诊麻醉对预防麻醉药用量不足或逾量 ,减轻血液动力学改变 ,避免术中肢动与知晓有重要意义 ,有利于提高麻醉安全 ,减少并发症。