Mitral regurgitation measured by continuous infusion of xenon An evaluation of the method in 91 patients

Mitral regurgitant flow levels and fractions were measured in 91 patients using a constant infusion of ¹³³xenon solution as an indicator. Regurgitant flow measurements ranged from 0.01 to 11.8 liters/min. Uniformity of left atrial mixing and negligible recirculation was achieved. The ¹³³xenon method was compared with other methods of measuring mitral regurgitation. This convenient technique was of great assistance in reaching conclusions about patients with mixed mitral stenosis and regurgitation, multiple valve replacement or mitral regurgitation associated with myocardial disease. We conclude that, because of the few sources of error and its clinical reliability, the ¹³³xenon method is one of the most accurate available.     

OCULAR LEUKAEMIA IN ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKAEMIA OF CHILDHOOD

Abstract Modern cytotoxic drugs increase the survival rate of children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL): But the eye is a pharmacological sanctuary and after clinical “cure” of the haematological disease the child may be blinded by leukaemic ocular infiltration. Should this prophylactic irradiation of the posterior segment of the eye and optic nerve be repeated on diagnosis of CNS leukaemia and at specified intervals thereafter with recurrence of CNS leukaemia? This is the history of a child who had had no recurrence of haematological leukaemia for four and a half years but following remission developed central nervous system (CNS) leukaemia followed by leukaemic iridocyclitis in the right eye after 20 months and in the left eye after three years three months from the initial diagnosis of ALL Prophylactic cranial irradiation is performed on initial haematological diagnosis of ALL This includes prophylactic irradiation of the posterior segment of the eye and optic nerve.     

Atracurium in clinical anaesthesia: effect of dosage on onset, duration and conditions for tracheal intubation

Conditions for tracheal intubation at 90 seconds, time to onset of maximum block and duration of clinical relaxation after five different doses of atracurium, which ranged from 0.4 to 1.0 mg/kg were studied in 200 adult patients who were anaesthetized with nitrous oxide, oxygen and halothane or fentanyl. The conditions for intubation improved significantly with increasing doses, and were acceptable in 55% patients with a 0.4 mg/kg dose and in about 90% of those who received the two higher doses. The time to onset of complete block was 257 seconds with 0.4 mg/kg and decreased progressively to 124 seconds with 1.0 mg/kg. The duration of clinical relaxation under fentanyl anaesthesia averaged 29 minutes with 0.4 mg/kg and increased in a dose-related manner to 57 minutes with 1.0 mg/kg: halothane anaesthesia produced only a marginal increase. There was no evidence of cumulation with up to six repeat doses of 0.125 mg/kg. The only side effect noticed was cutaneous flushing observed in 42% of patients. This was again dose dependent, being 18% with 0.4 mg/kg and increasing to 73% after 1.0 mg/kg. There was associated hypotension and bronchospasm in one patient.