Optimizing the sand cushion

The "cushion cannulation" technique.

A:Although there are published descriptions of hemodialysis cannulation techniques, best practices have not been determined (Brouwer, 2005). There is a paucity of detailed information regarding appropriate or optimal positioning of the access arm. The first author uses a “cushion cannulation” technique where the nurse sits on a stool with a firm cushion in the lap, over the knees. The patient e...

Endocardial cushion defects.

Endocardial Cushion Defect

THE REPAIR of atrial septal defects was first undertaken over a decade ago.1'Although secundum-type defects could be closed adequately without the use of cardiopulmonary bypass, it soon became apparent that defects of the endocardial cushion type were not am-enable to correction by indirect technies.5 Accordingly, the need arose to differentiate these two lesions; the clinical, electrocardiogra...

The PTB Supracondylar-Suprapatellar Air-Cushion Socket

The patallar-tendon-bearing supracondy­ lar, suprapatellar air cushion (PTS-AC) below-knee (BK) prosthesis is a special modi­ fication of the supracondylar, suprapatellar suspension and the air cusion socket. The air cushion principle in combination with the patella tendon-bearing (PTB) prosthesis was introduced by Lyquist, Wilson, and Radcliffe (Fig. 1), (2) in 1965. It requires more accurate ...

Aortic function quantified: the heart's essential cushion.

Arterial compliance is mainly determined by the elasticity of proximal large-conduit arteries of which the aorta is the largest contributor. Compliance forms an important part of the cardiac load and plays a role in organ (especially coronary) perfusion. To follow local changes in aortic compliance, as in aging, noninvasive determination of compliance distribution would be of great value. Our g...