BACKGROUND Near infrared spectroscopy can be used in non-invasive monitoring of changes in skeletal muscle oxygenation in exercising subjects. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether this method can be used to assess metabolic capacity of muscles. Two distinctive variables abstracted from a curve of changes in muscle oxygenation were assessed. METHODS Exercise on a cycle ergometer was performed by 18...

AIMS CO₂ is an intrinsic vasodilator for cerebral and myocardial blood vessels. Myocardial vasodilation without a parallel increase of the oxygen demand leads to changes in myocardial oxygenation. Because apnoea and hyperventilation modify blood CO₂, we hypothesized that voluntary breathing manoeuvres induce changes in myocardial oxygenation that can be measured by oxygenation-sensitive cardiov...

PURPOSE To study the feasibility of anterior vitreal oxygenation for the treatment of acute retinal ischemia. METHODS Twenty rabbits were randomized into an oxygenation group, a sham treatment group, and a no treatment group. Baseline electroretinography (ERG) and preretinal oxygen (Po(2)) measurements were obtained 3 to 5 days before surgery. Intraocular pressure was raised to 100 mm Hg for ...

INTRODUCTION Absence of pulmonary perfusion during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) may be associated with reduced postoperative oxygenation. Effects of active pulmonary artery perfusion were explored in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) undergoing cardiac surgery. METHODS 90 patients were randomised to receive pulmonary artery perfusion during CPB with either oxygenated ...

OBJECTIVES The aim of this manuscript is to describe the first year of our experience using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support. METHODS Ten patients with severe refractory hypoxemia, two with associated severe cardiovascular failure, were supported using venous-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (eight patients) or veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (two patien...

BACKGROUND We performed a systematic review of randomized controlled studies evaluating any drug, technique or device aimed at improving the success rate or safety of tracheal intubation in the critically ill. METHODS We searched PubMed, BioMed Central, Embase and the Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials and references of retrieved articles. Finally, pertinent reviews were also scanne...

Background Diabetes is a chronic disease process, which precedes the development of microvascular dysfunction, detectable as circumferential, subendocardial perfusion deficits on imaging. The full effect of this chronic disease process on myocardial oxygenation is, however, unknown. Studies using oxygen-sensitive Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (OS-CMR) have shown that pharmacologically induc...

INTRODUCTION Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) is commonly used in critical care medicine to improve gas exchange. Altitude sickness is associated with exaggerated reduction in arterial oxygenation. We assessed the effect of PEEP and pursed lips breathing (PLB) on arterial and tissue oxygenation under normobaric and hypobaric hypoxic conditions. METHODS Sixteen healthy volunteers were e...

The purpose of our investigation was to determine if the near infrared spectroscopy technique was sensitive to changes in tissue oxygenation at low levels of isometric contraction in the extensor carpi radialis brevis muscle. Nine subjects were seated with the right arm abducted to 45 degrees, elbow flexed to 85 degrees, forearm pronated 45 degrees, and wrist and forearm supported on an armrest...

Background: Pre-oxygenation is a time honoured ritual carried out in a variety of circumstances. Various methods of preoxygenation have been proposed and followed world wide with vaviable success. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the need for pre-oxygenation prior to the induction of general anaesthesia and also compare the effects of three techniques of pre-oxygenation, on peripheral ...