Effects of Blood Pressure on Brain Tissue Pulsation Amplitude in a Phantom Model.

Objective: The precise mechanism and determinants of brain tissue pulsations (BTPs) are poorly understood, and the impact of blood pressure (BP) on BTPs is relatively unexplored. This study aimed to explore the relationship between BP parameters (mean arterial pressure [MAP] and pulse pressure [PP]) and BTP amplitude, using a transcranial tissue Doppler prototype.

Methods: A phantom brain model generating arterial-induced BTPs was developed to observe BP changes in the absence of confounding variables and cerebral autoregulation feedback processes.

Improving communications in PPE: a solution for 'landline' telephone communication.

Background: Emergency care staff wearing elastomeric respiratory personal protective equipment (PPE) report difficulties in communicating by telephone. We developed and tested an affordable technological solution aimed at improving telephone call intelligibility for staff wearing PPE.

Methods: A novel headset was created to enable a throat microphone and bone conduction headset to be used in combination with a standard hospital 'emergency alert' telephone system.

Are portable ankle brachial pressure index measurement devices suitable for hypertension screening?

Objective: In a large-scale population cardiovascular screening programme, peripheral artery disease (PAD) and hypertension would ideally be rapidly assessed using a single device. The ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI) is calculated by comparing the ankle and brachial blood pressure (BP). However, it is currently unclear whether brachial BP measurements provided by automated PAD screening systems are sufficiently accurate for simultaneous hypertension screening.

Development of a Flow Phantom for Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound Quality Assurance.

Anecdotal evidence was recently brought to our attention suggesting a potential difference in velocity estimates between transcranial Doppler (TCD) systems when measuring high velocities (∼200 cm/s) close to the threshold for sickle cell disease stroke prevention. As we were unable to identify a suitable commercial TCD phantom, a middle cerebral artery (MCA) flow phantom was developed to evaluate velocity estimates from different devices under controlled conditions. Time-averaged velocity estimates were obtained using two TCD devices: a Spencer Technologies ST Doppler system (ST PMD150, Spencer Technologies, Seattle, WA, USA) and a DWL Dopplerbox (DWL Compumedics, SN-300947, Singen, Germany).

Implementation fidelity of self-administered transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in patients with chronic back pain: an observational study.

Objectives: The efficacy of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for pain relief has not been reliably established. Inconclusive findings could be due to inadequate TENS delivery and inappropriate outcome assessment. Electronic monitoring devices were used to determine patient compliance with a TENS intervention and outcome assessment protocol, to record pain scores before, during, and after TENS, and measure electrical output settings.

Validation of two novel electronic devices to time-link transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and pain report in patients with chronic back pain.

Objectives: The analgesic effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is uncertain. Negative findings, interpreted as ineffectiveness, might be due to poor methodological quality. Monitoring is necessary to differentiate between ineffectiveness and low implementation fidelity.

The brief fatigue inventory: comparison of data collection using a novel audio device with conventional paper questionnaire.

An Electronic Portable Information Collection audio device (EPIC-Vox) has been developed to deliver questionnaires in spoken word format via headphones. Patients respond by pressing buttons on the device. The aims of this study were to determine limits of agreement between, and test-retest reliability of audio (A) and paper (P) versions of the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI).

Postoperative wound oxygen tension with epidural or intravenous analgesia: a prospective, randomized, single-blind clinical trial.

Background: Adequate tissue oxygen tension is an essential requirement for surgical-wound healing. The authors tested the hypothesis that epidural anesthesia and analgesia increases wound tissue oxygen tension compared with intravenous morphine analgesia.

Methods: In a prospective, randomized, blind clinical study, the authors allocated patients having major abdominal surgery (n = 32) to receive combined general and epidural anesthesia with postoperative patient-controlled epidural analgesia (epidural group, n = 16), or general anesthesia alone with postoperative patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (intravenous group, n = 16).