Publications by authors named "Gerrard Francis Rafferty"
Article Synopsis
- The survey aimed to assess clinician attitudes, beliefs, and barriers to the use of Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist (NAVA) in critically ill adults at a UK hospital with extensive experience in this technology.
- Out of 466 surveys distributed, 301 were returned, revealing that while most clinicians felt NAVA was safe and effective, they identified significant technical issues and expressed low confidence in its use compared to traditional Pressure Support Ventilation (PSV).
- Findings indicate that enhancing training and creating clear usage guidelines are essential for improving clinician competence and potentially increasing the adoption of NAVA in critical care settings.
The Association for Respiratory Technology & Physiology (ARTP) last produced a statement on the performance of lung function testing in 1994. At that time the focus was on a practical statement for people working in lung function laboratories. Since that time there have been many technological advances and alterations to best practice in the measurement and interpretation of lung function assessments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Each year 7 million people die of stroke worldwide; most deaths are caused by chest infections. Patients with acute stroke have impaired voluntary cough flow, associated with increased risk of chest infections. Reduced functional residual capacity (FRC) could lead to impaired cough flow.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPeak cough flow (PCF) measurements can be used as indicators of cough effectiveness. Portable peak flow meters and spirometers have been used to measure PCF, but little is known about their accuracy compared to pneumotachograph systems. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of four portable devices (Mini-Wright and Assess peak flow meters, SpiroUSB and Microlab spirometers) in measuring PCF with a calibrated laboratory based pneumotachograph system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Purpose: Cough protects the lungs from aspiration. We investigated whether respiratory muscle training may improve respiratory muscle and cough function, and potentially reduce pneumonia risk in acute stroke.
Methods: We conducted a single-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial in 82 patients with stroke (mean age, 64±14 years; 49 men) within 2 weeks of stroke onset.
Background: After stroke, pneumonia is a relevant medical complication that can be precipitated by aspiration of saliva, liquids, or solid food. Swallowing difficulty and aspiration occur in a significant proportion of stroke survivors. Cough, an important mechanism protecting the lungs from inhaled materials, can be impaired in stroke survivors, and the likely cause for this impairment is central weakness of the respiratory musculature.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: To determine if the prone versus the supine posture was associated with higher oxygenation levels in prematurely born infants before discharge, whether any such effect was explained by alterations in lung volume or respiratory mechanics, and if the changes were greater in oxygen-dependent infants.
Patients: Twenty infants (10 oxygen-dependent), median gestational age 30 (range: 27-32) weeks, were studied at a median postconceptional age of 35 weeks (range: 32-38 weeks).
Methods: On 2 successive days, infants were studied both supine and prone; each posture was maintained for 3 hours.