[A multifunctional anesthesia device: the K circuit].

A practical versatile anaesthesia device is described. An electrical pump provides room air to carry anaesthetic vapours. O2 can also be added if desired.

[Is the malleable mattress harmful for the spinal cord?].

When the inside pressure of mouldable mattress is lowered isotropic deformation can be harmful for spinal cord. The axial force is measured placing stress gauge in a metallic manikin and in corpse (T2-L1), then on the cephalic top of volunteers. When soles and head are included in an usual mattress, during the retraction stress values raise up to 484 N at 262 mbar for manikin, to 150 N at 315 mbar for corpse, to 102 N at 310 mbar for cephalic top of the volunteers.

Effect of cytidine diphosphate choline on anoxia tolerance of cultured myocardial cells.

Three series of cultured Wistar rat heart cells (10 treated and 10 controls x 3) were examined with a laser contraction-meter in a special chamber for anoxia to determine whether cytidine diphosphate choline (CDPC), a membrane phospholipid precursor, can protect against total oxygen deprivation. Heart rate and force of contraction (inotropism) were monitored during a 40-minute period of hypoxia. CDPC in a concentration of 142 micrograms/ml-1 was added to the culture medium only during the anoxia period in series I, during the 3 days of culture in series II, and during the 3 days of culture and the 40-minute hypoxia period in series III.

[The reliability of slow flow isoflurane vaporizers].

Two new vaporizers for isoflurane were tested and verified with very low flows: Ohmeda Tec 5 and Penlon PPV Sigma vaporizers. This work completes a previous one [1]. The Ohmeda Tec 5 appeared to be quite reliable.

[Considerations on the monitoring of soda lime. Consideration technique].

The choice of ethyl violet as a pH indicator in soda lime is not the best. Color change happens too late because pH alteration of the surface of soda lime is slower than in the core of the canister. Clinical and comparative measurement of wall temperature of two in series canisters is a good precaution.