CHAPTER 23. SUTURING Introduction185 Indications185 Cautions186 Contraindications186 Equipment187 Practical procedure187 Post-procedure care193 Complications196 Prior to his post as physician to the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, the Greek physician Galen (129–circa 200–216)…
CHAPTER 21. SUBCUTANEOUS AND INTRAMUSCULAR INJECTIONS Introduction171 Indications171 Contraindications172 Equipment172 Practical procedure173 Complications177 The Irish physician Francis Rynd (1811–1861) invented the hollow needle in 1844, patented in the Irish patents…
CHAPTER 1. AIRWAY CARE WITH SIMPLE DEVICES Introduction1 Airway management2 The first procedure used for airway control was probably tracheostomy. Pedro Virgili (1699–1776) from Cadiz used it for the relief…
CHAPTER 8. PERIPHERAL VENOUS CANNULATION Introduction67 Indications67 Contraindications68 Equipment68 Practical procedure69 Post-procedure care73 Complications73 Drugs, namely opium and Crocus metallorum, were first administered intravenously to dogs by Sir Christopher Wren…
CHAPTER 22. LOCAL ANAESTHETICS Introduction179 Indications180 Dosage180 Complications – lidocaine toxicity180 Contraindications181 Practical procedure181 Sigmund Freud was aware of the analgesic properties of cocaine, but its anaesthetic properties were recognized…
CHAPTER 6. VENEPUNCTURE (PERIPHERAL AND FEMORAL) Introduction53 Indications54 Contraindications54 Peripheral venepuncture equipment54 Practical procedure55 Femoral venepuncture equipment58 Practical procedure59 Post-procedure investigations61 Complications61 Venesection is probably the oldest surgical intervention. It…
CHAPTER 2. PEAK EXPIRATORY FLOW RATE MEASUREMENT AND SPIROMETRY Introduction15 Indications15 Contraindications16 Equipment17 Practical procedure – PEFR 17 Practical procedure – spirometry 19 Interpreting the spirometry results20 The spirometer was…
CHAPTER 4. CHEST DRAIN INSERTION AND MANAGEMENT Introduction33 NPSA recommendations34 Indications34 Cautions34 Contraindications35 Equipment35 Choosing the size of chest drain – the guidelines35 Position for drain insertion36 Site of drain…
CHAPTER 13. ARTERIAL CANNULATION Introduction111 Indications112 Contraindications112 Equipment112 National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) recommendations113 Practical procedure113 Post-procedure investigations116 Complications116 Suggested reading117 The Reverend Stephen Hales (1677–1761), a British veterinarian, cannulated…
CHAPTER 3. PLEURAL ASPIRATION (OF FLUID OR AIR) Introduction23 Indications23 Contraindications23 British Thoracic Society (BTS) guidelines for managing pneumothoraces24 Tension pneumothorax – emergency management24 Equipment25 Location of site of aspiration26…
