The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of age on digital pressure perception as measured by two-point discrimination (2PD) testing. The subjects were 177 normal volunteers ranging in age from 20 to 79 years. Perceptible pressure of static and moving 2PD was measured on the index ...

BACKGROUND: In validation studies reporting on the accuracy of blood pressure measuring devices (ambulatory and non-ambulatory systems), it is frequently stated that the accuracy of blood pressure devices seems to decrease at increasing blood pressure levels. This has been shown for several ambulatory devices in the past. Whether more recently ...

OBJECTIVES: Measurement of blood pressure by a trained observer using a mercury sphygmomanometer is accepted as the gold standard, but there has been an increase in the use of automated devices employing the oscillometric technique. Not all such devices have been clinically validated, and some do not carry an appropriate ...

BACKGROUND: Oscillometric devices are commonly used to measure blood pressure and their validation entails sequential measurements of auscultated and oscillometric blood pressures. It is unknown whether simultaneous measurement of auscultated blood pressure and concurrent digitization and recording of the sounds can improve assessment of such devices. The aim of this ...

Until recently, surgery was the only treatment option for people with disabling Meniere's disease that did not respond to adequate medical therapy. A new intermediate level treatment modality, the Meniett device, which applies low-pressure micropulses to the inner ear, has now been shown to be safe and effective. The device ...

BACKGROUND: Control of bleeding from major arteries in the upper-GI tract remains difficult with currently available endoscopic devices. We designed an endosuture device that uses a curved needle and extracorporeal knotting, and assessed the device in stopping arterial bleeding in a bench model. METHODS: Harvested porcine splenic arteries (2-mm diameter) ...

STUDY OBJECTIVE: We compare the performance of a wrist blood pressure oscillometer with the mercury standard in the triage process of an emergency department (ED) and evaluate the impact of wrist blood pressure measurement on triage decision. METHODS: Blood pressure was successively measured with the standard mercury sphygmomanometer and with ...

OBJECTIVE: To perform a clinical validation for a semi-automatic arm-type device UA-704 (A&D Company, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) according to the British Hypertension Society protocol. METHODS: Eighty-five study participants (37 men) were included. The mean age was 50.1+/-17.0 years, systolic blood pressure range was 79-212 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure range ...

There is a paucity of research on devices suitable for home-based isometric exercise. Our aim was to compare cardiovascular responses to isometric exercise using novel and established methods. Ten individuals (age 34.0 +/- 8.5 years, mass 68.2 +/- 10.4 kg, height 1.72 +/- 0.09 m; mean +/- s) performed three ...

BACKGROUND: It is widely recommended that sphygmomanometers are maintained and calibrated regularly to ensure that the pressure scale remains accurate to within the European Standard specification of +/-3 mmHg. In primary care, however, such checks are reported to be only rarely performed. This paper describes a survey of the accuracy ...

OBJECTIVE: To compare the rate of extramembranous placement between 2 types of intrauterine pressure catheter. STUDY DESIGN: Women were randomized to a transducer-tipped intrauterine pressure catheter or an air-coupled intrauterine pressure catheter from October 1998 to August 1999. Women were eligible for the study if their attending physicians decided to ...

BACKGROUND: To eliminate cumbersome extracorporeal knotting, we designed a new endoscopic suturing device, the Eagle Claw V. The efficacy of the new device was tested on the Erlangen model and was compared with the initial extracorporeal knotting version (Eagle Claw II). METHODS: Segments of porcine splenic arteries were placed on ...

Saddle-fit is recognised as an important factor in the pathogenesis of back problems in horses and is empirically being evaluated by pressure measurements in clinical practice, although not much is known about the validity, reliability and usability of these devices in the equine field. This study was conducted to assess ...

PURPOSE: To evaluate a percutaneous pulmonary embolism (PE) thrombectomy catheter that aspirates, macerates, and removes thrombus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine in vitro tests were performed by using porcine thrombi at a PE test station that provides continuous fluid output of 2 L/min at a pressure of 50 mmHg. Macroembolization was ...

As Q factor is boosted in microscale optical resonant systems there will be a natural tendency for these systems to experience a radiation-pressure induced instability. The instability is manifested as a regenerative oscillation (at radio frequencies) of the mechanical modes of the microcavity. The first observation of this radiation-pressure-induced instability ...

Increasingly, automated blood pressure devices are replacing mercury sphygmomanometers to monitor blood pressure in primary care settings. Practitioners have raised questions about the accuracy of these new devices, so a mini-review was undertaken to examine the evidence. A systematic search of the Medline database identified seven studies that were of ...

Handgrip strength is an easy measure of skeletal muscle function as well as a powerful predictor of disability, morbidity, and mortality. In order to measure grip strength, a novel fiber-optic approach is proposed and demonstrated. The strain-dependent wavelength response of fiber Bragg gratings has been utilized to obtain the strength ...

Various sources of ultrasonic and thermal energy have been developed to facilitate blood vessel ligation. However, their efficacy in sealing lymphatics has not been clearly established to date. We hypothesized that the electrosurgical bipolar vessel sealer (EBVS) produces reliable and durable sealing of large lymphatic vessels in a porcine model. ...

BACKGROUND: Demand for devices that allow the self-assessment of blood pressure continues to rise. Few self-assessment devices, however, have been validated against recognised protocols. The aim of this study was to validate the Omron MX3 Plus (model HEM-742-E) oscillometric blood pressure measuring device in accordance with the international protocol of ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The Peditrol is a novel hands-free irrigation device that delivers a bolus of irrigant through the ureteroscope when the foot pedal is deployed. The purpose of this study was to compare the flow and pressures created by the Peditrol with those of commonly used methods of irrigation. ...

BACKGROUND: Adequate ventilation is the key to successful neonatal resuscitation. Positive pressure ventilation (PPV) is initiated with manual ventilation devices via face masks. These devices may be used with a manometer to measure airway pressures delivered. The expiratory tidal volume measured at the mask (V(TE(mask))) is a good estimate of ...

OBJECTIVE: Inspiratory pressure (Pi) support delivered by a bilevel device has become the technique of choice for noninvasive home ventilation. Considerable progress has been made in the performance and functionality of these devices. The present bench study was designed to compare the various characteristics of 10 recently developed bilevel Pi ...

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To measure the repeatability and pressure pulse envelope of simulators used for testing oscillometric non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) devices; to study the effect of different envelopes on NIBP devices, and to measure the difference between NIBP devices due to different oscillometric algorithms. METHODS: Three different models of NIBP ...

Most noninvasive blood pressure (NIBP) devices use the oscillometric method. Published studies of oscillometric methodology introduced varied algorithmic approaches for determination of systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP), and mean arterial (MAP) blood pressures. While there is a general agreement about MAP determination, controversy exists about the determination of SBP and DBP ...

PURPOSE: To determine the extent of vessel wall damage caused by cerebral protection devices designed for carotid angioplasty by using ex vivo porcine carotid arteries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The local animal experimentation committee did not require its approval for this study. With a benchtop vascular model (flow rate, 470 mL/min; ...

Automated non-invasive blood pressure measuring devices based on the oscillometric technique are used widely for self-measurement and are often used in clinics in place of the manual, auscultatory method. Oscillometry was originally developed for monitoring purposes and there are questions over its suitability for making diagnostic measurements. This study measured ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Vascular control is crucial during laparoscopic ligation of the renal vessels. Intracorporeal suture ligation has been replaced by easier methods, such as specialized clip appliers and automatic stapling devices; nevertheless, the optimal application and margin of safety of such devices have yet to be determined. We sought ...

BACKGROUND: Humour is used commonly to relax subjects when their blood pressure is being measured. However the short-term effect of laughter on blood pressure is not described. METHODS: Sixteen normotensive volunteers had blood pressure measured using a validated automated oscillometric sphygmomanometric device (Omron 705 CP) as control and during three ...

OBJECTIVE: Our main objective was to study the reliability of the Codman MicroSensor (CMS), used for intracranial pressure (ICP) measurements, as it is used in a clinical setting. In particular, the drift from zero was studied. METHODS: The investigation is a prospective study of 128 patients with a need for ...

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to determine the accuracy of measuring pressure with a fluid filled pressure device (needle) and a non-fluid filled pressure device (catheter) inside a thrombosed aneurysmal sac after exclusion from circulation by endovascular grafting. METHODS: In a static environment, consisting of a syringe to ...

Automated blood pressure (BP) devices are used by many hypertensive patients in Hong Kong, with or without medical advice. At two community clinics, we invited hypertensive patients aged between 40 and 70 years who used such a device to fill in a questionnaire and to have four sets of BP ...

This paper, which summarizes the conclusions of a WHO Expert meeting, is aimed at proposing indications to develop technical specifications for an accurate and affordable blood pressure measuring device for office/clinic use in low resource settings. Blood pressure measuring devices to be used in low resource settings should be accurate, ...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the measurement consistency of SpaceLabs ambulatory recorders (Spacelabs, Washington, USA) that are in regular use. METHODS: A total of 14 SpaceLabs 90207 and one 90217 ambulatory recorders were tested for measurement consistency using the Dynatech CuffLink (Dynatech, Nevada, USA), a commercially available non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) simulator. ...

Telemetry capsules have existed since the 1950s and were used to measure temperature, pH or pressure inside the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It was hoped that these capsules would replace invasive techniques in the diagnosis of function disorders in the GI tract. However, problems such as signal loss and uncertainty of ...

The kymograph is device for measuring and presenting pressure-based signals, such as human heart beat and artery volume pressure. The Haptic Kymograph is a haptically-enhanced tele-medicine system which is used to acquire human vital signs and then to transform these signs into sensible, scalable and ubiquitous media so that a ...

We have reported that the Myocor Coapsys (Myocor, Inc, Maple Grove, MN) device treated functional mitral regurgitation (MR) by reducing mitral annular dimension and repositioning papillary muscles. This study was conducted to evaluate the optimal Coapsys device sizing level. The Coapsys device was implanted in seven dogs after induction of ...

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to test out-of-hospital performance of a noninvasive radial artery tonometry device to assess blood pressure (BP), providing readings every 10-12 seconds. The primary objective was to determine the correlation between noninvasive BPs calculated with radial artery tonometry and standard oscillometric cuff methods. The secondary objective ...

There is a need for a device for improved management of the airway of small laboratory animals during general anaesthesia. This report introduces such a device, referred to here as the airway device (AD). The AD has some similarity to the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) developed for human patients, but ...

A new suction tube that allows precise control of suction pressure during microsurgical procedures is described. The new device consists of a suction tube that has a series of small holes on its proximal end. These holes can be progressively opened or closed by a laterally placed sliding bar. The ...

Operative vaginal deliveries represent a significant amount of vaginal deliveries. Operative delivery involves either forceps either vacuum extraction. Complications are frequent but rarely severe (cutaneaous lesions, facial palsy...). However, it is essential to limit these complications by helping the obstetrician to position his extraction instrument. It is the aim of ...

Accurate measurement of blood pressure is essential to classify individuals, to ascertain blood pressure-related risk, and to guide management. The auscultatory technique with a trained observer and mercury sphygmomanometer continues to be the method of choice for measurement in the office, using the first and fifth phases of the Korotkoff ...

INTRODUCTION: Pleural manometry during large-volume thoracentesis can prevent the development of excessively negative pleural pressures, which have been associated with re-expansion pulmonary edema; can diagnose an unexpandable lung; and can predict pleurodesis success. We currently perform pleural manometry simultaneously with both a vertical-column water manometer with an interposed resistive element, ...

An interconnecting technique, the "PDMS connection method", for quartz microchips in a high-pressure system is presented. The connection between quartz microchips is an essential technology for modular microfluidic devices, such as microchip-HPLC. PDMS was applied to the seal material, being spread on the seal side of the chips, and set ...

OBJECTIVE: To compare three devices for manual neonatal ventilation. DESIGN: Participants performed a two minute period of ventilation using a self inflating device, an anaesthesia bag with attached manometer, and a Neopuff device. An intubated neonatal mannequin, approximating a 1 kg infant with functional lungs, was used for the study. ...

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices have been shown to be suitable for many sensor applications. One of these applications is pressure sensor. In this study we investigate the performance of SAW pressure sensors formed with ZnO/Si(001) structure. The pressure sensitivities of Rayleigh mode as well as the Sezawa mode are ...

OBJECTIVE: Fluorescence spectroscopy is a promising technology for the detection of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs). In this study we took repeated measures in the cervix to determine whether the order of measurement produces changes in fluorescence intensity and whether there are differences in variation due to pressure. METHODS: A ...

Variations in solar radiation can produce noise in readings from gauge pressure transducers when the transducer cable is exposed to direct sunlight. This noise is a result of insolation-induced heating and cooling of the air column in the vent tube of the transducer cable. A controlled experiment was performed to ...

Continuous positive airway pressure devices are routinely used to treat sleep breathing disorders. Automated devices that adjust the therapeutic pressure have recently been proposed. The utility of such devices is still controversial, as rigorous clinical comparisons are difficult to perform as a result of patient and device differences. The current ...

We present the design of an electronically controlled drug delivery system. The intravaginally located device is a low-invasive platform that can measure and react inside the cow vagina while providing external control and monitoring ability. The electronics manufactured from off the shelf components occupies 16 mL of a Theratron syringe. ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Laparoscopic hand-assist devices have facilitated the broad application and acceptance of laparoscopy in urology and other surgical fields. This study evaluated forearm compression by these devices. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five commercially available hand-assist devices were tested (Gelport, Intromit, PneumoSleeve, Handport, LapDisc). In three surgeons using a porcine ...