Surgical purpose

Several properties of tantalum, such as malleability, light weight, strength, and relative biological inertness, make the metal ideal for surgical purposes. Flexible tantalum stents are used in a variety of surgical... 

Principally, three types of radiation are adequate for the sterilization of materials ultraviolet and gamma radiation. In the case of the radiation treatment of materials with ionizing (mostly gamma) radiation, a high exposure dose is necessary. Often a cobalt bomb (radioactive Co) is used for this purpose. The efficiency depends on the penetration depth. This procedure is adequate for the sterilization of plastics and other sensitive materials (e.g., for surgical purposes), as well as for foodstuffs (in Germany, only for spices). Metals or mineral materials only become germfree on the surface. 

Nylon monofilaments have found application in brush tufting, wigs, surgical sutures, sports equipment, braiding and outdoor upholstery. Nylons 610 and 11 have found extensive application in these fields because of their flexibility but nylon 66 is also used for brush tufting less than 0.0035 in. in diameter. Nylon 66/610 copolymer is used in the manufacture of a monofilament for angling purposes. 

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a randomized epidemiological study on patients who had received morphine nerve paste post-operatively for pain management purposes. Ninety-four percent of the patients used in the cohort presented themselves with surgical-site comphcations such as edema and inflammation 24 days (median) post-operation. Upon culturing of the wounds, 64% tested positive for bacterial infection. It is important to note that aU of the patients were found to have residual morphine paste on board indicative of a chronic morphine state (Sacerdote et al. 2000). 

These cements are the materials of choice for pulp capping (a wound dressing for covering an exposed or surgically treated pulp). They are superior to zinc oxide eugenol cements for this purpose (Mjor, 1963 Paterson, 1976). 

Maintaining adequate nutritional status, especially during periods of illness and metabolic stress, is an important part of patient care. Malnutrition in hospitalized patients is associated with significant complications, including increased infection risk, poor wound healing, prolonged hospital stay, and increased mortality, especially in surgical and critically ill patients.1 Specialized nutrition support refers to the administration of nutrients via the oral, enteral, or parenteral route for therapeutic purposes.1 Parenteral nutrition (PN), also... 

Fig. 4. Artist s drawing of the stimulator, silicone rubber tube or guidance channel, and the electrical circuit within the spinal cord. The tube was implanted into the dorsal spinal cord. The uninsulated tip of the cathodal electrode (negative) was sealed within the center of the tube, while the anodal electrode (positive) remained outside the vertebral column, sutured to paravertebral musculature. The body of the stimulator was surgically placed within the fat pad at the base of the guinea-pig s neck. To complete a circuit, current must flow initially into each end of the hollow tube as diagrammed. For diagrammatic purposes, the drawing is not made to scale. [Reproduced with permission from Borgens (1999).]...

When we think of paper we think of it primarily as a writing and printing medium, and then perhaps as a wrapping and packaging material. However, because many other products—for example, tissue, board, filtration media, surgical wrap, etc.—are made by essentially the same process, a broader definition is more appropriate. For the purpose of this text therefore, paper will be defined in... 

About 90% of all the zirconium produced in the United States is used in the nuclear electrical power industry. Since it does not readily absorb neutrons, it is a desired metal in the manufacture of nuclear reactors and their fuel tubes, but it must be free of its twin hafnium for these purposes. Zirconium is also used as an alloy with steel to make surgical instruments. 

Hygienic and surgical hand disinfection The former is required after a suspected contamination, the latter before surgical procedures. Alcohols, mixtures of alcohols and phenols, cationic surfactants, or acids are available for this purpose. Admixture of other agents prolongs duration of action and reduces flammability. 

Spinal anesthesia Spinal anesthesia is the introduction of local anesthetics directly into the spinal fluid, which causes a sympathetic blockage, or loss of feeling as well as muscle relaxation resulting from the interaction of anesthetic with every spinal nerve tract. This method is used during major surgical interventions. As a rule, lidocaine, mepivacaine, and bupivacaine are used for this purpose. 

It is used in hypotensive shock for the purpose of elevating blood pressure, which can result from spinal anesthesia, surgical complications, and head trauma. Synonyms of metaraminol are aramine, isophenylephrin, metaradine, and others. 

Laxatives are used to increase stool frequency and reduce stool viscosity. Even with long-term use, bulk laxatives and pure osmolar laxatives do not predispose patients to formation of a cathartic-type colon and should be the initial agents used for chronic constipation after a structural obstructing lesion has been excluded. Laxatives are also used before radiological, endoscopic, and abdominal surgical procedures such preparations quickly empty the colon of fecal material. Nonabsorbable hyperosmolar solutions or saline laxatives are used for this purpose. Classification and comparison of representative laxatives are provided in Table 40.1. 

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