Comparison of the Effects of Albumin 5% versus Ringer's Lactate on Blood Loss and Coagulation after Vascular Surgery Using Thromboelastography

AIM: Comparing the effects of Albumin 5% versus Ringer's lactate on blood loss and coagulation after vascular surgery using METHODS: In this randomised study, 60 patients, aged (18-60 years) ASA physical status (I-III) undergoing vascular surgery were included in the study and randomly allocated into two groups using a random number generator, to receive either Human albumin or Ringer lactate after obtaining written informed consent. Group A received 1-2 ml per minute of human albumin 5% combined with normal saline (0.9%). Group B received Ringer's lactate only as of the main solution. Variables were measured after administration of fluids as postoperative measures. The amount of blood needed for testing was 4 ml drawn before the operation and at the end of surgery with a citrate tube (blue tube) from the venous line or using a regular needle. The standard time of 15 minutes was considered to begin processing. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference observed between both groups regarding demographic data, surgical wound drainage, haemoglobin level, hematocrit level and coagulation profile. Regarding ROTEM thermoelectrometry variables showed that there was no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups In-TEM variables (Ex-TEM Clotting time, TEM Clot Formation Time) but In-TEM Alpha Angel measured in degrees showed a Statistically significant difference between the two groups. P < 0.001 and Ex-TEM Maximum Clotting Firmness MCF values measured in mm, there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups P = 0.045. CONCLUSION: This study concluded that the use of human albumin (5%) in vascular surgeries before reaching the trigger point for blood transfusion didn’t improve blood loss or coagulation profile compared to the use of ringer lactate only. Therefore, ringer lactate can be used as a good replacement for human albumin. Ringer lactate is readily available and inexpensive while human albumin may be costly

Built-In Coil Current Sensing for 7-Tesla H/Na and H/P Magnetic Resonance Imaging

This article introduces two designs for dual-tuned built-in radio-frequency coil current sensing in 7-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging based on the current forcing property of the quarter-wave transmission line. The first design offers dual-tuned built-in coil current sensing at 1H/23Na resonant frequencies to probe the coil current consecutively at 298 MHz and 78.8 MHz, without the need for any integrated sensor on the coil. The second design enables dual-tuned built-in coil current sensing at 1H/31P resonant frequencies to probe the coil current at 298 MHz and 120 MHz consecutively. The first design achieved good matching (<−40 dB) and low insertion loss (<0.5 dB) for 1H and 23Na magnetic resonance signals. The 1H/31P design also exhibited good matching (<−30 dB) and low insertion loss (<0.67 dB). Therefore, both designs show promising potential for monitoring current flows in dual-tuned coils at the Larmor frequencies of different atomic nuclei