Mcleod G
Anaesthetist
Dundee University
Belgium
Biography
Graeme McLeod qualified from the University of Edinburgh in 1983 and trained in General Practice, gaining MRCGP in 1987. He switched to Anesthesia training first at Monklands Hospital, Lanarkshire, rotating into Glasgow then came to Ninewells Hospital in 1991 after obtained FRCA. He was appointed NHS consultant in 1995 and on arrival of Professor JAW Wildsmith was appointed to Honorary Senior Lecturer. His thesis “The patterns and predictors of thoracic epidural analgesia” was awarded MD (Dundee) 2005. He gained PGCertMedEd (Dundee) 2006 and FFPMRCA in 2007. Awards With two co-authors he won the BMA book award, First prize, Anaesthesia & Critical Care, 2013 for Principles and Practice of Regional Anaesthesia, Eds, McLeod, McCartney, Wildsmith, 4th Ed, Oxford University Press. The Innovation in Anaesthesia award, Association of Anaesthetists, GB&I, 2012 for invention of new bi-array ultrasound probe. Payne-Stafford-Tan award for Excellence in Clinical Practice, Teaching & Research, Royal College of Anaesthetists
Research Interest
Technical failure still occurs in 25% of epidural blocks and in 7% of regional techniques. Regional blocks are conducted using ultrasound, although epidural block remains a blind technique dependant on operator skill. Ultrasound scanning is estricted to identification of the mid-line and measurement of distance to the epidural space. For both epidural and regional block, resolution of tissue targets and needle tips is hampered by increasing depth. For example tissue resolution using 5MHz to 10MHz transducers varies between 600mm and 300mm due to attenuation of acoustic energy. Needle visibility is further impaired by increasing needle angle and out-of-plane needle alignment, even using echogenic or textured needles. The objective of my research is to develop new needle technologies that improve both image presentation and operator interpretation of ultrasound images particularly in the obese population where skin landmarks are difficult to feel and palpation much more prone to error.
