Medical question

OneWriter

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Does anybody know if there exists a drug that can temporarily render a person quadruplegic? In other words, can somebody's body be temporarily paralized except for head and lungs as the effect of a drug?

Among neuromuscular blocking drugs, is there anything that allows the victim, ehm, patient to breathe on her own?

Thanks.
 
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Rowan

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OneWriter said:
Does anybody know if there exists a drug that can temporarily render a person quadruplegic? In other words, can somebody's body be temporarily paralized except for head and lungs as the effect of a drug?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Not sure if this would work but check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetraodontidae (Puffer fish)
The paralysis reduces oxygen demands of the body dramatically, but because the toxin does not cross the blood-brain barrier, neural activity in the brain and from the eyes and ears are generally intact.
Click to expand...
 
OneWriter

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Interesting... I was thinking something more like pavulon (Pancuronium), but I still want my victim to breathe on her own...
 
Rowan

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OneWriter said:
Interesting... I was thinking something more like pavulon (Pancuronium), but I still want my victim to breathe on her own...
Click to expand...

Is your guy/gal skilled enough to adapt a toxin (like the Puffer fish)?
 
Maryn

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It took me a good five minutes to remember the name of the stuff, but what about curare? While it can lead to respiratory failure and death if the heart and lungs are paralyzed, at the right dosage I think it's supposed to temporarily paralyze, which is why Crichton chose it for "The Andromeda Strain."

As a doctor, your character would also know the real drugs used to induce coma in patients for whom this is beneficial. IIRC, it's some form of barbiturate. Do some research on "medically induced coma" and maybe you'll get specifics.

Maryn, who only seems comatose
 

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More a where that which paralytic to use, but a high epidural will do nicely.
Gene Hackman char did it to the Hugh Grant char in Extreme Measures.
One does need a conked out pt to apply the epidural sans the pt being aware...
 
OneWriter

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Horseshoes said:
More a where that which paralytic to use, but a high epidural will do nicely.
Gene Hackman char did it to the Hugh Grant char in Extreme Measures.
One does need a conked out pt to apply the epidural sans the pt being aware...
Click to expand...

I'm told the epidural blocks the lungs as well...
A friend of mine had it screwed up when she was delivering. They had to bag her throughout the delivery and baby too right after he was born!
 
GeorgeK

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OneWriter said:
I'm told the epidural blocks the lungs as well...
A friend of mine had it screwed up when she was delivering. They had to bag her throughout the delivery and baby too right after he was born!
Click to expand...

If it's high enough to block the arms, it will take out the diaphram and chest wall.
 
ManyAk

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I know that a sufficient dose of Ketamine can put you on the floor and give you a certain lucidity which allows you to analyse and think.

How do I know that? Don't ask. Hope this helps you in any way.
 
OneWriter

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God, that's a freaky avatar!!!!
Thanks for the tip, though... :)
 

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Didn't one of the Exorcist movies have a drug like that?

It could have been a made up drug for all I know. My memory is pretty bad
 
OneWriter

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ManyAk up there freaked me out with that avvie.

George, I was hoping you'd have a good drug suggestion for me... :)

So basically the general consensus is: any neuromuscular blocking drugs won't do because it will paralyze the muscles in the rib cage as well, is that correct?
 
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