Evaluation of leukocyte cell surface markers in dogs with septic and nonseptic inflammatory diseases.

Objective: To determine whether functional alterations in neutrophils and mononuclear leukocytes are a consistent finding in dogs with inflammatory disease.

Animals: 40 healthy dogs, 30 dogs with nonseptic inflammatory diseases, 25 dogs with septic inflammation, and 8 dogs with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) secondary to sepsis.

Procedures: Neutrophil size and granularity; expression of cell surface molecules including CD18, CD11b, and mature neutrophil antigen on neutrophils; and major histocompatability antigen class II (MHC class II) expression on monocytes and lymphocytes were evaluated by use of flow cytometry.

The micro-mitral operation comparing the Port-Access technique and the transthoracic clamp technique.

Background: Several minimally invasive approaches to the mitral valve have been described, including parasternal incision and right anterolateral thoracotomy.

Material And Methods: Since September 1996, 58 patients underwent minimally invasive mitral valve surgery at our institution through a right anterolateral minithoractomy. Two different techniques were used for institution of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and aortic clamping: in the Port-Access group (group A) patients had femoro-femoral cannulation with a special arterial cannula to introduce an endoaortic balloon clamp (n = 23).

Aortic valve resuspension in ascending aortic aneurysm repair with aortic insufficiency.

Background: The known complications of prosthetic valve replacement in patients with an ascending aortic aneurysm and secondary aortic regurgitation who frequently have a morphologically normal aortic valve have prompted interest in valve-sparing aneurysm repair procedures. The aim of this study was to define the echocardiographic criteria for identifying suitable candidates for ascending aortic aneurysm repair that spares the aortic valve. We also examined the perioperative and intermediate-term results of this innovative procedure.

Pulmonary autograft valve replacement in the dilated and asymmetric aortic root.

Pulmonary autograft aortic valve replacement is the only technique for implantation of a biologic, vital and thus nondegenerating valve. The technique of root replacement overcomes problems of asymmetric aortic roots and reduces the risk of malalignment, but bears the risk of dilatation. We have performed pulmonary autograft aortic root replacement in 20 patients (mean age 22 years, range 5-38).

Studies with a cold-recombinant A/Victoria/3/75 (H3N2) virus. II. Evaluation in adult volunteers.

A cold-recombinant influenza A virus, CR 22, derived from A/Ann Arbor/6/60 (H2N2) cold-adapted virus and A/Victoria/3/75 (H3N2) wild-type virus, was tested in adult volunteers. CR 22 induced only low-grade clinical reactions in volunteers who had low titers of serum antibodies. Virus could be reisolated from about one-third of the volunteers, but only at low titers.