In patients with cardiac injuries caused by sewing needles is the surgical approach the recommended treatment?

A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was: 'In patients with sewing needle cardiac injuries is the surgical approach the recommended treatment?' The scientific literature was reviewed by searching Medline, using Ovid interface, from 1950 to August 2009. Six hundred and twenty-six papers were found, of which 24 were deemed relevant to this topic.

Cardiac involvement in beta-thalassemia major and beta-thalassemia intermedia.

The forms and severity of cardiac complications were investigated in patients with asymptomatic thalassemia intermedia and thalassemia major by M-mode, bi-dimensional echocardiography (ECHO) and echo-Doppler. Twenty-eight patients of both sexes with beta-thalassemia intermedia (beta-TI), mean age 23.2 +/- 6.

Role of polymorphic sequences 5' to the G(gamma) gene and 5' to the beta gene on the homozygous beta thalassemic phenotype.

Sixty-seven homozygous male and female thalassemic patients with different phenotypes, aged between 8 and 33 years, were divided into three groups, according to the severity of their beta-thalassemia (thal) mutations. We investigated whether some co-inherited genetic factors could influence the phenotype. Patients with milder beta-thal defects, homozygotes or compound heterozygotes for the IVS-I-6 (T-->C) or -87 (C-->G) mutations had a milder disease.