Recurrent ventricular tachycardia in the absence of overt heart disease: clinical characteristics and response to drug therapy.

Eight patients, seven of them women, have been followed up for a mean of 8.1 years (range, three to 18) with the uncommon syndrome of recurrent frequent episodes of ventricular tachycardia in the absence of overt cardiac abnormality. The mean age at diagnosis was 25 years (range, 12 to 44).

Detection of entrapped intracardiac air with intraoperative echocardiography.

Embolization of entrapped intracardiac air represents a significant risk to the patient undergoing open heart surgery. To date, there have been no menas available to ensure that the heart is free of air prior to restoration of the circulation. To assess whether M mode echocardiography can accurately detect intracardiac air, we studied 10 dogs during cardiopulmonary bypass.