The Biomed caged-ball cardiac valve prosthesis. A study of 120 implants.

The purpose of this study was to report our experience with 120 prosthetic valves implanted in 105 patients over an 8-year period. Their preoperative status was compared at an average follow-up period of 4 years (range 1 to 6 years) with the postoperative results. We conclude that the Mexican-made valves (Biomed) meet the highest international quality standards: they are well tolerated by the patients; their performance is excellent and no postoperative dysfunction of the valves was ever detected.

[An evaluation of the efficacy of nitrates (transdermal and peroral) in the management of the patient with a myocardial contusion].

Although thoracic trauma is frequently accompanied by myocardial injury; this later is often oversighted at early stages of trauma and misdiagnosed by the time complications are present. Myocardial abnormalities have been attributed to a reduction of cardiac flow. Nitroglycerin and isosorbide dinitrate, both agents with a known vasodilator effect on coronary arteries, might improve myocardial ischemic resulting from traumatic contusion.

[Flow characteristics in 3 kinds of heart valve prosthesis].

Transvalvular turbulence caused by the blood flow in implanted cardiac valvular prosthesis is the cause of thrombosis at the post-valvular region. The literature in this connection indicates that thromboembolic complications are more common with the tilting disc mechanical valves. In order to study the turbulence caused by porcine biological prosthetic valves, by a caged-ball Biomed mechanical valve and by a tilting disc Björk-Shiley valve, a device was developed which permits to visualize and to photograph flow characteristics in the three types of valves with the purpose of determining the degree of turbulence generated in each case.

A heart with three arterial trunks (tritruncal heart). Report of a case.

The case is described of a 4 1/2-year-old girl with a previously unreported malformation: a heart with three arterial trunks, aorta, main pulmonary artery, and an intermediate vessel, called "intermediate trunk" because it was situated between the aorta and the main pulmonary artery. Each of these three arteries had a semilunar valve at its origin, and their lumens were completely separated from each other. The pulmonary trunk arose from the right ventricle, while the aorta and the intermediate trunk arose from the left ventricle.

[Single ventricle. II. Clinical study. Special studies and surgical treatment].

A study was made of 29 cases of single ventricle confirmed by autopsy, hemodynamic study, or both. It must be emphasized that the term single ventricle excludes whatever malformation which shows traces of an intraventricular septum. Thus conceived, the malformation has been seen to have different clinical courses, which only permit partial diagnosis that may suggest the possibility of "single ventricle".

[Single ventricle. New embryological-anatomical classification. I. Pathology and physiology].

The different nomenclatures which have been given to this malformation are discussed, defining the single ventrical as a single ventricular chamber without an interventricular septum and generally with two well defined atrioventricular orfices, although in some cases there is only one mitral-tricuspid ring. Twelve cases of single ventricle, proven by necropsic study, were examined. A new embriological-anatomical classification was proposed based on the location of the outflow tract (concordant or discordant in relation to the situs viscerae of which it is a part) and the troncoconal morphology (crossed great vessels, transposition of the great arteries, and truncus arteriosus), presenting some examples of these malformations.

[Primary prevention of rheumatic fever. Occurrence of beta hemolytic Streptococcus of the A group in 11,314 students in Magdalena Contreras].

A study was made in 11,314 school-age children to determine the prevalence of streptococcus pyogenes group A. The children studied belonged to a low socioeconomic group of one of the political boroughs of the Federal District. The prevalence found was 6.

[Electro-ventorcardiographic manifestations of ventricular inversion with transposition of great arteries].

Electrocardiograms obtained in two groups of patients with inversion of the ventricles and transposition of the great arteries, were analyzed: group I corresponding in situs solitus and group II to situs inversus. This series comprises 36 cases (29 of group I and 7 of Group II), in which the diagnosis of the main congenital heart disease --ventricular inversion-- and of the associated defects was established by angiocardiography. In 7 cases of group I and in one of group II, the angiocardiographic diagnosis was proved at least in part during open heart surgery.

[Tricuspid atresia: A therapeutic problem].

1. The authors present 80 cases of tricuspid atresia of the Children's Cardiology Service of the Instituto Nacional de Cardiología de México. They propose their own classification based on the position of the visceral suits and of the great arteries and the possible existance of a persistent truncus arteriosus.

Cardiac and pulmonary diseases. A pathophysiologic interelationship.

Left heart diseases, in particular mitral stenosis, are often associated with anatomic and functional alterations of the lung. According to the pulmonary structures involved they could be named chronic secondary intersticial and vascular lung diseases. Congenital heart diseases with pre- or post-tricuspid shunts are also often associated with anatomic and functional alterations of the lung.