Complete resection of a right atrial intracavitary metastatic melanoma.

We report a case of complete resection of a very large intracavitary metastatic melanoma of the right atrium. We describe a technique for resecting without damaging the atrium and for preventing the narrowing of the right atrium. In such cases, complete resection may be indicated despite widespread disease.

Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and hemolytic anemia after mitral valve repair with a Duran ring.

We report a case of mitral valve repair with a Duran ring that was complicated by left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, mitral regurgitation, and hemolytic anemia. A 59-year-old man with severe mitral valve regurgitation underwent mitral valve repair, including a Duran ring annuloplasty. Postoperatively, left ventricular outflow tract obstruction developed and echocardiography revealed severe systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve.

Flail tricuspid leaflet after multiple biopsies following orthotopic heart transplantation: echocardiographic and hemodynamic correlation.

Flail tricuspid leaflet has been reported as a relatively uncommon complication of endomyocardial biopsy in orthotopic heart transplant recipients. However, the relationship of this complication to the number of biopsies performed and to the site of access for biopsy is not known. The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of flail tricuspid leaflet/torn chordae tendineae in our recent transplant population, define the relationship of this complication to endomyocardial biopsy, and to correlate echocardiographic assessments of tricuspid regurgitation severity with hemodynamic data obtained at cardiac catheterization.

Relation between procedural activated coagulation time and outcome after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether a low procedural activated coagulation time is associated with a high rate of in-hospital complications and to identify whether there is an activated coagulation time range that may be associated with a low rate of complications.

Background: In recent years the activated coagulation time has come into widespread use for monitoring anticoagulation in the catheterization laboratory. However, considerable controversy exists as to the standards by which to judge "adequate" anticoagulation for interventional procedures.

Echocardiographic evaluation of anuloplasty rings. Comparison of continuity equation and pressure half-time methods.

This study was undertaken to compare pressure half-time and continuity equation methods in the postoperative evaluation of anuloplasty rings. We performed 2-dimensional echocardiography and Doppler studies in 39 patients who had undergone valve repair for mitral regurgitation. In patients with a pressure half-time of 110 msec or more (9/39), there was no significant difference in calculated valve area between the 2 methods (p = 0.

Activated clotting times and activated partial thromboplastin times in patients undergoing coronary angioplasty who receive bolus doses of heparin.

The accurate assessment of coagulation status is an important part of interventional procedures performed in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. While the traditional clinical means of assessing heparin anticoagulation has been with the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), the activated coagulation time (ACT) has come into widespread use in the catheterization laboratory as an assay of whole blood clotting time which can be performed rapidly at the bedside. The purpose of the present study was to (1) assess the anticoagulant effect of a 10,000 U bolus of heparin in PTCA patients and (2) document the relationship between ACTs and APTTs in a subset of these patients.

Prolapsing large aneurysm of the atrial septum simulating a right atrial mass.

An unusual case of a large, prolapsing atrial septal aneurysm in a patient with an otherwise normal heart is described. The aneurysm caused right atrial obstruction and resulted in a "tumor effect." The patient experienced debilitating symptoms for years before receiving an appropriate diagnosis and curative surgical treatment.

Balloon mitral valvuloplasty: clinical experience at the Texas Heart Institute.

For treatment of symptomatic mitral valve stenosis, balloon valvuloplasty has emerged as an alternative to surgery. This report describes our initial clinical experience with balloon mitral valvuloplasty in 45 patients (37 women and 8 men; age range, 34 to 79 years) treated from December 1986 through March 1991. Thirty-nine of the 45 patients (87%) underwent a complete procedure (that is, they had at least 1 balloon inflation and did not require emergency surgery).

Left ventricular papillary fibroelastoma. An unusual cause of cerebral emboli.

We describe the case of a 63-year-old woman with a cardioembolic neurologic deficit secondary to papillary fibroelastoma, a rare intracardiac tumor. Diagnosis was made by use of 2-dimensional and transesophageal echocardiography. The tumor was surgically resected, and the patient had an uneventful recovery.

Recurrent left ventricular pseudoaneurysm: diagnosed by color-flow Doppler echocardiography.

The effects of left ventricular pseudoaneurysm following transmural myocardial infarction can be devastating; therefore, prompt diagnosis and surgical resection are warranted. We report a rare case of recurrent left ventricular pseudoaneurysm in which color-flow Doppler echocardiography was useful in establishing the diagnosis.

The probe, a balloon-on-the-wire: clinical experience with a new low-profile, fixed-wire balloon catheter system.

We reviewed the clinical records of the 1st 144 consecutive patients in whom the Probe trade mark, a balloon-on-the-wire, was used for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty at the Texas Heart Institute. The goal of our retrospective study was to establish the efficacy and safety of this new balloon catheter. The Probe was used in 227 lesions, most of which were considered severe and difficult to pass.

Successful replacement of a fractured Björk-Shiley aortic valve prosthesis.

We report successful surgical intervention following the diagnosis of total aortic valvular incompetence which was caused by the uncommon fracture and disc embolization of a Björk-Shiley aortic valve prosthesis implanted ten months previously.

[Cardiac autonomic neuropathy in the diabetic patient].

The importance of cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) derives from its remarkable frequency and its clinical impact. The clinical features are postural hypotension and resting tachycardia, these abnormalities may be overlooked in a high number of patients asymptomatic. Although rarely life threatening, CAN causes considerable morbidity, which can be ameliorated by its identification and appropriate treatment.

[Clinical value of a new method of therapeutic control of heparin].

A modification of thrombosis time (TT) for therapeutic control of heparin (TTDT), is described. A useful dose of heparin increases plasma TT, which on dilution with fresh plasma rich in platelets (250 +/- 50 x 10(9)/1) at a dilution of 1:4 to 1:8 (+/-20%), causes the increased plasma TT to return to normal values. Three coagulation tests used simultaneously were tried: plasma recalcification time, partially activated thromboplastin time, and TT, used simultaneously in 30 samples of platelet rich fresh normal plasma with different concentrations of heparin (0.