Pancreas Transplantation at a Single Latin-American Center; Overall Results with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Background: Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPK) has become the treatment of choice for type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients with chronic renal failure. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), was once considered to be a contraindication for pancreas transplantation; however, it has been accepted as a new indication, under strict criteria. Although favorable results have increase the indication for T2DM in developed countries, there have been no reports of long-term results for this indication from Latin American centers.

Endovascular Repair of an Aortic Arch Aneurysm with Triple Chimney Stent Grafts: A Case Report.

The treatment of an aortic arch aneurysm in high-risk individuals poses a significant challenge. We present a surgical patient with a patent left internal mammary artery (LIMA) graft and a large aortic arch aneurysm who underwent aortic stent-graft implantation and complete endovascular branching to preserve the LIMA inflow, with successful exclusion of the aneurysm. A moderate flow, proximal type I endoleak was observed after deployment that disappeared at 2-year follow-up.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation without balloon predilation: a single-center pilot experience.

Aim: To assess the results of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) using the Medtronic CoreValve prosthesis (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN), without balloon predilation, in high-risk patients with degenerated severe aortic stenosis.

Methods And Results: Fifty-one consecutive patients who underwent direct TAVI, 98% through a transfemoral approach. Patients were 79 ± 8 years of age, 74% in New York Heart Association classes III or IV and at high risk for surgical valve replacement (mean logistic EuroScore 20 ± 15).

Valve operations through a minimally invasive approach.

Background: We analyzed in-hospital results of 87 patients undergoing minimally invasive valvular operations (right parasternal incision through third and fourth cartilages).

Methods: Age was 21 to 84 years (mean, 56.2 +/- 16); 45 patients (51.

Left anterior descending coronary artery bypass grafting through minimal thoracotomy.

Background: In recent years, minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting has emerged as a valid tool for revascularization in a select group of patients with severe lesions of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Here we report the clinical results using two devices designed by us to facilitate the harvesting of the left internal mammary artery up to its origin and to occlude and stabilize the left anterior descending coronary artery while placing the anastomosis.

Methods: From January 1996 to January 1998, 122 patients underwent minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting in the Department of Cardiac Surgery, Favaloro Foundation.