[Experimental studies on the problem of improving the myocardial blood circulation in an intraoperatively resuscitated heart].

A pumping system for supporting an intraoperatively failured heart is presented. This system consists of a bell-shaped receptacle for the heart and a pump with a working volume of 49 ml and a working pressure of 220 Torr. The pumping power is transmitted to the heart by means of an external pneumatic pressure line.

[Mycotic prosthetic valve endocarditis].

Five autoptically proven cases with mycotic prosthetic valve endocarditis are reported with special reference to morphologic findings. The clinical signs in such patients manifest in the early post-operative phase and are accompanied with a high mortality rate. At autopsy, there were in all cases thrombotic vegetations upon the prosthetic valves which often caused severe arterial and cerebral embolic events.

[Primary tumors of the heart and pericardium].

Primary tumors of heart and pericardium are rare. In consequence of modern noninvasive diagnostic procedures, some of these tumors today can be detected intra vitam and become accessible to operative therapy, too. The authors describe 10 primary cardiac tumors (7 atrial myxomas, 1 endocardial endothelioma of the right ventricle, 1 papilloma of the pulmonary valve, 1 sarcoma of the right atrium) and 3 diffuse malignant mesotheliomas of the pericardium.

[Embolism caused by cardial myxoma].

Myxomas of the heart may present a systemic embolization before heart valve occlusion. A histological examination of peripheral emboli may result in the diagnosis. The tumour should be removed early before the occurrence of irreversible embolic complications.