Transportation of patients under extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support on an airliner: Flying bridge to transplantation.

Background: A retrieval programme was developed in Martinique (French West Indies) to provide extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for patients in the Caribbean, where heart transplantation and ventricular assist devices are not available. In 2011, the Department of Cardiac Surgery at the University Hospital of Fort-de-France (Martinique) developed a transfer programme to Paris (France) on an airliner, to refer patients for whom extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was not weanable to heart transplantation or a ventricular assist device.

Aim: To report this unique experience of transportation of patients under extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support on an airliner from the French West Indies to Paris.

Stroke Recurrence in First-Ever Symptomatic Carotid Web: A Cohort Study.

Background And Purpose: Carotid web (CaW) is an intimal variant of fibromuscular dysplasia responsible for ipsilateral cerebral ischemic events (CIE). Symptomatic CaW likely has a high risk of recurrent CIE, but no salient prospective data are available. We aimed to assess recurrence rate and its predictors after a first-ever CIE.

Association Between Carotid Bulb Diaphragm and Ischemic Stroke in Young Afro-Caribbean Patients: A Population-Based Case-Control Study.

Background And Purpose: Carotid bulb diaphragm (CBD) has been described in young carotid ischemic stroke (CIS) patients, especially in blacks. However, the prevalence of CBD in CIS patients is unknown, and whether CBD is a risk factor for CIS remains unclear. We assessed the association between CBD and incident CIS in a population-based study.

MRI characteristics of carotid bulb atypical fibromuscular dysplasia in black stroke patients.

Background And Purpose: In black stroke patients, a particular form of fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD), called atypical FMD (aFMD), is involved in stroke mechanism. The high rate of stroke recurrence under medical treatment leads to propose surgery in such patients. Regarding its location level on the carotid bulb, aFMD is often confused with atherosclerosis or free-floating thrombus.

Carotid-bulb atypical fibromuscular dysplasia in young Afro-Caribbean patients with stroke.

Background And Purpose: An atypical form of fibromuscular dysplasia located in the internal carotid-bulb (CaFMD) is thought to be uncommon and is poorly described as a cause of ischemic stroke in the young. This study aimed to obtain a better description of CaFMD in Afro-Caribbean population, who could be particularly affected by it.

Methods: This study included consecutive patients <55 years consulting at Fort-de-France University Hospital Stroke Center (Martinique, FWI) found to have CaFMD as the only cause after a comprehensive work-up.

The French airbridge for circulatory support in the Carribean.

Objectives: We report the assessment and the activities for the first year of our airborne circulatory support mobile unit (CSMU) in the French Caribbean.

Methods: From January 2010 to June 2011, 12 patients (mean age = 35.7 years; range: 15-62 years; sex ratio = 1:1) were attended outside Martinique by our CSMU and transferred to our unit by air.

Limitations in the inter-observer reliability of EuroSCORE: what should change in EuroSCORE II?

Objectives: To carry out an in-depth single-centre analysis of the inter-observer reliability of the EuroSCORE (European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation) to propose changes for the EuroSCORE II.

Methods: Data for the EuroSCORE additive and logistic models were prospectively collected by surgeons (computer-assisted calculation) (SurgAE and SurgLE) and perfusionists (on A4 data collection forms; PerfAE) for 1719 consecutive adult heart operations. The performance of the EuroSCORE was first analysed, then inter-observer discrepancies in the score were assessed globally and for any of its 17 risk factors.