Consultation Requests and Satisfaction with a Telehealth Network for Epilepsy: Longitudinal Analysis of the Epilepsy Network Hessen Evaluation.

Telemedicine improves access to specialized medical expertise, as required for paroxysmal disorders. The Epilepsy Network Hessen Evaluation (ENHE) is a pilot cross-sectoral teleconsultation network connecting primary neurologists and pediatricians with epilepsy centers in Hessen, a federal German state. We prospectively and longitudinally evaluated telehealthcare in the ENHE.

Debridement, antibiotics and implant retention (DAIR) is successful in the management of acutely infected unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: a case series.

Background: Infections are rare and poorly studied complications of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) surgery. They are significantly less common compared to infections after total knee arthroplasties (TKAs). Optimal management of periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) after a UKA is not clearly defined in the literature.

Strong Impact of Smoking on Multimorbidity and Cardiovascular Risk Among Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Individuals in Comparison With the General Population.

Background.  Although acquired immune deficiency syndrome-associated morbidity has diminished due to excellent viral control, multimorbidity may be increasing among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons compared with the general population. Methods.

Mechanical reliability of the Jarvik 2000 Heart.

Background: Device failure is a limitation of permanent mechanical circulatory support. We studied the mechanical reliability of the Jarvik 2000 Heart, an axial flow pump with ceramic bearings designed to provide more than 10 years' durability.

Methods: The Jarvik 2000 Heart was implanted in 102 patients between April 2000 and December 2004.

Blood cardioplegia.

We present the technical details of blood cardioplegia as the standard clinical practice in most centers today. In addition, the contribution refers to the advanced strategies using blood cardioplegia in specific situations, including warm cardioplegia induction, controlled reperfusion in acute myocardial infarction, and the application of leucocyte filtration.

Anterior approach to implant the Jarvik 2000 with retroauricular power supply.

The retroauricular power supply of the Jarvik 2000 (Jarvik Heart Inc, New York, NY) left ventricular assist device is suitable for permanent support, as it is associated with fewer infections than conventional drivelines. Implantation through a left-lateral thoracotomy limits the performance of additional cardiac procedures. We describe a technique that used a sternotomy for the implantation of the Jarvik 2000 with retroauricular power supply in two patients.

Advanced heart failure: feasibility study of long-term continuous axial flow pump support.

Aims: A lack of donor hearts has stimulated interest in using blood pumps to treat severe heart failure. We tested the hypothesis that a new continuous flow circulatory assist device could be employed safely to relieve symptoms of heart failure and evaluated the potential to prolong life.

Methods And Results: An intracardiac axial flow pump was implanted in 17 heart failure patients [idiopathic dilated (12), ischaemic (4), or amyloid cardiomyopathy (1)].

Future horizons in surgical aortic valve replacement: lessons learned during the early stages of developing a transluminal implantation technique.

The aim of this study was to develop a heart valve prosthesis that could be transluminally inserted through the infrarenal aorta in pigs and the femoral artery in humans. Therefore, this valve prosthesis had to be foldable to a diameter of approximately 8 mm, self-expandable when released in the vascular system, and equipped with an anchoring mechanism. For implantation, a suitable catheter delivery system for insertion via the abdominal aorta in pigs also was designed.

Implantation of the permanent Jarvik-2000 left ventricular assist device: a single-center experience.

Objectives: We sought to evaluate the surgical results and effects of continuous support with the permanent Jarvik-2000 left ventricular assist device (LVAD). We report the early outcomes.

Background: A shortage of transplant donors necessitates the testing of alternative treatments.

Successful treatment of pulmonary hypertension with inhaled nitric oxide after pulmonary embolectomy.

Inhaled nitric oxide is an agent known to reduce pulmonary vascular resistance and prevent right heart failure. Pulmonary embolism is frequently followed by right heart failure and cardiogenic shock. Although successful treatment of patients with right ventricular failure caused by pulmonary embolism has been reported, clinical use of inhaled nitric oxide as an adjunct to surgical treatment is not in widespread use.