Aortic balloon valvuloplasty.

Fifty-eight patients with severe aortic stenosis underwent successful aortic balloon valvuloplasty. The mean aortic valve gradient was reduced from 65 +/- 22 to 32 +/- 13 mmHg with symptomatic improvement. The procedure is an effective palliative procedure for patients with high surgical risk.

Myocardial salvage after regional beta-adrenergic blockade.

Unlabelled: The aim of the study was to determine whether regional beta-adrenergic blockade via the coronary sinus limited myocardial damage after coronary artery occlusion in the canine model. Accordingly, open-chest anesthetized dogs were randomly allocated to one of three groups: a control group and groups treated with propranolol (in doses of 0.02, 0.

Mitral valve dysfunction in the Marfan syndrome. Clinical and echocardiographic study of prevalence and natural history.

Although mitral regurgitation and fibromyxomatous thickening of the mitral leaflets have long been recognized as such, mitral valve prolapse has only recently been added as one of the pleiotropic features of the Marfan syndrome. The prevalence, age of onset, and natural history of mitral valve dysfunction in this condition are uncertain. Therefore, all patients in one clinic who met strict diagnostic criteria for the Marfan syndrome and who had clinical and echocardiographic examinations before age 22 years were reviewed.