Influence of ventricular pacing on myocardial oxygen tension.

Introduction: The influence of heart rate on cardiac output, oxygen consumption, and myocardial activity has been widely investigated. However, the influence of heart rate on myocardial oxygen tension (pO2) remains unclear. Since the introduction of flexible pO2 micro catheters to measure partial oxygen tension in a working muscle, it is possible to investigate the influence of heart rate on myocardial oxygen tension.

Reduction of sulfamethoxazole and dapsone hydroxylamines by a microsomal enzyme system purified from pig liver and pig and human liver microsomes.

Biotransformation involving nitrogen are of pharmacological and toxicological relevance. In principle, nitrogen containing functional groups can undergo all the known biotransformation processes such as oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis and formation of conjugates. For the N-reduction of benzamidoxime an oxygen-insensitive liver microsomal enzyme system that required cytochrome b5, NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase and a cytochrome P450 isoenzyme of the subfamily 2D has been described.

Protection against acute porcine lung ischemia/reperfusion injury by systemic preconditioning via hind limb ischemia.

Previous work on various organs and tissues has shown that ischemic preconditioning protects against reperfusion injury in these organs and also against secondary effects in the lung. In contrast, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of preconditioning in a remote organ (hind limb ischemia) on an ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) treatment of the lung itself. A porcine model of in situ left lung ischemia (90 min) and reperfusion (5 h) was used.

An aqueous extract of the marine sponge Ectyoplasia ferox stimulates L-type Ca2+-current by direct interaction with the Cav1.2 subunit.

Marine organisms have attracted much attention as a source of pharmacological tools or potential drugs. We have produced and screened a library of sponge extracts in search of biologically active compounds that may contain useful pharmaceutical lead structures. Sponges were collected from various locations and their aqueous extracts were freeze dried.

Microwave ablation for the surgical treatment of permanent atrial fibrillation--a single centre experience.

Objective: Microwave ablation (MW) has been established as a safe and efficient procedure for the treatment of permanent atrial fibrillation (pAF) resulting in conversion to sinus rhythm (SR). For further improvement of clinical results, a new ablation line concept has been introduced. We present the first clinical results using this new concept in comparison with the results of previous ablation line concepts.

Protection of lung tissue against ischemia/reperfusion injury by preconditioning with inhaled nitric oxide in an in situ pig model of normothermic pulmonary ischemia.

Topical administration of nitric oxide (NO) by inhalation is currently used as therapy in various pulmonary diseases, but preconditioning with NO to ameliorate lung ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury has not been fully evaluated. In this study, we investigated the effects of NO inhalation on functional pulmonary parameters using an in situ porcine model of normothermic pulmonary ischemia. After left lateral thoracotomy, left lung ischemia was maintained for 90 min, followed by a 5h reperfusion period (group I, n = 7).

Effect of LDL apheresis on oxygen tension in skeletal muscle in patients with cardiac allograft vasculopathy and severe lipid disorder.

In this study, the extent to which intramuscular pO2 is influenced by a single HELP-apheresis (Heparin-induced Extracorporeal LDL Precipitation) was investigated in 10 patients with cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) and severe lipid disorder. For this purpose, a sterile flexible pO2 microcatheter was inserted into the anterior tibial muscle and pO2 monitoring was begun 10 minutes before starting apheresis treatment. The intramuscular pO2 values were recorded continuously until the end of apheresis treatment and a subsequent 30-minute further observation phase.

Attenuation of reperfusion-induced systemic inflammation by preconditioning with nitric oxide in an in situ porcine model of normothermic lung ischemia.

Study Objectives: Inhalation of nitric oxide (NO) can ameliorate pulmonary ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of the lung in several experimental models, but toxic effects of NO were also reported. Here we investigate whether NO inhalation for a short period prior to surgery is sufficient to prevent symptoms of lung I/R injury, especially the inflammatory response.

Design: Using an in situ porcine lung model, normothermic left lung ischemia was maintained for 90 min, followed by a 5-h reperfusion period (group 1, n = 7).

Interaction between a perfluorocarbon emulsion and radiographic contrast media.

This study evaluated specially designed perfluorocarbon (PFC) emulsions as blood substitutes in case of induced ischemia of the left heart ventricle in healthy farm pigs. Two hundred ml of perfluorocarbon emulsion were infused while 200 ml of blood were simultaneously drawn. Radiographic contrast media were given to aid placement of balloon catheters in the left coronary artery.

Pulmonary vein isolation by microwave energy ablation in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation.

Background: Atrial fibrillation is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Microwave energy ablation (MW) is a new option for surgical treatment of permanent atrial fibrillation (pAF). We present our experience with surgical treatment of mitral valve disease (MVD), coronary artery disease (CAD), and aortic valve disease (AVD) and microwave ablation in patients with pAF.

[Do drug-eluting stents influence the spectrum of coronary artery bypass surgery?].

Background: The number of surgical coronary revascularization procedures is static and even declining. Since the introduction of drug eluting stents the question arose whether this will have an impact on the spectrum of surgical coronary revascularization procedures.

Bypass Surgery: Bypass surgery is a routine procedure for the treatment of coronary artery disease with good results.

[Surgical therapy of traumatic cardiologic intervention].

Coronary perforation and entrapment of catheter materials are rare, but life-threatening complications, which often require emergency cardiosurgical treatment. Surgical options include tamponade drainage, coronary artery bypass grafting, perforation suturing, and removal of catheter materials. Surgical strategies are not standardized but mainly depend on the surgical anatomy.

Influence of radiographic contrast media on myocardial tissue oxygen tension: NaCl-controlled, randomised, comparative study of iohexol versus iopromide in an animal model.

It was tested whether a bolus injection of 10 ml radiographic contrast medium (iopromide vs. iohexol), compared to a 10 ml NaCl bolus and administered into the left anterior descending artery (LAD) of farm pigs, influenced the tissue pO2 in the territory of this artery. The radiographic contrast media and the NaCl bolus were given in randomised order.

Coronary artery bypass grafting supported with intracardiac microaxial pumps versus normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass: a prospective randomized trial.

Objective: To analyze the difference in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) performed with normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and CABG supported with the intracardiac microaxial pump (ICP, Impella, Aachen, Germany).

Methods: A prospective randomized study was conducted in seven centers. The study population consists of 199 patients undergoing isolated primary CABG (CPB group 94 patients, ICP group 105 patients).

[Space occupying lesion of unknown origin in the pulmonary trunk: targeted differential diagnosis and surgical therapy in a patient with B symptoms and thoracic pain].

Leiomyosarcomas are only rarely found in routine cardiac surgery. For the patient they hold, however, a very high-risk potential as only an early diagnosis, and immediate surgical therapy leads to long-term survival. Awareness, timely diagnosis, and immediate radical surgical therapy is imperative.

Development of robotic enhanced endoscopic surgery for the treatment of coronary artery disease.

Background: The introduction of robotic enhanced surgery demanded stepwise development of performed procedures on the basis of growing experience of the operating team.

Methods And Results: Between May 1999 and January 2001, this new wrist-enhanced instrumentation was used in 201 patients (156 men and 45 women, median age 64+/-10.5 years, left ventricular ejection fraction 68+/-12.

Three-year follow-up after port-access mitral valve surgery.

Introduction: After the promising early results with Port-Access mitral valve (MV) surgery, the mid-term results were evaluated.

Methods: Among 31 patients receiving this surgery, there were two subgroups (A and B). The 14 patients in group A (7 men, 7 women, 64.

[Symptomatic coronary patient with pathological coronary angiogram requiring surgery].

Bypass surgery has become a routine procedure for the treatment of coronary artery disease. Due to increase numbers of high-risk patients minimally invasive techniques were introduced in cardiac surgery with excellent clinical results. In addition molecular methods have been applied for primary and secondary treatment of coronary artery disease.

Wrist-enhanced instrumentation: moving toward totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting.

Background: With the introduction of the da Vinci robotic surgical system (Intuitive Surgical, Mountain View, CA) into minimally invasive cardiac operations the outlook for performing coronary artery bypass operations "closed chest" became a reality.

Methods: Between May 1999 and December 1999 this new wrist-enhanced instrumentation was used in 61 patients. Six patients suffering from single-vessel coronary artery disease and one female patient with double-vessel disease underwent totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass.

Robotic coronary artery surgery--the evolution of a new minimally invasive approach in coronary artery surgery.

Background: With the introduction of a wrist-enhanced robotic surgical system into minimally invasive cardiac surgery, the outlook of performing closed chest coronary artery bypass operations became a reality.

Methods: Since May, 1999, this new wrist-enhanced instrumentation has been used in 109 (79 male, 30 female, median age 63 +/- 9.9 years) patients.