[Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm with a fistula to right ventricle following previous repair of septal defect after acute myocardial infarction].

A case of left ventricular pseudoaneurysm with a fistula to right ventricle is presented. It appeared following the repair of a ventricular septal defect after acute myocardial infarction. The left ventricular pseudoaneurysm is associated, in most cases, with acute myocardial infarction.

[Valve replacement in severe aortic regurgitation following valve sparing operation with David's technique].

The aortic valve sparing operation is of great interest in the treatment of severe aortic insufficiency caused by annulus enlargement in aortic annuloectasia. If valve leaflets are normal, and we want to prevent complications derived from valve prosthesis and chronic anticoagulation, techniques like David s for valve preserving surgery will be performed. Although long-term results of these techniques are usually good, in some cases, like in the one we are dealing with here fibrosis is produced in the native valve, which evolves into a severe aortic insufficiency needing reoperation.

Assessment of cardiac function by echocardiography in Paget's disease of bone.

Objective: To identify the mechanisms which influence the development of cardiac insufficiency in Paget's disease of bone (PD).

Methods: In this hospital-based case-control study 23 consecutive, recently diagnosed and untreated PD patients were compared against 23 controls frequency-matched by sex, age and body index. All subjects underwent non-invasive assessment of cardiac function by two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography.

Diagnosis and grading of intrapulmonary vascular dilatation in cirrhotic patients with contrast transesophageal echocardiography.

Background/aims: The use of transesophageal contrast echocardiography (TOCE) in the diagnosis of intrapulmonary vascular dilatation (IVD) and hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) needs to be studied. We tested the specificity of TOCE using traditional criteria and the value of a new method based on TOCE, a grading scale and a selected contrast.

Methods: 1) Several solutions were tested and two were selected: 20% mannitol and 0.

Etiology and frequency of gas exchange abnormalities in cirrhosis.

Objective: gas exchange abnormalities are frequent in cirrhosis. These abnormalities can be considered an indication or contraindication for liver transplantation. The aim of this study was to investigate the etiology and frequency of these alterations.

Diagnosis of hepatopulmonary syndrome with contrast transesophageal echocardiography: advantages over contrast transthoracic echocardiography.

The aim of this study was to study the prevalence of hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) in cirrhotic patients, comparing the results obtained using contrast transthoracic echocardiography (CTTE) and contrast transesophageal echocardiography (CTEE) in the demonstration and grading of pulmonary vasodilatation (PV). We also analyzed the correlation between gas-exchange abnormalities and PV when it was demonstrated with both techniques. The prevalence of PV and HPS with CTEE in the 88 cirrhotic patients was 28% and 22%, respectively, and with CTEE, 42% (P < 0.

[Ductus closure in adults with the Rashkind device: comparative results].

Introduction: Catheter occlusion of the persistent ductus arteriosus with Rashkind device is an alternative to the surgical closure demonstrated in children, however a few results have been reported of occlusion in adults.

Method: From 1990 to 1996 in 127 patients with persistent ductus arteriosus undergoing occlusion by Raskind device. Two groups according age: 105 children (< 14 years) and 22 adults (> 14 years), were studied retrospectively.

Diagnosis of hepatopulmonary syndrome with contrast transthoracic echocardiography and histological confirmation.

We report a patient with cirrhosis and hepatopulmonary syndrome. This syndrome is an entity characterized by anomalies in the arterial oxygenation in patients with chronic hepatic disease and/or portal hypertension and demonstration of pulmonary vasodilatation (PV) in absence of primary cardiac or pulmonary disease. We show that the finding of PV with transthoracic contrast enhanced echocardiography (TCEE) in the diagnosis of PV is real and corresponds to direct measurement of capillary diameter by morphometry.

Hemodynamic performance evaluation of small aortic ATS Medical valves by Doppler echocardiography.

Background And Aims Of The Study: The ATS Medical valve was first implanted in 1992. The purpose of this report was to establish the normal range of each hemodynamic parameter, measured by Doppler echocardiography, in small aortic ATS Medical valves.

Methods: Twenty-five patients with small aortic ATS Medical valves, operated on over six months, and with no cardiac or prosthetic dysfunction, in sinus rhythm, on adequate oral anticoagulant therapy, and no other valve prosthesis or significant valvulopathy, were reviewed on the basis of physical examination and transthoracic Doppler echocardiography.

Silicone stents in the management of benign tracheobronchial stenoses. Tolerance and early results in 63 patients.

Study Objective: To assess tolerance and early results of Dumon silicone stents inserted in patients with nonneoplastic airway obstruction.

Design: Tracheobronchial stenting for palliative or curative restoration of airway narrowing has been evaluated in a retrospective study.

Setting: Tertiary-referral teaching hospital.

High plasma levels of endothelin-1 and atrial natriuretic peptide in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

The plasma levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) have been measured in 37 patients with acute ischemic stroke, on admission and 3 and 7 days thereafter. The plasma ET-1 levels at the onset of symptoms were about two-fold those observed in age-matched normal volunteers (3.5 +/- 2.

[Cardiac tamponade as a presentation of primary hypothyroidism in a young woman].

Pericardial effusion (PE) as a hypothyroidism associated sign, is something that can be found with relative frequency; nevertheless, cardiac tamponade (CT) as the first sign of this disease may be considered exceptional especially in young patients. We report a 31 years old woman with clinical symptoms and signs of CT that in the forward workshop was diagnosed of primary hypothyroidism as cause of the CT. We shortly describe the case and review the literature, emphasizing the importance of the knowledge of CT trigger factors in myxedematous PE, as well as its usual benign evolution with hormonal treatment, without recurrences of the CT after pericardiocentesis is performed.

Fine structure of the nephridial muscle layer cells of Phascolosoma granulatum (Sipuncula).

The nephridial muscle layer of Phascolosoma granulatum consists of a network of longitudinal and circular cells separated by connective tissue matrix. The muscle fibers are densely packed with thick and thin myofilaments, among which are scattered cytoplasmic dense bodies. The nucleus and noncontractile cytoplasmic organelles occupy a lateral projection from the contractile portion of the fiber.

Influence of cadmium and nickel on growth, net photosynthesis and carbohydrate distribution in rice plants.

Six day old rice seedlings (Oryza sativa L. cv. Bahía) were grown for 5 or 10 days in a nutrient solution with either Cd (0.