A fatal complication after repair of post-infarction ventricular septal rupture: heparin-induced thrombocytopenia with thrombosis.

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a rare but potentially devastating and life-threatening complication from using heparin. HIT not only causes thrombocytopenia, but it also carries an increased risk for fatal thrombotic complications. In this report, we describe the case of a patient in whom fatal HIT developed after successful surgical repair of a posterior post-infarction ventricular septal rupture with cardiopulmonary bypass.

Neuroprotective effect of atorvastatin in spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Objectives: Prevention of the development of paraplegia during the repair of the damage caused by descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aneurysms remains an important issue. Therefore, we investigated the protective effect of atorvastatin on ischemia-induced spinal cord injury in a rabbit model.

Method: Thirty-two rabbits were divided into the following four equally sized groups: group I (control), group II (ischemia-reperfusion), group III (atorvastatin treatment) and group IV (atorvastatin withdrawal).

Cilostazol attenuates spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury in rabbits.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the pretreatment effect of cilostazol on spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Design: Prospective, interventional study.

Setting: Research laboratory, single institution.

Isolated intrapulmonary Castleman's disease: a case report, review of the literature.

Castleman's disease (CD), also known as angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia, is an uncommon, lymphoproliferative disorder of unknown etiology, mostly involving the mediastinum. Parenchymal lung involvement of the disease is extremely rare. Intrapulmonary CD has been reported in seven cases in the English literature.

Assessment of the efficacy of Ankaferd blood stopper on the prevention of postoperative pericardial adhesions.

Objectives: Ankaferd has been used as a blood-stopping agent and it may also have an anti-inflammatory effect. We investigated the efficacy of Ankaferd in preventing postoperative pericardial adhesions in an experimental rabbit model.

Methods: Sixteen New Zealand white rabbits were used and categorised into two groups: an Ankaferd and a control group.

Usefulness of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio as a predictor of amputation after embolectomy for acute limb ischemia.

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the predictive ability of admission neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) for predicting amputation in patients with acute limb ischemia who underwent embolectomy.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical, hematologic, and amputation data of 254 patients who had undergone embolectomy for acute limb ischemia. There were 152 (52%) men and 93 (48%) women, with a mean age of 66.

Sudden unilateral vision loss arising from calcified amorphous tumor of the left ventricle.

Calcified amorphous tumor of the heart is a very rare non-neoplastic intracavitary mass. The clinical presentation is similar to that of other cardiac masses. The precise cause and best approach to treatment remain unclear.

Effectiveness of a new inflatable balloon device for gluing dissected layers in an experimental model of aortic dissection.

Objectives: In the surgical treatment of acute aortic dissection, tissue glues are widely used to reinforce the adhesion between the dissected aortic layers. A new inflatable balloon device was developed to compress the dissected aortic wall during gluing to increase adhesion between the dissected layers. The present study used an ex vivo experimental animal model to test the hypothesis that this device is effective when gluing the true and false channels of dissected aortas.

Preoperative neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and saphenous vein graft patency after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate the predictive value of preoperative neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in postoperative saphenous vein graft patency in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery.

Method: We retrospectively analyzed 444 patients who had undergone CABG and a further control coronary angiography due to recurrence of symptoms. The patients were divided into tertile groups according to the NLR.

Effect of topical N-acetylcysteine in the prevention of postoperative pericardial adhesion formation in a rabbit model.

Background: N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a precursor of reduced glutathione, has been in clinical use primarily as a mucolytic. In addition, NAC is well known for their free radical scavenging and antioxidant properties. Increasing of reactive oxygen products occurring during cardiac surgery can play an important role in postoperative adhesion formation.

Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and the platelet-lymphocyte ratio predict the limb survival in critical limb ischemia.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether admission neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) might reflect amputation in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) who could not get surgical or radiological (percutaneous transluminal angioplasty) revascularization.

Methods: A total of 104 patients with nonreconstructable CLI over a 5-year period were collected prospectively.

Results: Admission NLR levels of ≥3.

The effect of mitomycin-C in reducing pericardial adhesion after cardiac surgery in rabbits.

Background: Mitomycin-C has been in clinical use primarily as a chemotherapeutic agent and is well known for antifibrotic properties. It has been widely used to prevent postoperative fibroblast proliferation and reduce scar adhesion in ophthalmologic and otolaryngologic operations. We investigated the efficacy of mitomycin-C in reducing postoperative pericardial adhesions in a rabbit model.

Painless aortic dissection presenting as paraplegia.

Acute dissection of the aorta can be life-threatening. As a presenting manifestation of aortic dissection, neurologic complications such as paraplegia are rare. Herein, we report the case of a 51-year-old man who presented with sudden-onset paraplegia and ischemia of the legs, with no chest or back pain.

Transbrachial endoclamping of the graft for descending aortic aneurysm after the elephant trunk procedure.

Patients who have undergone the elephant trunk procedure because of aortic dissection may subsequently present with a descending aortic aneurysm. We describe the technique of "endograft aortic control by inflating a compliant aortic occlusion balloon," in which a balloon is placed in the proximal descending aortic graft without cross-clamping to avert problems of hemorrhage at the second stage of the elephant trunk procedure.

Surgical treatment of pulmonary artery leiomyosarcoma: a good survival without adjuvant therapy.

Primary pulmonary artery leiomyosarcoma is a rare tumor that can be misdiagnosed as acute or chronic pulmonary thromboembolic disease. In this report, we present a case of a 58-year-old woman initially diagnosed with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary disease, but who was later found to have pulmonary artery leiomyosarcoma. A complete mass resection was performed surgically.

Free-floating thrombus of the carotid artery with a homozygous methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene mutation: a case report.

Free-floating thrombus (FFT) of the carotid artery is a rare condition of currently unknown etiology. We describe a symptomatic patient with an FFT in the left common carotid artery. A duplex ultrasonography scan showed the presence of a mobile floating thrombus moving in cyclical motion with the cardiac cycles in the left common carotid artery.

Brachial artery transection associated with open elbow dislocation in a 12-year-old: a case report.

Although acute elbow dislocations are common orthopedic injuries, concomitant neurovascular injury is rare. Brachial artery transection can result from open elbow dislocation and responds well to vascular repair. Rapid evaluation and a high level of suspicion are essential to facilitate immediate treatment.

Aorto-left ventricular tunnel with its origin in the left sinus of valsalva associated with a single coronary artery and aortic insufficiency in an adult.

Aorto-ventricular tunnel is a rare congenital anomaly, an abnormal paravalvular communication between the aorta and the left ventricle. We report successful surgical correction in a patient with aorto-left ventricular tunnel associated with a single coronary artery and aortic insufficiency who had undergone surgical correction a year before. 

Synovial sarcoma in the right atrium and right ventricle.

A metastatic synovial sarcoma in the right atrium and ventricle is described. A 36-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with generalized fatigue, dyspnoea, and precordial pain. Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated a metastatic tumour in both the right atrium and right ventricle and revealed obstruction of the inflow tract of the right ventricle caused by a metastatic right atrial tumour.

Thyroid vein thrombosis in a young woman with methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene mutation receiving cyproterone acetate/ethinylestradiol treatment for polycystic ovary syndrome: a case report.

Thyroid vein thrombosis is a rare variety of venous thrombosis. The use of oral contraceptives and heterozygous methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene mutation could have synergistic effects on the onset of venous thromboembolism. We report a 28-year-old woman with thyroid vein thrombosis.

A comparison of articaine and fentanyl-supplemented articaine for hemodialysis fistula creation under ultrasound-guided axillary block.

The aim of this prospective randomized, double-blinded study was to evaluate the effect of fentanyl addition to articaine on the duration of sensory as well as motor blocks, and the duration of analgesia during hemodialysis fistula creation under ultrasound-guided axillary block. Fifty patients were randomly allocated to two groups, an articaine group (A), receiving 40 mL of articaine HCI (20 mg/mL) with 2 mL of isotonic sodium chloride solution, and an articaine-fentanyl group (AF), receiving 40 mL of articaine HCI (20 mg/mL) with 2 mL (100 µg) of fentanyl. The onset as well as the duration of sensory and motor blocks, the time necessary for first analgesic administration, the hemodynamic parameters, and the side effects were recorded.