Decreased DNA Disruption in the Porcine Neocortex with Erythromycin Preconditioning during Prolonged Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest: Evidence for Neuroprotection.

Background And Aim Of The Study: We have previously reported that the neocortex is selectively vulnerable to injury in an acute porcine model of hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA) at 18°C. In view of recent evidence showing that pharmacologic preconditioning with a single dose of erythromycin induces tolerance against transient global cerebral ischemia in rats, we hypothesized that erythromycin would reduce the number of apoptotic neurons in the neocortex in an acute porcine model of HCA at 18°C.

Methods: Fourteen piglets underwent 75 min of HCA at 18°C following pretreatment with erythromycin (25 mg/kg, IV) (n = 8) or vehicle (Normal Saline 0.

Atypical pattern of lung involvement in pacemaker endocarditis.

Pacemaker endocarditis has a high rate of morbidity and mortality and is associated with substantial health-care cost. To maximize the effectiveness of treatment, diagnosis of pacemaker endocarditis should be made as early as possible. Medical treatment alone is not successful, and the removal of the entire artificial pacing system is often required.

Aortic root aneurysm in an adult patient with aortic coarctation: a single-stage approach.

Coarctation of the aorta is a common congenital defect that may be undiagnosed until adulthood. Moreover, coarctation is associated with congenital and acquired cardiac pathology that may require surgical intervention. The management of an adult patient with aortic coarctation and an associated cardiac defect poses a great technical challenge since there are no standard guidelines for the therapy of such a complex pathology.

Noninvasive ventilation for post-pneumonectomy severe hypoxemia.

ARDS remains a lethal complication after major lung resections. The reported mortality ranges from 50% to 100%, with increased incidence and mortality rates in pneumonectomy patients. The pathogenesis of early ARDS is still not fully understood, and the majority of patients will require mechanical ventilation.

Local iodine pleurodesis versus thoracoscopic talc insufflation in recurrent malignant pleural effusion: a prospective randomized control trial.

Objective: To compare the efficacy, safety, and outcome of thoracoscopic talc poudrage (TTP) versus povidone-iodine pleurodesis (PIP) through a thoracostomy tube as a palliative treatment of pleural effusion due to metastatic breast carcinoma (MBC).

Methods: A total of 42 MBC patients were prospectively enrolled in a randomized controlled trial. Twenty-two patients received TTP (group A), whereas 20 patients (group B) underwent pleurodesis by instilling povidone-iodine through a thoracostomy tube, as a bedside procedure.

Hypothermia at 10 degrees C reduces neurologic injury after hypothermic circulatory arrest in the pig.

Background: We have previously reported that sensory, motor neocortex, and hippocampus are selectively vulnerable to injury in an acute porcine model of HCA at 18 degrees C. This study was undertaken to assess whether further cooling to 10 degrees C can reduce neurological injury during HCA.

Methods: Twelve piglets underwent 75 minutes of HCA at 18 degrees C (n = 6) and 10 degrees C (n = 6).

Acute regional neuronal injury following hypothermic circulatory arrest in a porcine model.

Objectives: Although deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA) is routinely used to interrupt normal perfusion of the brain and prevent subsequent cerebral ischemic injury during cardiac surgery, it is associated with various forms of neurologic disturbances. Neurologic sequelae after prolonged HCA include motor, memory and cognitive deficits. The present study was designed to assess acute regional neuronal injury after HCA in an animal model.

Effect of profound hypothermia during circulatory arrest on neurologic injury and apoptotic repressor protein Bcl-2 expression in an acute porcine model.

Objectives: We reported that the neocortex and hippocampus are selectively vulnerable to injury in an acute porcine model of hypothermic circulatory arrest at 18 degrees C. We hypothesize that further cooling to 10 degrees C could reduce neurologic injury in these regions. To further elucidate the mechanisms of neurologic injury and protection, we assessed the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2.