Evaluation of a cardiopulmonary preservation method for heart-lung transplantation.

This study was designed to examine whether concomitant administration of anti-free radicals with donorcore cooling on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and hypothermic storage of the heart and lung, could provide successful extended cardiopulmonary preservation. Fourteen sheep heart-lung blocks harvested after core-cooling and cardioplegic arrest were preserved at 4 degrees C for 8.5 hr.

Cardiac myxoma.

Thirty-five patients (10 men and 25 women) with a preoperative diagnosis of cardiac myxoma have undergone cardiac surgery since 1964 at the University of Louvain. The mean age of the patients was 49 (range 20-75) years. The most commonly encountered symptoms were: dyspnoea 49%; thoracic pain 26%; cough and peripheral embolism 17% each; stroke and preoperative atrial fibrillation 14% each; flutter 11%; expectoration, acute pulmonary oedema, syncope and transient ischaemic attack 6% each; and pulmonary embolism 3%.

Early postoperative sternal approximation after ITA harvesting: computed tomographic evaluation.

Between November 1989 and February 1990, 66 randomized sternotomized patients underwent aortocoronary bypass and were subjected to a sternal scanner in the early postoperative period. Each examination included a manubrial and a sternal body print. At each level, we studied the occurrence of spacing or misalignment of the sternal layers.

A new device: the quick cannulation system.

We describe a new technique for the placing and fixing of extracorporeal circulation cannulae in the heart. Two devices are involved, the first for an atrial or venous return cannula and the second for an aortic perfusion cannula. These allow quick easy cannulation which is very important in emergency surgery.