[The early echocardiographic diagnosis of a massive pulmonary embolism].

Background: In several cases of clinically suspected massive pulmonary embolism (MPE), a lung perfusion scanning and/or a pulmonary angiography are not quickly available or feasible.

Methods: Fifty patients admitted to our ICU with a clinically suspected MPE underwent an echocardiographic (Echo) investigation very shortly after onset (within 2 hours in 38 cases, and within 6 hours in 12). An Echo-Doppler study was also performed in 18 patients.

[Heart surgery complications during diagnostic coronary angiography. The experience of a nondepartmental hemodynamics laboratory].

The records of the Catheter Laboratory at S. Carlo Hospital in Milan (a District General Hospital without Cardiac Surgery Unit) between 1989-1991 were reviewed to determine how often emergency coronary by-pass surgery was performed because of a complication arising during elective coronary arteriography. A total of 1,009 cardiac procedures were performed, 876 (87%) were confined to left ventricular angiography and coronary arteriography in patients with suspected coronary artery disease.

[Use of the subclavian vein for permanent cardiac stimulation].

The experience on 101 cases of permanent cardiac stimulation is reported; in all of them, the access was via the subclavian vein. Punction of the subclavian artery, transient injury of the brachial plexus and pneumothorax, were seen in 4.3 and 3% respectively.