Variation in radiation doses in paediatric cardiac catheterisation procedures.

Paediatric cardiac catheterisation involves diagnostic and therapeutic procedures that range from simple to complex and can subject paediatric patients to varying radiation doses. The study aims to determine the variation in entrance doses in patients in terms of dose-area product (DAP) values and to investigate the methods for optimising radiation protection. A total of 190 paediatric patients belonging to age groups 0, 1, 5 and 10 y who underwent diagnostic and six selected therapeutic procedures at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia were included in the study.

Evaluation of a new device for quick sutureless coronary artery anastomosis in surviving sheep.

Objective: A new device for performing quick sutureless vascular anastomosis by means of stent technology has recently been developed by Jomed International, Helsingborg, Sweden. The efficacy of this GraftConnector was studied in a sheep model.

Methods: In adult sheep, a left anterior thoracotomy under the fourth rib extended across the sternum gave good access to the left anterior descending branch (LAD) and the right internal mammary artery (RIMA).