Left atrial pump strain predicts long-term survival after transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Background: This study aims at investigating left atrial (LA) deformation by left atrial reservoir (LARS) and pump strain (LAPS) and its implications for long-term survival in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Methods: Speckle tracking echocardiography was performed in 198 patients with severe AS undergoing TAVI. Association of strain parameters with cardiovascular mortality was determined.

Safety and efficacy of minimalist transcatheter aortic valve implantation using a new-generation balloon-expandable transcatheter heart valve in bicuspid and tricuspid aortic valves.

Background: Bicuspid aortic valve may be associated with increased complications during transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Aims: Compare balloon-expandable transcatheter heart valve (THV) safety and efficacy in severe tricuspid (TAV) and bicuspid (BAV) aortic stenosis.

Methods: Transfemoral TAVI was performed in 743 patients (Jan 2014-June 2019) using the SAPIEN 3 THV.

Vascular complications after percutaneous mitral valve repair and venous access closure using suture or closure device.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of different access-site closure strategies, suture or closure device (Proglide, Abbott Vascular), on vascular and bleeding complications after percutaneous mitral valve repair (MitraClip, Abbott Vascular).

Background: Considering the high-risk profile in patients receiving percutaneous mitral valve repair, complications related to the large 24 Fr access sheath and its relation to the closure technique have not been evaluated so far.

Methods And Results: Between 2009 and 2015, 277 consecutive high-risk patients with severe mitral valve regurgitation (MR) underwent percutaneous mitral valve repair at our institution using Z-suture (n = 150) or closure device (n = 127) to close the access-site.

Molecular variants of soluble guanylyl cyclase affecting cardiovascular risk.

Soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) is the physiological receptor for nitric oxide (NO) and NO-releasing drugs, and is a key enzyme in several cardiovascular signaling pathways. Its activation induces the synthesis of the second messenger cGMP. cGMP regulates the activity of various downstream proteins, including cGMP-dependent protein kinase G, cGMP-dependent phosphodiesterases and cyclic nucleotide gated ion channels leading to vascular relaxation, inhibition of platelet aggregation, and modified neurotransmission.

Dysfunctional nitric oxide signalling increases risk of myocardial infarction.

Myocardial infarction, a leading cause of death in the Western world, usually occurs when the fibrous cap overlying an atherosclerotic plaque in a coronary artery ruptures. The resulting exposure of blood to the atherosclerotic material then triggers thrombus formation, which occludes the artery. The importance of genetic predisposition to coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction is best documented by the predictive value of a positive family history.

Bio-technologies for a glandular stem cell cardiomyopexy.

The glandular stem cell cardiomyopexy should become a treatment option for end-stage heart failure. It combines an expected regenerative potential of transformed adult glandular stem cells into cardiomyocytes within the myocardium or onto the myocardium of the recipient and the potential of a hypercapillarized latissimus dorsi muscle (LDM) wrapped around the heart for stem cell nutrition and girdling.

[Lymphographic visualization of the rectal lymphatic channels and nodes].

Injection of Lipiodol U.F. was effected in the submucosa of the rectum.

[Myositis ossificans following head injury (author's transl)].

This is a report on 14 patients with myositis ossificans with simultaneous head injury. Predilected sites are the hip and elbow joints as well as thigh musculature, where particularly in the youthful and younger adults ossifications occur 5--8 weeks after the accident. Premature operative treatment is useless because of the danger of recurrence.

[Chemically induced carcinogenesis of stomach of the rat after vagotomy and resection (author's transl)].

180 male Wistar-rats were daily exposed to 30 and 100 mg MNNG/1000 ccm tapwater. After 7 weeks exposure a truncal vagotomy with pyloroplasty or a Billroth-II-resection was performed in 25 animals of each dosage-group. 80 rats were not operated.

[Stimulation of H+ secretion and serum gastrin by intra-operative electrical vagal stimulation before and after proximal selective vagotomy (author's transl)].

H+ secretion and gastrin concentration were measured before and after electric vagal stimulation during proximal selective vagotomy in 29 patients with duodenal ulcers. Before vagotomy, H+ secretion and serum gastrin concentration significantly rose after stimulation, while after complete vagotomy H+ secretion remained below basal values, although serum gastrin concentration was significantly increased. These results indicate that without vagal innervation there is no gastrin secretion within physiological levels.

[Chemically induced stomach carcinomas in rats following vagotomy and Bilroth II gastrectomy].

180 Wistar-rats were daily exposed to 30 and 100 mg MNNG/1000 ccm tapwater. After an exposure of 7 weeks a truncal vagotomy with pyloroplasty or a Billroth II-resection was performed in 25 animals of each dosage-group. 80 rats were not operated.

[Postoperative acute renal failure (author's transl)].

Despite progress in intensive therapy and dialysis the lethality of postoperative acute renal failure (ARF) remains very high. Between 1958 and 1976, 374 out of 11474 patients treated in the intensive care unit developed ARF. By conservative treatment that is described in detail, the mortality was reduced from 80 percent (up to 1972) to 50 percent.

[Carcinoid tumours of the rectum (author's transl)].

In three patients aged 21 to 65 rectal polyps diagnosed at rectoscopy were removed by diathermy loop. Histology showed them to be carcinoid tumours, one of tubular type, two of mixed type. Rectal carcinoid rarely presents with typical clinical symptoms.

[Early complications and long-term results after total gastrectomy. A contribution to finding a method of gastric replacement, based on own observations (author's transl)].

In the years 1963 up to 1973 in the Department of Surgery of the University of Düsseldorf a total gastrectomy was performed in 53 patients. For reconstitution of gastrointestinal continuity in 22 cases we interposed a single jejunal loop between the esophagus and duodenum, in 15 patients we performed an esophagojejunostomy with a long enteroanastomosis between the afferent and efferent loop. The procedure described by Tomoda was done in 11 patients.

[Experimental and clinical investigations in pathophysiology of renal artery stenosis (author's transl)].

The effect of renal artery stenosis on the poststenotic hemodynamics is demonstrated and evaluated in the presented experimental and clinical investigation. It is shown that the resistance of a medium sized stenosis is small compared to the total renal resistance. The peripheral resistance which is induced by the stenosis is the essential characteristic in the pathophysiology of the renal artery stenosis and the resulting hypertension.