Video-assisted cardiac surgery: results from a pioneer project in Brazil.

Objective: To demonstrate the possibilities of the use of videothoracoscopy in cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Methods: Between February 2006 and November 2008, 102 patients underwent consecutively minimally invasive video-assisted cardiac surgery. The cardiac pathologies approached were: mitral valvopathy (n=56), aortic (n=14), interatrial communication (IC) (n=32), six patients presented associated tricuspid insufficiency and 12 presented atrial fibrillation.

Vídeo-assisted minimally invasive mitral valve replacement.

The use of minimally invasive technics in cardiac surgery has become widely discussed, aiming improvements not only in the aesthetics aspects but also better functional results. In this report, we present a case of a patient with severe mitral stenosis that underwent successful video-assisted minimally invasive mitral valve replacement.

[Workflow improvement and efficiency gain with near total digitalization of a radiology department].

Purpose: To determine the temporal changes of the workflow caused by digitalization of the radiology department after installation of digital luminescence-radiography (DLR), a radiology information system (RIS) and picture archiving and communication system (PACS) at the Missionsärztliche Klinik in April 2000.

Materials And Methods: In a comparative study, a workflow analysis by manual registration of different work steps was performed before (1999) and after (2001) digitalization of a radiology department.

Results: The digitalization shortened the examination time for patients from a mean of 8 min to 5 min.

[Use of lyophilized cellulose in peripheral nerve lesions with loss of substance].

Lyophilized cellulose was analysed to verify the degree of inflammatory reaction and axon realignment in the sciatic nerve after loss of neural substance. Ten mongrel dogs were divided into: Group 1 - 1 cm section of sciatic nerve which was replaced at lesion site; Group 2 nerve section without fragment replacement. The section site was involved with lyophilized cellulose.

[Possibilities for the use of a device to measure pressure distribution in anthropometric and orthopedic assessment of foot data].

Based on a quantitative registered picture of the pressure-distribution under the human foot sole the evaluation of anthropometric sizes is described and compared with usual methods. A sectorial evaluation of the pressure-distribution including an analysis of weight, area, maximum pressure and average pressure in the different sectors is reported. It is discussed, how this standardizable method can support an orthopedic diagnosis using static and dynamic pictures of the pressure-distribution of the foot.