Native valve Brucella endocarditis.

Objective: Brucellosis is frequently seen in Mediterranean and Middle East countries, including Turkey. We report the medical and surgical management of 31 cases of native endocarditis.

Material And Method: Thirty-one patients were admitted to our clinic with suspected Brucella Endocarditis.

Effect of posterior pericardial drainage on the incidence of pericardial effusion after ascending aortic surgery.

Objective: Pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade after ascending aortic surgery are higher than anticipated after cardiac surgery. We evaluated a thin closed-suction drain system to prevent posterior pericardial effusion in patients undergoing ascending aortic surgery.

Methods: One hundred forty patients who underwent ascending aortic surgery were prospectively randomized into group A and group B.

Regenerative medicine for cardiovascular disorders-new milestones: adult stem cells.

Cardiovascular disorders are the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the developed world. Cell-based modalities have received considerable scientific attention over the last decade for their potential use in this clinical arena. This review was intended as a brief overview on the subject of therapeutic potential of adult stem cells in cardiovascular medicine with basic science findings and the current status of clinical applications.

Therapeutic Angiogenesis by Autologous Transplantation of Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells for Buerger's Patients with Retractable Limb Ischaemia: A Preliminary Report.

Bone marrow implantation into ischaemic limbs could enhance angiogenesis by supplying endothelialprogeniter cells and angiogenic cytokinesot factors. We investigated efficacy and safety of autologousimplantation of bonemarrow-mononuclearcells (BMMC)in patients with ischaemic limbs due to Buerger's disease. We commence daciinical study to test cell therapy with autologous BMMC in patients with ischaemic limbs at the University of Ankara School of Medicine.

[Alternative approaches in the end-stage heart failure].

Cardiac transplantation has emerged as the therapeutic procedure of choice for patients with end-stage heart disease but the availability of donor organs remains major limiting factor allowing only 1% of the candidates actually become transplant recipients. New therapeutic strategies are under intensive research for patients who do not meet patient selection criteria for transplantation or who suffer from donor organ shortage. Even though there are significant developments in the medical treatment of cardiac failure, the prognosis of this condition continues to be poor.

Surgery for cardiac hydatid disease: an Anatolian experience.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical/pathological features and the outcome of the surgical treatment of cardiac hydatid disease in our unit and other hospitals of Anatolia over a fifteen-years period.

Methods: Between 1984 and 2001, fifty cases of surgically treated cardiac hydatid disease were identified by systematic literature search from Anatolia. Twelve patients were operated at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Ankara University within the same period.

Coronary endarterectomy with off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery.

Background: The aim of this study is to review our experience in coronary artery endarterectomy performed without cardiopulmonary bypass.

Methods: Between May 1998 and June 2000 off-pump coronary endarterectomy was performed on 11 patients who had unstable angina pectoris. The mean ejection fraction (EF) was 26.

Off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery in the left ventricular dysfunction.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to report our experience in off-pump coronary artery surgery in patients who have left ventricular dysfunction.

Methods: Off-pump coronary artery surgery was performed to 48 patients who were chosen randomly among 265 patients having two or more coronary artery disease and whose ejection fraction (EF) was less than 30%. In these patients fractioned shortening (FS) was evaluated by echocardiography, EF with multiple gated acquisition (MUGA) and ischaemic regions with myocardial perfusion scintigraphy both pre- and postoperatively.