Normothermia is the key for the treatment of internal thoracic artery spasm.

Background: Free flow of the internal thoracic artery decreases commonly after harvesting because of spasm. Tissue heat loss is inevitable during surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the internal thoracic artery pedicle rewarming method with topical papaverine applications in different thermal conditions.

Acute heart failure and near-syncope associated with giant left atrial ball thrombus occluding left ventricular inflow tract.

A 70-year-old female patient was admitted to our department with symptoms and signs of acute heart failure and near syncope. After hospitalization, both transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and subsequent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) demonstrated a giant (4.9 x 3.

The role of US and MR imaging in detecting local chest wall tumor recurrence after mastectomy.

Purpose: To determine the role of clinical examination, ultrasonography (US), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detecting local tumor recurrence in patients who underwent modified radical mastectomy for breast cancer.

Materials And Methods: The study included 27 patients who were examined between April 1999 and April 2003. US evaluation of the chest wall was performed in all patients.

[Superior vena cava syndrome caused by dialysis catheter].

The superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome is an uncommon complication due to permanent hemodialysis catheters. Herein we present a case with superior vena cava syndrome resulting from dialysis access catheter placed in the subclavian vein. The patient was admitted with typical signs and symptoms of superior vena cava syndrome.

Clinical importance of elevated CK-MB and troponin I levels in congestive heart failure.

Myocyte necrosis has been considered to play a fundamental role in the pathophysiology of congestive heart failure (CHF), which has usually evolved as a consequence of depletion of compensatory mechanisms and contractile reserve of myocardium. Elevated levels of creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) and troponin I (Tn-I) have been regarded as biochemical markers of myocyte necrosis. This study was planned to investigate the specificity and sensitivity of Tn-I and CK-MB in CHF and to examine the correlation of these markers with disease severity.

Evaluation of tumor markers CA-125 and CEA in acute myocardial infarction.

Serum carbohydrate antigen (CA-125) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) have always been of clinical importance in the diagnosis and follow-up of various tumors. This study was devised to investigate the relationship between these tumor markers and acute myocardial infarction (MI). Seventy consecutive cases (59 male patients with a diagnosis of acute ST segment elevation MI and 11 male patients with a diagnosis of non-ST segment elevation MI; mean age, 57+/-8.

Female breast radiation exposure during thorax multidetector computed tomography and the effectiveness of bismuth breast shield to reduce breast radiation dose.

Objective: The purpose of our study was to determine the breast radiation dose when performing routine thoracic multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). We also evaluated dose reduction and the effect on image quality of using a bismuth breast shield when performing thoracic MDCT.

Material And Methods: The dose reduction achievable by shielding the adult (18 years or older) female breasts was studied in 50 women who underwent routine thoracic MDCT.

Hybrid coronary revascularization in high-risk patients.

From January 2002 through June 2004, 17 patients (2% of all coronary cases) were treated with off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting combined with percutaneous coronary intervention. There were 13 men and 4 women, whose ages ranged from 54 to 78 years (mean, 63.1 +/- 20.

Transabdominal approach in the surgical management of Morgagni hernia.

Purpose: Morgagni hernias are uncommon diaphragmatic hernias that are generally asymptomatic, and so far only limited data have been reported. The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the outcome of patients presenting with a complicated Morgagni hernia and who undergo a transabdominal repair.

Methods: Between September 1999 and October 2005, 11 patients with Morgagni hernia were operated on in our department.

Herbals in cardiovascular practice: are physicians neglecting anything?

Background: Herbal products have been widely used by many patients with cardiovascular problems solely expecting benefit out of them. Since, it is important to consider patients' needs and believes to prevent breaking off the relationship of patients and physicians, we conducted a survey on patients admitted to our outpatient Cardiology department.

Methods: A questionnaire was prepared including 49 questions.

Surgical therapy of pulmonary artery aneurysms: a report of 2 cases.

Pulmonary artery aneurysm is a rare condition that may be acquired rather than congenital. The natural history of pulmonary artery aneurysms is not defined yet, and management is still controversial. We present 2 cases of adult patients with pulmonary artery aneurysms who were treated surgically.

Left ventricular outflow tract myxoma accompanied by dextrocardia with situs inversus: a case report.

Myxoma is the most frequently encountered primary tumour of the heart, comprising more than 50% of all benign cardiac tumours. The case presented here was diagnosed as having dextrocardia with situs inversus and concomitant left ventricular outflow tract myxoma which has been very rarely encountered, particularly consistent with the scarcity of reported cases.

Role of physiological state 'normothermia' in internal thoracic artery spasm after harvesting.

Objective: Vasospasm is often faced after the operative preparation of internal thoracic artery. Different vasodilating pharmacological agents are being used to eliminate this problem. During the preparation of internal thoracic artery, normal, local, and systemic temperatures are lost.

Coronary calcium scoring with MDCT: the radiation dose to the breast and the effectiveness of bismuth breast shield.

Objective: The purpose of our study was to determine the breast radiation dose during coronary calcium scoring with multidetector computerized tomography (MDCT). We also evaluated the degree of dose reduction by using a bismuth breast shield when performing coronary calcium scoring with MDCT.

Materials And Methods: The dose reduction achievable by shielding the adult (35 years or older) female breasts was studied in 25 women who underwent coronary calcium scoring with MDCT.

Fine vs. coarse atrial fibrillation: which one is more risky?

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a frequent arrhythmia, associated with morbidity and mortality. It is identified by two types on surface electrocardiogram as fine and coarse AF. We aimed to search the association of subtypes of AF with clinical parameters.

Testicular volume before and after hydrocelectomy in children.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there is an association between communicating congenital hydroceles and testicular volume in children.

Methods: Seventeen children with unilateral communicating congenital hydroceles who underwent hydrocelectomies were included in the study. Testicular volumes were measured before and after hydrocelectomy on both the affected and unaffected sides.

Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of significant coronary artery involvement in patients with peripheral artery disease.

Background: Peripheral artery disease is a common condition, mainly associated with clinical cardiovascular risk factors. Patients with peripheral artery disease suffer from coronary artery disease-related complications. On the other hand, metabolic syndrome, as a constellation of specific risk factors, represents a risk factor for cardiovascular mortality.

The effect of aminoguanidine against cholestatic liver injury in rats.

We investigated the protective role of aminoguanidine (AG) in rat liver injury induced by chronic biliary obstruction. Secondary biliary cirrhosis was induced by bile duct ligation for 14 days. Swiss albino rats were divided into three groups: Common bile duct ligated (CBDL) rats; Group A, CBDL rats treated with AG as Group B and simple laparotomy group known as the Sham group; Group C.

Acquired cardiac hypertrophy with outflow tract obstruction in a patient with severe Takayasu arteritis.

Takayasu arteritis with coronary artery involvement is rare and its association with secondary cardiac hypertrophy with severe outflow tract obstruction is not common. We describe a case of Takayasu arteritis, diagnosed 10 years ago, whose coronary artery involvement and obstructive cardiac hypertrophy are ascertained after our investigations.

A series of patients in the emergency department diagnosed with copper poisoning: recognition equals treatment.

Only scarce data are available on chronic copper poisoning in general toxicology literature. This paper reports four patients with chronic copper poisoning and one patient with acute poisoning. The cases with chronic poisoning in our study consisted of four members of a farmer family presenting to the emergency department (ED) with malaise, weakness, abdominal pain, headache, dizziness, tightness in the chest, leg and back pain, accompanied by significant anemia (hemoglobin [Hb]: 8.

An interatrial mass supplied from dual coronary circulation.

A 69-year-old woman has been complaining from presencop and palpitation for 4 months. Cardiac examination revealed middiastolic rulman, which changed by position. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography showed normal left ventricular function, mild mitral regurgitation and large right and left atrial masses.

Immunoglobulin E: a new diagnostic clue for Behçet's disease? IgE and Behçet's disease.

Behçet's disease (BD) is a multisystemic inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology. Hyperimmunoglobulinemia has been demonstrated in BD; however, its clinical importance has not yet been discovered. In a few reports, an association between BD and plasma immunoglobulin E (IgE) has been noted.