[The analysis of renal function in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting].

OPCAB (off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting) is useful for preventing post-operative neurologic complications. On the other hand, the effect of OPCAB on post-operative renal function is still unclear. We analyzed the post-operative renal function in 39 patients.

Usefulness of MR-seminography using Gd-DTPA in intermediate magnetic field MRI equipment.

T(2)-weighted fast advanced spin-echo imaging with gadolinium (hereinafter referred to as "MR-seminography") of the genital tract was evaluated for its usefulness in non-invasive investigation into the morphology of these organs. Twenty healthy male volunteers who are confirmed as free of genital tract obstruction were entered into the study. The genital tract was imaged using the 0.

Male genital malformations associated with right renal agenesis.

A 30-year-old man visited our department complaining of discomfort on micturition. Hypoplasia of the bilateral epididymis, impalpable vas deferens, and prostatic tenderness were noted. Diagnostic imaging revealed agenesis of the right kidney, cystic dilation of the right seminal vesicle, and a prostatic utricle cyst.

[Analysis of continuous hemodiafiltration after open heart surgery].

The development of renal failure after open heart surgery is associated with a high mortality. Thirteen patients were treated with continuous hemodiafiltration (CHDF) for renal failure following open heart surgery since April 1999 to December 2001. The indication of CHDF was blood purification in 8 patients and water balance control in 5 patients.

[Bilateral multiple pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas treated by surgery and embolization].

A 46-year-old man, with an abnormal shadow in left lower area in chest X-ray was admitted to our hospital. Three dimensional computed tomography (3 D-CT) and pulmonary arteriogram revealed bilateral multiple pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas (PAVF). PAVF was simple in the right S8, and were multiple in the right lower lobe.

A technique to protect an axillo-coronary bypass graft.

We describe a simple technique to protect an axillo-coronary bypass graft with a stretch, thin-walled 6-mm polytetrafluoroethylene graft with removable rings.

Effect of pre-reperfusion residual flow on recovery from myocardial stunning: a myocardial contrast echocardiography study.

Background: Myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) may be used to assess coronary microvasculature in patients with myocardial infarction. Myocardial contrast echocardiography-no reflow suggests poor functional outcome; however, MCE with reflow does not necessarily indicate good myocardial salvage or sufficient functional recovery from myocardial stunning. In this study, MCE was performed to assess the effect of pre-reperfusion residual flow (PRF) on the recovery from myocardial stunning.

[Apical filling abnormality in patients with heart failure assessed with contrast echocardiography using venous injection of Albunex].

Contrast echocardiography by venous injection of Albunex was used to visualize apical filling abnormality in patients with heart failure. 1. Contrast echocardiography was serially performed in 24 patients with acute anterior myocardial infarction.

[Intrapulmonary arterial injection of Albunex for left heart contrast echocardiography].

Contrast enhancement of the left heart cavity and myocardium were assessed after venous injection of the ultrasound contrast agent Albunex. Myocardial perfusion was also assessed using a drug stress and image analyzing system. The study population consisted of 46 patients with normal cardiac function and without coronary artery disease, and 38 patients with effort angina.

Left ventricular papillary muscle perfusion assessed with myocardial contrast echocardiography.

This myocardial contrast echocardiographic study shows that left ventricular posteromedial papillary muscle is supplied by either the right or left coronary artery in most subjects, but may be supplied by both coronary arteries. The posteromedial papillary muscle and its adjacent area may be supplied by a different coronary artery.

[A case of anterior cerebral artery dissecting aneurysm].

The incidence of intracranial dissecting aneurysms is lower than that of berry aneurysms. Following the recent spread of the use of cerebral angiography, however, the number of patients identified as having this type of aneurysm has been increasing. In a majority of cases of intracranial dissecting aneurysms, the aneurysm afflicted the vertebral and basilar arteries.

Myocardial salvage: its assessment and prediction by the analysis of serial myocardial contrast echocardiograms in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

It has been difficult to assess myocardial salvage in patients with coronary reflow because of the lack of appropriate methods of determining the risk area and assessing effects of coronary reflow in patients, myocardial contrast echocardiography was performed in 28 patients with acute myocardial infarction before reperfusion, immediately after reperfusion, and in the chronic stage with the right and left coronary arterial injection of sonicated ioxaglate. Contrast-deficit and contrast-filled areas before reperfusion were defined as the risk area and noninfarct area, respectively. If the ratio of peak subtracted gray level in the risk area to that in the noninfarct area was < 0.

Subendocardial myocardial ischemia as assessed with myocardial contrast echocardiography in patients with ischemic heart diseases.

Myocardial contrast echocardiography was used to characterize changes in the regional and transmural myocardial blood flow distribution that were provoked by rapid atrial pacing stress in patients with coronary artery diseases. In patients with coronary organic stenosis, a decrease in the myocardial contrast-enhancement in the subendocardial half after rapid atrial pacing was associated with stress-induced chest pain and electrocardiographic ST-T changes. The decrease in the myocardial contrast-enhancement in the subendocardial half after rapid atrial pacing was not observed in patients without coronary stenosis or after coronary angioplasty.

Supported angioplasty with synchronized retroperfusion in high-risk patients with left main trunk or near left main trunk obstruction.

To test the feasibility of synchronized retroperfusion (SRP) as a support device of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) for high-risk patients, 10 patients with left main trunk or near left main trunk obstruction underwent PTCA with SRP. An 8.5F retroperfusion catheter was inserted from the antecubital vein into the coronary sinus.

Temporal increase in resting coronary blood flow causes an impairment of coronary flow reserve after coronary angioplasty.

Impaired coronary flow reserve immediately after coronary angioplasty may be attributed to an increase in resting coronary blood flow. To test this hypothesis we measured great cardiac venous flow (GCVF) at rest and during rapid atrial pacing before and immediately after angioplasty in 22 patients with significant narrowing of the left anterior descending artery and 12 patients (control group) with minimal narrowing. A follow-up (6 months) study was also done in seven patients.

Coronary collaterals assessed with myocardial contrast echocardiography in healed myocardial infarction.

The epicardial coronary collateral vessels are visualized with coronary angiography, but this method does not provide significant information about the myocardial perfusion supplied with the collaterals. In this study, myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) was performed to assess the coronary collaterals in 29 patients with old myocardial infarction. MCE was performed by intracoronary injection of 2 ml agitated amidotrizoate sodium meglumine.

[Evaluation of function of human collateral coronary arteries using myocardial contrast echocardiography].

The morphology of collateral vessels can be imaged by coronary angiography, but no method has been available for evaluating their function. This is a report of the use of regional myocardial perfusion to visualize collateral flow by means of myocardial contrast echocardiography in 28 patients with old myocardial infarction. Myocardial contrast echocardiography was accomplished by the intracoronary injection of two ml agitated amidotrizoate sodium meglumine.

Primary small intestinal adenocarcinoma diagnosed by endoscopic examination prior to operation.

Progress in diagnostic procedures has made it possible to diagnose neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract preoperatively. However, preoperative diagnosis of tumors of the small intestine remains difficult. We report here detection of an adenocarcinoma of the jejunum by endoscopic examination prior to operation.

[Discrepancies between wall motion abnormalities and regional myocardial perfusion in patients with myocardial infarction: evaluation by myocardial contrast echocardiography].

Regional myocardial perfusions obtained by myocardial contrast echocardiography were compared with wall motion abnormalities evaluated by two-dimensional echocardiography in 26 patients with old myocardial infarction (12 with a QS pattern and 14 with a non-QS pattern on electrocardiograms). Myocardial contrast echocardiography was performed by the intracoronary injection of 2 ml of hand-agitated Urografin-76, and short-axis views of the left ventricle were recorded on VTR. Regional myocardial perfusion was categorized using a three-point scale based on the gray levels, and was compared with wall motion abnormalities of the corresponding region as assessed by two-dimensional echocardiography.

Visualization of subendocardial myocardial ischemia with myocardial contrast echocardiography in humans.

Previous studies indicate the degree of myocardial echo contrast enhancement may be related to regional myocardial perfusion. In this study, myocardial contrast echocardiography was used to characterize changes in the transmural myocardial blood flow distribution that were provoked by rapid atrial pacing in 11 patients with one-vessel coronary artery disease. Ten patients without coronary artery disease served as controls.

[Regional myocardial perfusion in ischemic heart disease assessed by myocardial contrast echocardiography].

Myocardial contrast echocardiography is a new cardiovascular imaging technique that can be used to evaluate regional myocardial perfusion. Regional myocardial perfusion was studied in 12 patients with normal coronary arteries, 14 patients with old myocardial infarction, four patients with acute myocardial infarction, and 15 patients with effort angina. Conventional two-dimensional echo imaging was obtained during intracoronary injections of relatively small volumes (2 ml) of agitated Urografin-76.