Nonsurgical management of bleeding secondary to tube thoracostomy. A case report.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Chest Tubes↗
Biomedical subjects
A L Picone
Publications and source records attributed to A L Picone.
Sepsis after coronary bypass grafting: evidence for loss of the gut mucosal barrier.
Postoperative infections may originate from a patient's gastrointestinal tract. We studied infections after coronary artery revascularization. Three hundred twenty-nine patients underwent coronary artery revascularization from January 1987 to March 1990. Eight of the 329 (2.4%) died; none of the deaths were infection related. Fifty-five culture-proven infections were identified in 22 of 321 survivors (6.8%); 9 infections (16%) were gram-positive, 5 (9%) were fungal, and 41 (75%) were gram-negative. Site of infections were respiratory tract, 58%; urinary tract, 18%; blood, 13%; and mediastinum, 11%. Ninety-six percent of respiratory tract and all urinary tract infections were gram-negative or fungal. There was no significant difference between infected and noninfected groups in sex, age, smoking history, preoperative hematocrit or leukocyte count, serum albumin level, or time on extracorporeal bypass. The infected group required intubation and nasogastric suction for a significantly longer time than the noninfected group (p less than 0.001). Time to enteral alimentation was significantly longer in the infected group (p less than 0.02). We were unable to correlate the number of infections with the lengths of intubation, nasogastric suction, or time to enteral alimentation. This study supports the concept of postoperative infections arising from bacterial translocation across the patient's gastrointestinal tract. The most significant risk factor is the length of the gastrointestinal tract disuse.
Adult↗
Surgery for high cervical esophageal carcinoma: experience with 11 patients.
The treatment of carcinoma of the cervical esophagus remains controversial. Eleven patients with carcinoma of the high cervical esophagus were encountered over the past 7 years at our institution. There were 6 men and 5 women whose ages ranged from 51 to 72 years. Six patients had tracheal or laryngeal invasion. In all instances one-stage pharyngolaryngoesophagectomy with pharyngogastric (6 patients) or pharyngocolic (5 patients) reconstruction was performed. There was one hospital death. Six patients died 6 to 35 months postoperatively: 1 from recurrence, 2 from generalized metastases, and 3 with both local recurrent and metastatic disease. One other patient died free of disease 6 weeks postoperatively of pneumonia. The remaining 3 patients are alive 12 to 84 months after operation with excellent rehabilitation and good quality of life. We conclude that one-stage surgical resection and reconstruction for high cervical carcinoma of the esophagus offers good palliation and possible long-term survival with acceptable operative risk.
Aged↗
Cardiac missiles. A review of the literature and personal experience.
The management of retained missiles in the heart is still controversial. In an attempt to define the issue more clearly, the reported cases in the English literature from 1940 to 1988 (group 1) and our experience from 1968 to 1988 (group 2) were reviewed. In group 1 there were 222 missiles retained in the hearts of 201 patients. The retained missiles were 45 bullets in 45 patients, 109 shrapnel in 99 patients, 18 pellets in 7 patients, and 50 unidentified missiles in 50 patients. Thirteen of the missiles were completely embedded intramyocardial missiles, 122 were partially intramyocardial, 47 were free in a cardiac chamber, and 40 were intrapericardial. One hundred four of the missiles were removed and 118 were left in place. In group 2 there were 24 missiles, 18 bullets, 1 bullet fragment, and 5 pellets retained in the hearts of 24 patients. Ten missiles were removed, no attempt was made in 13 patients, and an unsuccessful attempt was made to remove one other. From group 1 patients, 6 died, 2 with intracavitary missiles, 3 patients with partially intramyocardial, and 1 patient with an intrapericardial missile, all of whom had either unsuccessful or no attempt to remove the missile. Twenty-seven patients had symptoms, all of whom, except two, had either unsuccessful or no attempt to remove the missile. All group 2 patients did well and had been free of symptoms related to the missiles. This review suggests that the management of missiles in the heart should be individualized according to the patient's clinical course, the site, shape, and size of the missile, and that in selected patients missiles in the heart are tolerated well.
Foreign Bodies↗
Missiles in the heart.
The records of 24 patients who had a missile retained in the heart and who were treated at Grady Memorial Hospital from 1968 to 1987 were reviewed. In 22, the missile lodged in the heart after its direct injury and in the remaining 2, after the bullet injured a systemic vein. Immediately after the cardiac injury, 7 of the 22 patients were seen with cardiac tamponade (3 also had hemothorax), 11 were seen with hemothorax, 5 were asymptomatic, and 1 was in shock. Seven patients underwent emergency thoracotomy; the bullet was removed in 3, but in the remaining 4 patients, it was not located. In the other 17 patients and in the 4 in whom the bullet could not be found during emergency thoracotomy, the diagnosis was suspected from the chest roentgenograms and confirmed by cardiac fluoroscopy or angiocardiography. Eight patients with retained bullets underwent elective operation; the bullet was removed from 7 and in 1 it was left embedded in the right ventricular septum. All 10 patients who underwent excision of the missile recovered without complication except 1 in whom pericarditis developed, and all were followed for up to 17 years. All 14 patients with a retained missile in the heart had no cardiac symptoms referable to the bullet and were followed for up to 15 years. This experience suggests that the management of patients with a bullet of .38 caliber or smaller that is retained in the heart should be individualized according to the patient's clinical course and the site of the bullet and that in select patients, bullets left in the heart are tolerated well.
Adolescent↗
Circulatory support for right ventricular dysfunction.
New modes of circulatory support for right ventricular dysfunction have recently been described. The present study compared the effectiveness of pulmonary artery balloon counterpulsation with a right ventricular assist device for support of surgically induced right ventricular dysfunction. Right ventricular hypertrophy was created in 16 neonatal lambs by pulmonary artery banding. Right ventricular dysfunction was produced in all animals by performing a right ventriculotomy and maintaining the pulmonary artery band. Four unassisted animals developed severe acute right heart failure and died. Six sheep had pulmonary artery balloon counterpulsation with a Dacron graft anastomosed to the proximal pulmonary artery as a reservoir for a 40 ml intra-aortic balloon after the onset of heart failure. The remaining six sheep had a pneumatically activated ventricular assist device inserted between the proximal pulmonary artery and the right ventricular apex. Periods of circulatory support with the balloon pump and the assist device on and off were compared. Decreases in right atrial pressure were observed with both balloon counterpulsation and right ventricular assistance: 14 +/- 1 to 11 +/- 1 mm Hg, p less than 0.0001, versus 19 +/- 2 to 12 +/- 2 mm Hg, p less than 0.0002, respectively. Cardiac output increased with both balloon counterpulsation and ventricular assistance: 1.45 +/- 0.16 to 2.03 +/- 0.13 L/min, p less than 0.001, versus 0.72 +/- 0.15 to 2.24 +/- 0.23 L/min, p less than 0.0002, respectively. Aortic systolic pressure increased in both support groups: 78 +/- 7 to 99 +/- 6 mm Hg, p less than 0.0004, versus 53 +/- 9 to 85 +/- 9 mm Hg, p less than 0.0001, respectively. Ventricular assistance produced greater changes in the right atrial pressure (39% +/- 6% versus 17% +/- 3%, p less than 0.01), cardiac output (153% +/- 39% versus 54% +/- 11%, p less than 0.05), and aortic systolic pressure (85% +/- 13% versus 39% +/- 9%, p less than 0.01). The insertion of a right ventricular assist device caused a significant increment in right ventricular dysfunction. These data, obtained with the devices in place but not operating, showed significantly increased right atrial and right ventricular end-diastolic pressures and approximately 50% less cardiac output than with the pulmonary artery balloon counterpulsation system. The results demonstrate that both modes of circulatory support were effective in reversing surgically induced right ventricular failure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Animals↗
Left coronary arterial blood flow: noninvasive detection by Doppler US.
Continuous wave (CW) and pulsed Doppler ultrasound studies with spectral analysis were used to detect the left coronary arterial blood flow in patients who were undergoing routine echocardiography. The pulmonary artery is a stable ultrasonic landmark from which detection of the blood flow can be effected. The left coronary artery can be distinguished by its blood flow toward the cardiac apex and by specific, functional flow features. Flow patterns vary among the left main, circumflex, and anterior descending arteries; patterns also vary with respiration cycles. In the present study, coronary arterial blood flow was detected in 58 of 70 patients (83%). Findings were validated by selectively injecting an agitated saline contrast medium into the left coronary artery and, in another study, by comparing human Doppler phasic flow waveforms with electromagnetic flowmeter recordings obtained in dogs.
Animals↗
Spinal cord ischemia following operations on the abdominal aorta.
Spinal cord ischemia following operations on the abdominal aorta is considered an unpredictable event attributable to variations in spinal cord blood supply. Our experience with seven cases of spinal cord ischemia contradicts this hypothesis. All patients had a bifurcation graft implanted. Three patients had bilateral interruption of hypogastric circulation. Each had gluteal necrosis and two had left colon ischemia. Two patients had unilateral hypogastric ligation. In both of these patients, early postoperative hypotension preceded recognition of spinal cord ischemia. Two patients without known interruption of hypogastric flow had proximal side-to-end anastomoses placed in an atheromatous aorta. Intraoperative peripheral emboli occurred in one and postoperative visceral emboli occurred in the other patient. In the latter case spinal cord ischemia occurred late concomitantly with embolization. The surmised important details in patients' courses with spinal cord ischemia are (1) interference with pelvic blood flow (five of seven patients) severe enough in three cases to cause gluteal necrosis and (2) a high incidence of perioperative complications. Interruption of an anomalous spinal artery was probably not a factor as cord lesions were mostly distal and no case of spinal cord ischemia occurred after a cylinder graft was placed. Spinal cord ischemia is potentially preventable. Our experience reemphasizes the importance of hypogastric perfusion, the dangers of handling the atheromatous aorta, and the necessity for avoiding postoperative hypotension.
Aged↗
Survival and functional results after valve replacement for aortic regurgitation from 1976 to 1983: impact of preoperative left ventricular function.
Recent studies suggest that preoperative left ventricular function may no longer be an important determinant of survival or functional results after operation for aortic regurgitation because of improved operative techniques. To assess the effect of left ventricular function on prognosis in the current surgical era, we performed echocardiographic and radionuclide angiographic studies in 80 consecutive patients undergoing valve replacement from 1976 to 1983. No patient had associated coronary artery disease. For all patients, 5 year survival was 83 +/- 5%, significantly better than the 62 +/- 9% 5 year survival in our patients operated on from 1972 to 1976. Preoperative resting left ventricular ejection fraction (p less than .001), fractional shortening (p less than .001), and end-systolic dimension (p less than .01) were the most significant predictors of survival (univariate life-table analysis). Five year survival was 63 +/- 12% in patients with subnormal ejection fraction (n = 50) compared with 96 +/- 3% in those with normal ejection fraction (n = 30). Patients with subnormal left ventricular ejection fraction and poor exercise tolerance or prolonged duration of left ventricular dysfunction (greater than 18 months) comprised the high-risk subgroup (5 year survival 52 +/- 11%). Patients in this subgroup also had persistent left ventricular dysfunction after operation, with greater left ventricular end-diastolic dimensions and reduced ejection fraction (both p less than .001) compared with patients with normal preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction or a brief duration of left ventricular dysfunction (less than 14 months). Cold hyperkalemic cardioplegia was used for myocardial preservation in 46 patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Actuarial Analysis↗