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Biomedical subjects

A Verdant

Publications and source records attributed to A Verdant.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Surgery of the descending thoracic aorta: spinal cord protection with the Gott shunt.

From July, 1974, to July, 1987, surgical treatment of descending thoracic aortic aneurysms was performed in 173 patients at l'Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal. The cause of the aneurysms was arteriosclerosis or medial degeneration in 83 patients, trauma in 50, dissection in 34, and a congenital malformation in 6. A single method of external shunting provided distal perfusion in all patients in the series. A 9-mm Gott aneurysm shunt was placed preferentially between the ascending aorta (67%) and the descending aorta (60%). Alternative sites of proximal cannulation (aortic arch, 9%; proximal descending aorta, 22%; left ventricle, 2%) and distal cannulation (abdominal aorta, 3%; left femoral artery, 37%) were chosen based on the location and the extent of the aortic aneurysm. No systemic heparinization was used. In the last 40 patients, a flowmeter adapted for use with the shunt allowed the recording of shunt flow (mean, 2,475 ml/min; range, 1,100 to 4,000 ml/min). Hospital mortality, including patients with ruptured aneurysms, was 15% (26/173). The mean aortic cross-clamp time was 37 minutes (range, 8 to 105 minutes). Of the 173 patients, 168 survived long enough to allow accurate clinical evaluation of the function of the spinal cord: no paraplegia or other spinal cord ischemic injury occurred. To date, our clinical experience has demonstrated the effectiveness of the 9-mm Gott shunt in preserving the functional integrity of the spinal cord during cross-clamping of the thoracic aorta.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Total replacement of the transverse aortic arch with the Gott aneurysm shunt.

A new method of temporary external shunting for total replacement of the aortic arch is described. Its greatest advantage is that systemic heparinization is not required. In a 46-year-old man total body perfusion was achieved with two 9-mm Gott aneurysm shunts inserted between the ascending aorta and both femoral arteries. Blood supply to the brain was maintained with the cut halves of a 7-mm Gott shunt connected as side branches to one of the 9-mm shunts, allowing cannulation of both carotid arteries. The total cardiac output, measured at 4.7 L/min by the thermodilution technique through a Swan-Ganz catheter, was propelled through these preheparinized multibranch shunts. A flowmeter adapted on one of the 9-mm Gott shunts demonstrated a shunt flow of 2000 ml/min and it was deduced that the other 2700 ml of the total cardiac output was delivered by the other shunt. During the 29 minutes of cross-clamping, there was no change in the filling pressure of either the right heart (central venous pressure 5 cm H2O) or the left heart (pulmonary wedge pressure 8 mm Hg). Aortic continuity was reestablished with the interposition of a 34-mm tubular woven Dacron prosthesis, on which two 10-mm woven Dacron side branches were anastomosed to the innominate and left common carotid arteries. The patient had no neurologic deficit and had normal physiologic function of all other organs.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗
PubMed1987

Penetrating chest trauma: a 20-year experience.

From 1965 to 1985, 76 patients were admitted to Sacré-Coeur Hospital, Montreal, with a diagnosis of penetrating chest trauma (PCT). The majority were under the age of 30 years and almost two thirds suffered gunshot wounds. Sixty-seven (88.1%) sustained a lateral or thoracic (T) injury and in nine (11.8%) the lesion was central or mediastinal (M). In the first group (T), 53.7% were treated surgically with thoracotomy, laparotomy, and chest tube (CT) insertion or both; 46.2% were managed conservatively. In the second group (M) the pericardium or the heart was involved, eight patients (88.8%) were managed surgically without the use of extracorporeal circulation and one patient was observed only. Eight (11.9%) died in the thoracic group; all survived in the mediastinal group, for an overall mortality of 10.5%. Shock was associated with increased morbidity and mortality in the thoracic group (T) and infection was the most frequent complication for the entire group of patients under study. There has been a steady increase in the total number of PCT at our hospital during the last two decades suggesting an increase in crime and violence in our urban surroundings.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Major mediastinal vessel injury: an underestimated lesion.

Of patients who sustain traumatic rupture of the aorta, 15% to 20% will reach the hospital alive. Without associated major brain trauma or irreversible abdominal injury, survival depends on early diagnosis and prompt surgical repair by an experienced surgeon. Regardless of whether there is radiologic evidence of rupture or rib fractures, a constant awareness of aortic rupture should be maintained, based on the history of the accident. Among 50 patients in whom a rupture of the thoracic aorta was diagnosed, 47 with traumatic rupture of the descending thoracic aorta were treated by the author. Of 34 involved in motor vehicle accidents and in whom a history of the accident was obtained, 30 (88%) were not wearing seat belts and 11 (33%) were involved in a lateral collision. Six percent of the 50 patients sustained a vertical fall of more than 10 m.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1987

Surgical treatment of bronchogenic carcinoma: the importance of staging in evaluating late survival.

From 1971 to 1980, 1292 patients with lung cancer were admitted to the Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal. This diagnosis represented 0.5% of admissions in 1971 and 1.7% in 1980 (240% increase). Only 4% of patients were nonsmokers. Patients ranged in age from 30 to 93 years with a male to female ratio of 5.5 to 1. Of 414 cervical mediastinoscopies carried out for right and left pulmonary tumours, 120 (29%) showed mediastinal lymph-node metastasis (positive biopsy). For 35 left-sided lesions, both cervical and left parasternal mediastinoscopies produced 13 (37%) positive biopsies. For 45 left upper lobe and left hilum tumours, left parasternal mediastinoscopy alone yielded 18 (40%) positive biopsies. Only 297 (23%) of the 1292 patients were considered to have operable lesions and they underwent thoracotomy - 164 (55%) lobectomies, 104 (35%) pneumonectomies, 2 (1%) segmentectomies and 27 (9%) exploratory thoracotomies. The most common postoperative complication was respiratory failure - in 27 cases (9%); there were 12 (4%) bronchopleural fistulas. The operative death rate was 5% - 1.8% for lobectomy, 7.4% for exploratory thoracotomy and 9.6% for pneumonectomy. Causes of death were respiratory failure (60% of the deaths), hemorrhage (13%), cardiac events (13%) and bronchopleural fistula (13%). The overall 5-year survival was 9.2%. For the 297 patients operated on, the survival at 5 and 10 years was 55% and 36% for stage I disease, 30% and 20% for stage II disease and 10% and 8% for stage III disease, respectively. The mean postoperative follow-up was 41.5 months (range from 3.5 to 14 years).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Acute and chronic traumatic aneurysms of the descending thoracic aorta: a 10-year experience with a single method of aortic shunting.

A 10-year experience in the surgical treatment of traumatic aneurysms of the descending thoracic aorta is reviewed. This series included 40 patients equally divided into two groups. Group I comprised 20 acute ruptures and group II, 20 chronic traumatic aneurysms, all situated at the aortic isthmus. The surgical repair was performed in all patients with a single method of aortic shunting. A Gott aneurysm shunt was used as a temporary external bypass between the ascending and the descending aorta, giving priority to organ protection during aortic cross-clamping. The survival rate was 95% (38/40). The two deaths occurred in the acute group and were related to severe brain trauma present before surgery. The aortic cross-clamping time averaged 43 minutes. Regarding organ protection, no brain damage, no heart failure, no renal dysfunction, and no paraplegia occurred. These results emphasize the safety and the reliability of this shunting procedure.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Staged resection of a life-threatening aneurysm of the descending thoracic aorta and a coexisting aneurysm of the ascending aorta.

The authors report the successful staged resection of a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm and a coexisting ascending aortic aneurysm. The main challenge was to provide optimal proximal aortic decompression to prevent rupture of the ascending aorta during the distal repair. During the period of aortic arch cross-clamping, organ protection was achieved with a Gott shunt inserted proximally in the aortic arch and distally in the left common femoral artery. The importance of this shunting procedure, which has been the basis of our surgical technique in the treatment of all lesions of the descending thoracic aorta, is emphasized.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Chronic traumatic aneurysm of the descending thoracic aorta with compression of the tracheobronchial tree.

A 60-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department in severe respiratory distress. He had been involved in a major motorcycle accident, 43 years earlier. A plain chest film showed a calcified mediastinal mass close to the aortic knob and displacement of the trachea and the opaque nasogastric tube to the right. The aortogram showed a 9-cm saccular aneurysm situated at the isthmus. At thoracotomy, the descending thoracic aorta was found to be transected through 60% of its circumference. The ends of the transected intimal and medial layers of the aortic wall were 6 cm apart and a false aneurysm, which was calcified and full of old and new clot, was compressing the left main bronchus and the pulmonary artery. With protection from a Gott shunt inserted between the ascending and the descending portions, the aorta was successfully repaired with an interposition Dacron graft.

Airway Obstruction↗
PubMed1984

Acute dissection of the descending thoracic aorta: repair in an unusual case.

Acute tamponade, although a rare manifestation of a descending thoracic aneurysm, was the dominant clinical feature of a classic type III dissecting aneurysm (arising distal to the left subclavian artery) in a 52-year-old man. High-quality aortography confirmed the diagnosis, ruling out any anomaly of the ascending aorta and the aortic arch. Surgical treatment was carried out 24 hours after the initial episode without cardiopulmonary bypass. Through a left thoracotomy, a Gott shunt was inserted proximally at the apex of the left ventricle and distally in the left femoral artery. Aortic repair with the interposition of a 30-mm woven Dacron prosthesis was successful. Postoperative aortography showed complete restoration of aortic integrity.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1983

Major mediastinal vascular injuries.

Surgical repair was carried out in 37 patients who had rupture of the thoracic aorta or major branches. The survival rate was 90% (33 of 37). Three deaths occurred in the acute phase, giving a survival rate of 87% (19 of 22). Two patients had severe coexisting brain trauma and the other had profuse intrathoracic hemorrhage before thoracotomy could be carried out. One death occurred in a chronic case (an arch aneurysm) for a survival rate of 94% (14 of 15). A massive air embolism to the brain caused this fatal outcome. There were no instances of left heart failure or renal shutdown in our series. One case of paraplegia occurred because a shunt was inserted erroneously in the distended adventitia from an enormous surrounding hematoma. The distal end of the shunt was not in the aortic lumen so there was no distal perfusion during the period of aortic clamping.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1980

Determinants of mortality following coronary bypass surgery.

Factors related to early and late mortality were studied in 663 consecutive patients who had coronary bypass operations. There were 18 operative deaths (2.7%) and 15 late deaths (2.3%). Patients who died were slightly older than surviving patients. Operative mortality was higher (5.3%) in those with congestive heart failure; this correlated directly with the degree of abnormal wall motion shown on left ventriculograms. Preoperative end-diastolic pressure of the left ventricle was not a good predictor of death. While operative mortality was 1.5% in those with stable angina, it increased to 4.2% in patients with unstable angina and to 25% in patients with evolving myocardial infarction. In those with stenosis of the left main coronary artery, early mortality was 12.3%. Although early mortality was unaffected by the extent of coronary disease or by the degree of correction, it increased significantly (P less than 0.05) with the number of grafts inserted and when other cardiac procedures were also performed. Perioperative myocardial infarction was associated with a 28% mortality, but was unrelated to graft failure in 60% of the cases. Late mortality was related only to the number of diseased coronary arteries. Thus, left ventricular function, severity of angina and extent of coronary obstruction appear to be the main determinants of survival following coronary artery operation.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

[25 cases of traumatic rupture of the thoracic aorta: current diagnostic elements].

Traumatic rupture of the descending thoracic aorta is lethal within 3 weeks in 95% of patients who do not undergo operation. In this series of 25 patients who were operated on, 84% have survived for 6 years and there have been no cases of paraplegia. The mechanism of injury is most important in the investigation of patients with traumatic injuries and must be sought either from the patient or from witnesses. A history of rapid deceleration (more than 60 km/h) following a highway collision was present in all our cases. Failure to wear seat-belts resulted in 70% of patients being ejected from a vehicle. A side-on collision resulting in lateral deceleration caused trauma to the intrathoracic aorta in 45% of cases. Vertical deceleration resulted from falls from great heights (bridge, overpass) in 25% of cases. Clinical signs of diagnostic importance were: arterial hypertension (60%), systolic murmur (35%) and the pseudocoarctation syndrome (25%). Pertinent signs on chest roentgenograms were present in 95% of cases and included widening of the mediastinum and blunting of the aortic knob. The authors conclude thoracic aortography should be carried out in trauma patients when two or more of the following are present: (a) history of rapid deceleration, ejection from a vehicle or lateral collision, (b) hypertension and (c) blunting or modification of the aortic knob. The presence of a pseudocoarctation syndrome is an absolute indication for aortography.

Accidents, Traffic↗