A novel paracorporeal mechanical assist device for newborns and infants allows bridging to transplantation.
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Equipment Design↗
Biomedical subjects
B Asfour
Publications and source records attributed to B Asfour.
Renal insufficiency in neonates after cardiac surgery.
Renal failure after cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is well understood for infants, children and adults. The perioperative risk factors after CPB for immature kidneys in newborns are not well known. This retrospective study investigates perioperative risk factors for renal insufficiency in neonates. I) Preoperative: Age; weight, performed angiography, amount of dye used in angiography, renal disease and creatinine. II) Intraoperative: Duration of operation, duration of MAP < 40 mmHg, use of deep hypothermia, in-out fluid balance, duration of CPB, duration of circulatory arrest and cross-clamp time. III) Postoperative: Creatinine, use of catecholamines, use of nitroglycerine (NG) or phosphodiesterase inhibitors (PDI) and additional antibiotics. From Jan. 1990 to Dec. 1994 50 neonates underwent cardiac surgery using CPB (n = 23 transposition of the great arteries; n = 4 pulmonary atresia; n = 6 critical pulmonary stenosis; n = 5 hypoplastic left heart syndrome; n = 3 Ebstein's anomaly; n = 2 interrupted arch with hypoplastic left ventricle; n = 2 single ventricle; n = 1 each: double outlet right ventricle, tricuspid atresia, critical aortic stenosis, rhabdo-myosarkoma, corrected transposition of the great arteries.) Thirty-one patients entered the study. Depending on the postoperative creatinine level two groups (group I: creatinine <1 mg/dl and group II: >1 mg/dl) were created. The diureses between the two groups did not differ. Comparing the patients of group I vs. group II, patients of group I were younger (mean age: 7.7 d. vs. 11.4 d), lighter (mean weight: 3260 g vs. 3430 g), less had angiography (44% vs. 77%), received more dye (mean amount: 14 ml vs. 7 ml), the duration of MAP < 40 mmHg while on CPB was longer (mean duration 3 min vs. 21 min), more patients were operated on using deep hypothermia (55% vs. 27%), the postoperative in-out-fluid balance was more positive (mean balance +413 ml vs. +221 ml), received postop. more frequently high doses of catocholamines and less common NG or PDI, but more often additional antibiotics. The duration of circulatory arrest (mean time: 60 min vs. 55 min) and cross clamp time (mean time: 68 min vs. 65 min) seems not to be a risk factor and vasodilators given simultaneously with catecholamines may have preventive effects on postoperative renal insufficiency. Immature kidneys may play an outstanding role in the susceptibility of damaging factors. Further investigation with a larger number of patients allowing to obtain statistical significant risk factors are required.
Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
A simple technique for thoracoscopic resection of lung tumors.
Mainly incited by the bushfirelike spread of endoscopic operative techniques in general surgery, thoracoscopy has become the object of new interest in the field of thoracic surgery. Location and resection of lung tumors are problematic for several reasons and so far not standardized. The main problems are pointed out. A new technique together with the instruments and their advantages is demonstrated. Future aspects are discussed.
Humans↗
Comparative analysis of glutaraldehyde-preserved porcine xenografts and fresh or glutaraldehyde-treated human aortic valves by holographic interferometry.
Although calcification and degeneration are recognized as the main causes of bioprosthetic heart valve failure, the reasons for such failure are not well understood. Hidden tissue anomalies in the valves may be the origin of later calcification. Application of hologram interferometry for non-destructive testing enables the detection of such tissue anomalies. A comparative study by holographic interferometry of ten porcine bioprosthetic valves (seven Carpentier-Edwards SAV, two BioImplant and one Valcor) with five human aortic valves before and after glutaraldehyde treatment is presented. Whereas irregularities were detected in the interferograms of eight out of ten bioprostheses, no similar distorted fringe pattern was found in the holographic interferograms of human specimens. The present results suggest that tissue abnormalities exist in standard bioprosthetic valves which are absent in human ones. These irregularities may be the origin of later calcification and valvular dysfunction.
Aged↗
Surgical experience with defibrillator implantation using nonthoracotomy leads.
Between October 10, 1989, and June 17, 1991, 109 patients with life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias received an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator at our institution. In 50 patients, nonthoracotomy lead systems consisting of a subcutaneous chest wall patch electrode near the cardiac apex and one (Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc: Endotak C) or two (Medtronic: Transvene) transvenous electrodes were tested. The mean ejection fraction was 0.44 +/- 0.15 with a range from 0.19 to 0.81. Twenty-four patients had a history of open heart operation. In 43 patients the nonthoracotomy lead system was implanted, whereas in 7 patients epicardial patch lead systems were required due to elevated defibrillation thresholds during nonthoracotomy lead testing. There was one perioperative death unrelated to the operative procedure (hydrocephalus internus). Hemorrhage from the subcutaneous patch pocket or the device pocket that required reintervention occurred in 4 patients. During a mean follow-up of 13 +/- 5 months (range, 4 to 26 months) no dislocation of an endocardial lead, insulation defect, or lead fracture has been observed. In 1 patient, the lead system had to be removed due to infection of the subcutaneous patch pocket. The cardiovascular survival rate was 98% at 12 and 18 months, and freedom from sudden cardiac death was 100% at 6 and 12 months. In conclusion, defibrillator implantation using nonthoracotomy lead systems is feasible with a success rate of 86%, and during short-term follow-up no problems related to the lead system such as dislocation, fracture, or insulation defect have occurred.
Adolescent↗
Simultaneous in utero assessment of AV nodal and ventricular electrophysiologic parameters in the fetal sheep heart.
BACKGROUND: Fetal tachyarrhythmias are usually of supraventricular origin. To investigate whether specific electrophysiologic properties of the fetal heart contribute to this preponderance by either favoring supraventricular tachycardias or by rendering ventricular tachycardias unlikely, we measured fetal electrophysiologic parameters in utero using transuterine fetal transesophageal electrocardiograms in fetal sheep. Since overdrive pacing may help to establish the mechanism of an arrhythmia and may be used to treat fetal tachycardias, different modes of transesophageal pacing in utero were also assessed. METHODS AND RESULTS: Decapolar electrophysiology catheters were fetoscopically inserted into the esophagus of 9 fetal sheep (pregnancy duration 94- 105 days, term = 145 days). Electrocardiograms were recorded simultaneously from all adjacent bipoles and from two pacing wires sutured onto the fetal shoulders. Pacing was attempted either via two adjacent electrodes of the intraesophageal catheter or via the most distal and most proximal electrode. Fetal cycle length, PQ, and QT intervals were close to (approx. 75 %), but fetal QRS duration was < 20 % of maternal values, thus shifting the relation between activation and repolarization towards longer excitation wave lengths. Fetal QT dispersion was small (< or = 10 ms). Atrial pacing was achieved in all fetuses using distant electrodes, and with lower thresholds when compared to closely spaced bipolar electrodes (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: (I) An altered relation between ventricular activation and repolarization and a low dispersion of ventricular repolarization may protect the fetal heart against ventricular reentrant tachycardias. (II) Relatively normal fetal AV nodal conduction delay already provides one of the prerequisites for supraventricular reentrant tachycardias involving the AV node at this stage of fetal development. (III) High-rate esophageal pacing of the fetal atria is best achieved using widely spaced bipolar pacing electrodes.
Animals↗