[Hyaline glomerulus in the newborn. Morphogenetic study].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to B Friedli.
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Despite the high prevalence of sickle cell disease and trait in the black population and its serious potential for microinfarction, there are only a few reports on acute myocardial damage during vasoocclusive crisis. We report a unique case of transient second degree atrioventricular (A-V) block of Mobitz I and II type during a severe sickle cell crisis. Localized high ventricular septum hypoperfusion demonstrated by a 99mTc-MIBI radionuclide study and reversible echocardiographic wall motion abnormalities in the same area were strong indicators for a local ischemic event in the A-V node and His bundle area, explaining the observed transient conduction abnormalities. The present report draws attention to a potentially lethal complication of sickle cell crisis.
Arrhythmias and sudden death are well-recognized complications that occur late after correction of tetralogy of Fallot. This study, based on the literature and personal work, reviews the numerous investigations prompted by these complications and provides recommendations regarding follow-up. Conduction disturbances and ventricular arrhythmias are both common; although mostly asymptomatic, they are the likely cause of syncopy and sudden death. Supraventricular arrhythmias are less common but cause symptoms more frequently. Detecting patients at risk for life-threatening arrhythmias is an important task. The simple surface electrocardiogram (ECG) gives a host of information regarding patients at risk. Holter recordings, signal-averaged ECG, and invasive electrophysiological studies may all be helpful; the indications to perform these investigations are discussed and propositions are made for the follow-up of the postoperative patient. There is hope that a systematic approach along these lines, together with surgery done at an earlier age, will decrease the incidence of severe arrhythmias and sudden death in the future.
A rare case of congenital mitral insufficiency characterized by the hypoplasia of the posterior leaflet is reported. At operation, the mitral valve was successfully repaired by a ring annuloplasty, which created a satisfactory surface of coaptation between the anterior leaflet and the bulky posterior muscular structure. The presence of this posterior muscular structure represents a developmental arrest at the stage of conversion from muscular chordae and leaflets to thin connective structures.
Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is rapidly gaining acceptance as an accurate, reproducible, noninvasive method for optimal assessment of structural and functional parameters in patients with valvular heart disease. The severity of valvular regurgitation can be evaluated with cine gradient-echo MR imaging, which allows measurement of the area of the signal void corresponding to the abnormal flow jet. Alternatively, this modality can be used to obtain ventricular volumetric measurements and calculate the regurgitant fraction, or velocity-encoded cine (VEC) MR imaging can be used to quantify regurgitant blood flow. The severity of valvular stenosis can be determined by evaluating the flow jet and associated findings with either modality or by using VEC MR imaging to calculate the transvalvular pressure gradient and valve area. Dynamic MR imaging allows accurate assessment of ventricular function and comprehensive evaluation of pathophysiologic changes. In addition, good interstudy reproducibility suggests a role for VEC MR imaging in assessing the effects of therapeutic intervention and monitoring regurgitant fraction, thereby helping in surgical planning and the prevention of ventricular dysfunction. With greater cost-effectiveness and the increasing availability of new hardware and more advanced techniques, MR imaging will become a routine procedure in valvular heart disease.