Biomedical subjects

B Meyns

Publications and source records attributed to B Meyns.

59 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed1992

Time course of serum Lp(a) in men after coronary artery bypass grafting.

The serum Lp(a) time course was studied in 100 male patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The patients were randomized in a placebo (N = 50) and pravastatin treated (N = 50) group. The pravastatin regimen was 10 mg daily from the third postoperative day on and 20 mg daily after 1 week during 11 weeks. Lp(a) levels and serum lipids were analyzed at baseline, at 3 and 10 days, and at 4 and 12 weeks post-CABG. A decrease of serum Lp(a) levels at the third postoperative day was seen which parallels the changes noted with the other serum lipids when using extracorporeal circulation. In contrast with the other serum lipids, a slight but significant Lp(a) overshooting was noticed at day 10 followed by a decrease of the serum Lp(a) levels to preoperative levels 1 month after the acute event. The study clearly depicts that there is a significant time-dependent effect on the serum Lp(a) levels post-CABG and that there is no effect of treatment (pravastatin). The data also reveal that reliable postoperative Lp(a) measurements can be made at earliest 1 month post-CABG.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Surgery for massive pulmonary embolism.

Pulmonary embolectomies were performed in 30 patients from January 1973 until December 1991 in the University Hospital of Leuven. There was an 80% hospital survival. The late follow-up showed no recurrent pulmonary emboli. The preoperative haemodynamic status was the most important predictor for survival. Patients, under cardiopulmonary resuscitation or in profound cardiogenic shock before surgery, had a survival of only 50% while all other patients survived. Angiography, performed in only 23% of the cases, remained the most important diagnostic tool until the advent of transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography. Thrombolysis is an acceptable alternative in the stable patient, but pulmonary embolectomy is life-saving in the haemodynamically unstable patient and when thrombolysis is contraindicated.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

New method for dealing with late-presenting spontaneous esophageal ruptures.

A new technique is described for dealing with late-presenting spontaneous esophageal ruptures. This method requires only a short period of general anesthesia to drain the periesophageal abscess by a drainage tube inserted into the abscess cavity from the esophagus with the aid of a gastroscope and fluoroscopy. Gastric fluids are diverted from the esophageal rupture with a gastrostomy, and a jejunostomy is used for enteral feeding. The esophagus is retained, and closure of the fistula with resumption of normal swallowing is documented with serial sinograms.

Aged↗

PubMed1991

Flexible bronchoscopy via the laryngeal mask: a new technique.

Malignant tracheal tumours often cause airway obstruction and this may be aggravated by vocal cord paralysis due to invasion of the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Conventional endoscopic techniques performed under general anaesthesia do not give a simultaneous view of vocal cord function and the distal airways. The technique of bronchoscopy via the laryngeal mask allowed full assessment of the cause of stridor in a patient with a malignant tracheal tumour that was causing airways obstruction and vocal cord paralysis.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Hemopump fails as bridge to transplantation in postinfarction ventricular septal defect.

From 1990, six patients were bridged to transplantation with a catheter-mounted axial flow pump (Hemopump). Indications were graft failure (two patients), postinfarction ventricular septal defect (two patients), myocarditis (1 patient), and myocardial infarction (1 patient). The 21F cannula, inserted via the groin, was used as a partial assist in four patients, and the 31F cannula, inserted via the ascending aorta, was used to assist the other two patients completely. Hemodynamic recovery was achieved in all patients (mean cardiac index rose from 2.1 L/gm/m2 to 3.85 L/gm/m2 after 1 hour assist). Sudden pump failure occurred in the two patients with postinfarction ventricular septal defect and a piece of necrotic tissue blocking the catheter was found. Both patients died. The other four patients were successfully bridged to transplantation. One of these patients died during his postoperative hospital stay; the three remaining patients were discharged and were well at follow-up (46, 40, and 3 months). The Hemopump device provides sufficient organ perfusion to be used as a bridge to transplantation. No conclusions can be drawn for the long-term use (longest run in this series was 102 hours). Postinfarction ventricular septal defect is a contraindication for the use of the Hemopump device.

Adolescent↗