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Biomedical subjects

F Efsen

Publications and source records attributed to F Efsen.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Different patterns of hemodynamic abnormalities in patients with ischemic heart disease compared with patients with congestive cardiomyopathy.

48 patients with chest pain or unexplained heart failure were examined with exercise test, systolic time intervals, apexcardiogram and left- and right-sided heart catheterization including coronary arteriography. The 23 patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) and 19 patients with congestive cardiomyopathy (COCM) could as groups be separated by several of the parameters. Two major patterns of change were present when using the whole range of parameters, probably reflecting that the heart and circulation had compensated for left ventricular dysfunction in different ways in IHD and COCM. Comparing patients with the same ejection fraction (EF), preejection-period index (PEPI) pre-ejection-period/left ventricular ejection time (PEP/LVET) and systolic blood pressure/left ventricular end systolic volume index (SBP/LVESVI), were all more abnormal in patients with COCM than with IHD at most EF levels. The best separation between the diseases was obtained using exercise capacity in combination with PEP/LVET. The correlations between invasive and noninvasive parameters underlined that no single parameter can satisfactorily characterize the circulatory function in patients with individual differences in preload, afterload, pulse rate, cardiac volumes, compliance and contractility. No or poor correlations were found between exercise capacity and the different function parameters used.

Adult↗

Prinzmetal's variant angina.

A series of 12 consecutive patients with Prinzmetal's variant angina is presented. There was a preponderance of males (eight/12) and individuals less than 60 years of age (nine/12). Delay in diagnosis was frequent, primarily due to difficulty in achieving a proper 12 lead ECG recording of the attack which often occurred late at night or in the early morning, subsiding within minutes. In some cases, moreover, ST-depression was observed in the ECG monitoring lead as a reciprocal manifestation of subepicardial ischaemia or due to incorrect polarity in the monitoring lead. The incidence of serious arrhythmias, AV-block and ventricular tachycardia was high (eight/12); two patients had to be DC-converted. Coronary arteriography revealed a spectrum from normal or nearly normal coronary arteries to single vessel disease. Nitroglycerin was well suited for treatment of acute attacks. Long-term treatment with calcium antagonists was effective and without serious side-effects. The follow-up time was from 8 months to 5 years (mean 2 years). It is concluded that Prinzmetal's variant angina as such is a rare disease, but that coronary artery spasm is most likely an important contributory factor in the clinical manifestations of coronary artery disease: arrhythmias, sudden death and myocardial infarction.

Aged↗

Long-term parenteral nutrition. II. Catheter-related complications.

Catheter-related complications were investigated in 70 patients receiving long-term parenteral nutrition (LTPN) for 1 to 63 months (median, 4.5 months) with a total observation period of 816 patient-months. Two hundred and three central venous catheters were used: 52 Broviac silicone rubber catheters and 151 Intracaths or Argyle baby feeding tubes made from polyvinyl chloride with plasticizers. The median duration was longer for Broviac catheters (5.0 months) than for the other catheters (1.1 months). Pneumothorax and/or subcutaneous emphysema occurred in 14 of 113 subclavian vein punctures (12%). Forty-eight episodes of catheter sepsis occurred in 27 patients. The incidence of sepsis was lower for Broviac catheters (0.3 per catheter-year) than for the other catheter types (0.9 per catheter-year). Catheter-induced thrombosis of a central vein was shown by phlebography 35 times among 25 (52%) of te 48 patients investigated, corresponding to an overall incidence of 1 in 22 patient-months. Total occlusion of a central vein occurred in 14 cases. The incidence of thrombosis was lower for Broviac catheters (0.5 per catheter-year) than for the other catheters (1.6 per catheter-year). Partial venous occlusions usually resolved after heparin therapy and/or catheter exchange, whereas total occlusions usually persisted for years. No correlation was found between incidence of complications and catheter lifetime. Seventeen patients died while receiving LTPN. In three patients death was related to LTPN: catheter sepsis, subdural haematoma possibly due to anticoagulant therapy, and respiratory failure caused by pulmonary infection after iatrogenic pneumothorax. For LTPN we recommend Broviac catheters, which showed longer duration, lower complication rate, and higher patient compliance. Catheter sepsis should be treated with both catheter exchange and antibiotics. Because of the high incidence of thrombosis we recommend that all patients on LTPN receive anticoagulant therapy. However, the value of anticoagulant therapy is not proved in a prospective, controlled study.

Adolescent↗

Nonsurgical internal biliary drainage by endoprosthesis.

Insertion of an endoprostheses for internal biliary drainage was attempted upon 150 patients with obstructive jaundice. It was successful in 123 patients, and 99 patients had permanent drainage with the endoprosthesis. The plasma bilirubin level became normal in 64 of the patients. The effect upon jaundice was equal to that in 43 patients who underwent operation with palliative surgical bypass. The median survival time was not different from that for the patients with surgical anastomoses. Twenty-eight patients died in the first month after insertion, mostly of advanced malignant disease. Fifteen of the patients in the group with surgical anastomoses died within the first month. The insertion of an endoprosthesis for bile duct obstruction is relatively easy and seems to have little risk. Most complications are caused by the transhepatic cholangiography procedure. The method may be used for temporary drainage before operation, in transient benign obstructions or as permanent drainage in unresectable lesions. In patients with dislodgement or insufficient function, additional endoprosthesis may be inserted. Thus, sufficient palliation of jaundice is achieved with a low frequency of cholangitis. Internal biliary drainage by insertion of an endoprosthesis is a valuable alternative to surgical bypass in patients with unresectable lesions.

Adult↗

Interrupted aortic arch in two siblings.

Two siblings with identical malformations consisting of complete interruption of the aortic arch, type B, ventricular septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus and anomalous origin of the right subclavian artery are described. Five other unrelated patients with interrupted aortic arch have been investigated in the years 1971--79. Of their 6 siblings, one had a coarctation of the aorta, while 5 were normal. Together with future reports this may help us to elucidate the genetics of this entity and may improve genetic counselling.

Aorta, Thoracic↗

Non-invasive diagnosis in clinically suspected atrial septal defect of secundum or sinus venosus type. Value of combining chest x-ray, phonocardiography, and M-mode echocardiography.

Twenty-three consecutive patients with clinical (auscultatory and electrocardiographic) signs of uncomplicated atrial septal defect of secundum or sinus venosus type were examined by chest x-ray, phonocardiography, and echocardiography, before right heart catheterisation. Seventeen (74%) had atrial septal defect, two patients (9%) had insignificant pulmonary stenosis, and four subjects (17%) were normal. No false positive diagnosis of atrial septal defect was made by chest x-ray examination, whereas increased vascular markings were incorrectly interpreted as pulmonary congestion in one case. Four patients had x-ray films showing questionable signs of left-to-right shunt. Six of 15 patients with a large left-to-right shunt were correctly selected for surgery based on radiological findings. One false negative but no false positive diagnosis of atrial septal defect was made by phonocardiography. Four cases with and four cases without atrial septal defect were classified as having questionable phonocardiographic signs of atrial septal defect. Echocardiographic distinction between those with atrial septal defect and those without atrial septal defect was correct in all cases; quantitative measurement of left-to-right shunt, however, was unsatisfactory. Combined normal findings by x-ray film and echocardiography appeared adequate in all cases for the exclusion of atrial septal defect (six patients). When the six patients who were correctly identified for surgery from the radiological findings are included, there was a total of 12 patients out of 23 (52%:95% confidence limits 31 to 73%) who were evaluated definitively by the non-invasive tests.

Adolescent↗

Coarctation of the aorta. Postoperative haemodynamic and angiographic findings in 52 patients.

52 patients operated on for coarctation of the aorta from 1955 to 1978 were subjected to postoperative haemodynamic and angiographic examinations during the period 1969 to 1979. Age at operation ranged from 11 days to 54 years (mean 21 years). Thirty patients, all above the age of 10, had a tube prosthesis inserted and an end-to-end anastomosis was performed in 19 patients. Two patients aged 4 and 13 years, respectively, had a pericardial patch inserted and the last patient aged 31 years a dacron velour patch. In 43 of the 52 patients, the haemodynamic and angiographic examinations were performed via the femoral artery. In 8 of the remaining patients, the contrast medium was injected into the pulmonary artery with filming after its passage through the lungs. Transseptal puncture with injection into the left ventricle was used in one patient. Patients with a tube prosthesis presented no significant pressure gradient and angiography showed slight indentations only at both the cranial and the distal anastomoses. Four of the patients with an end-to-end anastomosis developed re-coarctation and were re-operated. The remaining 18 patients showed haemodynamic and angiographic findings comparable to those found in patients where a tube prosthesis was inserted. Although none of the patients with a tube prosthesis have developed recoarctation so far, continued examination is necessary in order to clarify the long-term results.

Adolescent↗