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Biomedical subjects

F Vallés

Publications and source records attributed to F Vallés.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Contrast bidimensional echocardiography in the morphologic and functional postoperative evaluation of the Senning technique for complete transposition of the great vessels.

Contrast bidimensional echocardiographic (2DE) studies were performed in eight patients with d-transposition of the great vessels in the postoperative period of the Senning technique. Contrast was injected into a peripheral vein of all patients, and into the arterial atrium in five in the postoperative period. The 2DE projections used were the four-chamber apical view and four-chamber subcostal view. In all patients it was possible to see and identify the new atrial cavities which greatly resembled the actual anatomy. Early postoperative alternating injections of contrast in both new atria not only achieved the main purpose of delineating the real anatomy, but also permitted more definitive identification of residual shunts.

Child, Preschool↗

[Listeria monocytogenes endocarditis in a patient with mitral prosthesis, left auricular thrombus and adenocarcinoma of the colon].

A case of Listeria monocytogenes endocarditis in a patient with mitral prosthetic valve, left atrial thrombus and colonic adenocarcinoma is reported. Vegetations were not demonstrated by transesophageal echocardiography and the clinical course was benign and without complications. Cure was achieved with antibiotic therapy, and surgery was not required. These features suggest that atrial thrombus could be the source of infection.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Influence on survival after heart transplantation of contraindications seen in transplant recipients.

Fifty-seven patients underwent heart transplantation at our hospital between April 1986 and April 1991. In an attempt to assess the result of and the influence of contraindications seen in transplant recipients before transplantation on the outcome after transplantation, we have analyzed six of these "relative" contraindications: (1) age over 55 years (21% of patients); (2) pulmonary hypertension (pulmonary vascular resistance of more than 5 Wood units, and/or transpulmonary gradient of more than 12 mm Hg; 26% of patients); (3) renal failure (serum creatinine level of more than 2 mg/dl, and/or creatinine clearance of less than 35 ml/min; 11% of patients); (4) active infection (9% of patients); (5) diabetes mellitus (7% of patients); and (6) critical/unstable clinical condition before transplantation (25% of patients). An overall "risk score," obtained by adding one point for each contraindication, was also analyzed. Risk score was 0 (the "ideal" recipient) in 38% of patients, 1 in 25% of patients; 2 in 23% of patients; and 3 or more in 14% of patients. Actuarial survival was significantly lower for patients over 55 years of age (45% versus 68% at 18 months; p less than 0.05), for patients with elevated pulmonary vascular resistance (38% versus 72%; p less than 0.01), and for patients with kidney failure (16% versus 70%; p less than 0.01). On the contrary, survival at 18 months was not significantly different for patients with or without diabetes mellitus (50% versus 63%; not significant [NS]), active infection (60% versus 63%; NS), or critical/unstable condition (45% versus 69%; p less than 0.1).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Age Factors↗

Pacing requirements after orthotopic heart transplantation: incidence and related factors.

To assess the incidence of severe bradyarrhythmia and pacing requirements after orthotopic heart transplantation, as well as the possible causal mechanisms, we have reviewed our experience on 52 consecutive transplant patients. The overall incidence of bradyarrhythmia requiring pacing for at least 24 hours after transplantation was 27% (14 patients). The conditions of three of them required pacing for less than 1 week; the conditions of the other 11 patients (21%) required pacing for more than 1 week. Normal sinus rhythm resumed in all but four patients within 3 weeks; a permanent pacemaker was implanted in these four patients (7.6% of all 52 patients and 28% of patients requiring temporary pacing). Late complete heart block associated with acute rejection developed in two patients whose conditions required implantation of a permanent pacemaker. The age and sex of the recipient and donor were similar for patients with or without bradyarrhythmia. The percentage of patients with or without bradyarrhythmias taking amiodarone before transplantation (57% and 46%, respectively), total ischemic time (133 +/- 33 and 123 +/- 37 minutes, respectively), and cardiopulmonary bypass time (117 +/- 17 and 132 +/- 65 minutes, respectively) were not significantly different for either group of patients. The initial temperature of cardioplegic solution for organ storage and the preimplantation myocardial temperature were, however, significantly lower in patients whose conditions required pacing immediately after transplantation than in those whose conditions did not require pacing (5.3 +/- 1.7 degrees C versus 6.5 +/- 1.5 degrees C, p less than 0.05, and 3.9 +/- 1.6 degrees C versus 5.7 +/- 2.6 degrees C, p less than 0.01, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Noninvasive radioisotopic diagnosis of acute heart rejection.

In a prospective protocol for noninvasive diagnosis and follow-up of acute heart rejection 162 examinations were performed in 36 patients who underwent heart transplantation. The follow-up period ranged from 15 days to 44 months. The protocol comprised multiple gated acquisition ventriculography with albumin labeled with 99mTc (740 MBq), acquired using a forward/backward by thirds framing mode, 32 frames/cycle, and 10 million total counts. Parameters of left ventricular diastolic function were analyzed. Antimyosin antibody labeled with indium 111 (74 MBq) was injected, and myocardium/lung uptake ratios were obtained at 48 hours in counts per pixel. Endomyocardial biopsy was performed in all patients within 48 hours. The results were evaluated by comparison of mean values of each parameter and global and individual correlation analysis in relation to the presence or absence of rejection and treatable (moderate or severe) or nontreatable (mild or absent) rejection. Antimyosin and diastolic function parameters showed significant differences (p less than 0.001) between patients with and without rejection and between patients with treatable and nontreatable rejection. Global correlation with biopsy existed (p less than 0.05) for antimyosin (r = 0.75), average filling rate (r = 0.61), and peak filling rate (r = 0.56). Individual correlation exhibited significance in all patients only for antimyosin (r = 0.78 to 0.98). In eight patients average filling rate also showed significant correlation (r = 0.65 to 0.88). In conclusion, these results provide a noninvasive diagnosis of cardiac allograft rejection episodes and allow an accurate selection between treatable and nontreatable rejection. Individual patient follow-up is possible with antimyosin. The study of diastolic function is also useful in this setting.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

[Brucellar pericarditis: 2 different forms of presentation for an unusual etiology].

Two cases of Brucella melitensis pericarditis are reported. Pericardial involvement was the first and almost only manifestation of brucellosis in the first patient while in the second, a significant pericardial effusion was discovered on a routine echocardiogram performed in a patient with clinically florid brucellosis. Some etiopathogenic aspects of this uncommon etiology are discussed.

Adolescent↗

[Acute myocardial infarct in persons over 70. The results and differential characteristics].

Distinctive features of patients over 70 years with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are studied. Between May 1988 and April 1989, 420 patients with AMI were admitted to our hospital; 118 of them (28.5%) were older than 70 years. In this group of patients, proportion of woman was higher (36 vs 16%, p less than 0.001), while incidence of smoking and hypercholesterolemia was lower (41 vs 64%, p less than 0.001; and 15 vs 29%, p less than 0.05). There was no differences in other risk factors, prior history of coronary heart disease (angina, AMI, coronary surgery), or general features of AMI (location, proportion of painless AMI, non-Q-wave AMI, evolved AMI, initial admission to coronary care unit or general ward, time from the beginning of symptoms to admission, residual ejection fraction). The incidence of severe complications was superior between older patients: shock, 17 vs 7% (p less than 0.05); Killip class III/IV, 30 vs 13% (p less than 0.001); and fascicular blocks: 26 vs 16% (p less than 0.05). Hospital mortality was also higher in older patients, 25.5 vs 14% (p less than 0.01). No patients older than 70 years received fibrinolytic therapy, and only one underwent coronary artery surgery (22% and 15%, respectively, in younger patients). Coronary arteriography, exercise test, radionuclide ventriculography and Holter monitoring were also performed before discharge in a lesser proportion in older patients. We conclude that mortality and severe complications were higher between patients over 70 years with AMI. We think that mortality could be decreased by a more aggressive management in, at least, selected groups of older patients with AMI.

Aged↗

Visceral Kaposi's sarcoma without mucocutaneous involvement in a heart transplant recipient.

Kaposi's sarcoma has been occasionally reported in heart transplant recipients, but its occurrence without mucocutaneous involvement is extremely rare. In these uncommon cases, the tumor can be indistinguishable from opportunistic infections, making diagnosis difficult. The case of a patient in whom visceral Kaposi's sarcoma was diagnosed by necropsy 6 months after heart transplantation is reported.

Abdominal Neoplasms↗