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Biomedical subjects

G Rizzoli

Publications and source records attributed to G Rizzoli.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

The use of intraluminal prosthesis in the surgical management of aortic dissection.

The treatment of acute aortic dissection requires expeditions and reproducible operations aimed at avoiding rupture of the dissection or its antegrade or retrograde progression. In 12 type A and 11 type B dissections the aorta was repaired using an intraluminal prosthesis to reduce the risk of hemorrhage and its related complications. Overall mortality rates were 33% in type A and 36% in type B patients, similar to that observed in patients operated with other techniques, but the incidence of intraoperative bleeding was possibly reduced and the cross-clamping time was significantly shorter. This method of repair is a sound alternative to conventional anastomotic suturing, particularly in clinically compromised patients and in the hands of surgeons on call, who may lack the experience of dealing with a particularly fragile aortic wall.

Aged↗

The risk of surgical treatment of tetralogy of Fallot: an appraisal.

The risk of surgical treatment of tetralogy of Fallot was analyzed with multivariate statistical techniques in a recent surgical series (1975-1983) of 159 corrected and 59 palliated patients. The overall mortality of correction was 12.6% and that of palliation was 15.3%. The significant and independent risk factors that increased the mortality of palliation were the use of a shunt other than the Blalock or its modifications (mostly Waterston) (P = 0.01), and very young age (P = 0.02). Risk factors that increased the mortality of correction were high left over right ventricular pressure ratio (P-RV/LV) (P = 0.02), persistent patency of the arterial duct (P = 0.02), other major associated lesions (P = 0.02), and the use of a transannular patch (P = 0.04). Cardioplegia significantly decreased the risk (P = 0.03). With present techniques, correction can be performed in favorable cases with a mortality approaching zero. Staged procedures neutralized the age related risk of correction, but Blalock shunts carried a mortality rate ranging from 9.5% at 1 month to 1.7% at 12 months of age. This was due to the lack of prostaglandins along with technical faults. Predicted two-stage mortality rates ranged in infants (less than 12 months) from 6.2 to 16% and compared favorably with our observed 27% mortality of primary correction. Our results show that the transannular patch becomes a fully expressed risk only in those patients with restrictive pulmonary arteries or isolated branch stenosis. This is because it decreases the force the right ventricle can generate in maintaining the cardiac output. The chances of survival, when compared with those of patients without transannular patch, are significantly less when the P-RV/LV is between 0.6 and 1.0. We therefore discuss the measures to decrease or neutralize this risk related to insertion of a transannular patch. Among the associated lesions, we discuss briefly the potential for residual right outflow tract stenosis, anomalous origin of the left anterior descending coronary artery and anomalous muscle bundle of the right ventricle.

Adolescent↗

Surgical management of double-outlet right ventricle.

From 1977 to 1983, 32 consecutive patients, ranging in age from 15 days to 24 years, underwent operations for double-outlet right ventricle. Twenty patients had a palliative operation either to increase (12 cases) or to reduce (eight cases) pulmonary blood flow: Ten of them have subsequently undergone total repair, and in another six correction was delayed because of possible incremental operative risk factors, such as multiple ventricular septal defects or the need for an extracardiac conduit. Four patients with multiple, complex associated intracardiac anomalies are currently considered to have uncorrectable defects. A total of 22 patients underwent correction either primarily (12) or after palliation (10). Intraventricular tunneling was performed in 16 patients with a subaortic ventricular septal defect and in one with a doubly committed ventricular septal defect. Seven of these had pulmonary stenosis and five had reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow by means of a patch (three) or a conduit (two); among this group, five also had enlargement of the ventricular septal defect. In three patients with a subpulmonary defect and in one with a remote ventricular septal defect, all of them without pulmonary stenosis, total repair was achieved by a Senning, a Mustard, or an arterial switch operation. Finally, the only patient with atrioventricular discordance and pulmonary stenosis had insertion of a left ventricle-pulmonary artery conduit. No operative deaths were observed after palliation, but one patient died of intrapulmonary hemorrhage after total repair (4.5%). Major postoperative complications included detachment of the ventricular septal defect patch in one patient and late progression of pulmonary vascular obstructive disease in another. No late deaths have been recorded. Surgical repair of double-outlet right ventricle can be accomplished with gratifying early and late results, the risk of operative death being below 5%. The outcome in patients with subaortic ventricular septal defect appears particularly favorable, despite the extensive intracardiac procedures required for total correction. An early intervention is recommended to prevent development of pulmonary vascular obstructive disease and to avoid massive cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis, which may cause late rhythm disturbances and impede the intracardiac repair.

Adolescent↗

Dehiscence of aortic valve prostheses: analysis of a ten-year experience.

Up to the end of 1982, reoperation for dehiscence of an aortic prosthesis was necessary in 5% of patients operated on for primary aortic valve replacement in the previous decade at the University of Padova Cardiac Surgery Center. This complication occurred early (median time to diagnosis 4 months) and was associated with an elevated 30-day operative mortality (27%, 70% CL 19-37%). This is probably (P = 0.09) related to preoperative heart failure. The follow-up of the traced surviving patients (92%) indicates a continuing poor prognosis with a 6-year survival rate of only 13.5% (70% CL 5.0-30%). All the events were cardiac related and directly or indirectly connected with the persistence or recurrence of dehiscence that was observed in 72% of the cases. In the face of these results, a retrospective study has been performed to identify, on the basis of the available data, the subsets of patients more prone to develop this complication. Our results suggest that a significant increased risk (P less than 0.001) can be identified in patients presenting with bacterial endocarditis (12.2% rate), in patients with concomitant aneurysm of the ascending aorta (10.9%) and in patients with degenerative regurgitation or severe calcifications of their native valve, with rates of 7.0 and 6.0 respectively. In these situations particular care is required to avoid undue stress on the annular tissue. We also suggest the use of buttressed interrupted sutures.

Adult↗

Operative risk of correction of atrioventricular septal defects.

Between 1 January 1975 and 31 December 1982, 111 patients with atrioventricular septal defect underwent surgical repair. Of these, 43 had the complete, 11 the intermediate, and 57 the partial form. The postoperative mortality rate was 37%, 9%, and 6% respectively. To determine which factors were independently responsible for the operative risk multivariate analysis of the surgical mortality was applied simultaneously to all three forms of the malformation. The form of defect, although strongly influencing the natural history and clinical presentation, was not by itself an operative risk factor. The risk was related primarily to failure to obtain a well functioning atrioventricular valve, to the presence of left ventricular dominance, to the degree of pulmonary vascular resistance, and, finally, to the technique of reconstructing a two leaflet left atrioventricular valve. The small size of the patient was also a significant incremental risk factor, but if the other factors were not unfavorable good results could be achieved in small infants with mortality rates less than 10%. Multivariate analysis showed that severe postoperative left atrioventricular valve malfunction was related to the technique used to reconstruct a "normal" two leaflet left atrioventricular valve. These findings support the policy of reconstructing the left atrioventricular valve as a three leaflet valve. Nevertheless, the implicit beneficial effect of this technique has not as yet proved to be statistically significant.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Mitral valve prosthesis dehiscence necessitating reoperation. An analysis of the risk factors involved.

Between January 1970 and December 1981, a total of 21 reoperations for periprosthetic leak were performed on 20 patients out of 999 with previously implanted prosthetic mitral valves. In most of them reoperations were performed within the first year, since the initial procedure and the leading indications were intractable congestive heart failure or infection of the mitral prosthesis. The mortality rate was 30% and was related to the preoperative cardiac functional status. The preoperative variables significantly related to an increased incidence of dehiscence of the mitral prosthesis necessitating reoperation were a degenerative disease (P = 0.016) or an infective endocarditis (P = 0.0006) of the native valve, both causing mitral regurgitation. Rheumatic disease, type of prosthesis, supra- or subannular insertion, age of the patient, and operative year, were not significant, neither were calcifications that are probably neutralized by the routine use of special surgical techniques. It is suggested that the use of techniques specifically designed to eliminate periprosthetic leak in patients affected by mitral regurgitation due to degenerative or infective disease of the native valve, might lead to a further reduction of reoperations for this complication.

Adolescent↗

Progress in the surgical treatment of ventricular septal defect: an analysis of a twelve years' experience.

Two hundred sixty-seven patients underwent surgical closure of a ventricular septal defect (VSD) over a 12-year period between January 1, 1970 and December 31, 1982. In 152 patients (57%) an associated lesion was present complicating the treatment of the primary lesion: 7 patients had multiple VSDs and among those with single defects, 189 were large (unrestrictive). The median age was 5.2 years ranging from 1 month to 46 years. Sixty-nine were infants under 10 kg of weight. The 30-day operative mortality was 8.6% (23 cases). The main cause of death was a low output syndrome in 16 cases. Thirty-two variables have been collected and their relationship with the death of the patients has been analyzed with univariate and multivariate methods. Logistic analysis has identified the independent significant incremental effect on hospital mortality of low weight (P greater than 0.00001), early operative date (P greater than 0.00001), multiplicity of defects (P = 0.0008), presence of major associated lesions (P = 0.019); the large size of the defect was only probably significant (P = 0.18). Inspection of the nomograms, relating the probability of operative death to weight and age in patients with a large defect, shows that the risk is significantly higher in the 3 kg baby (median age 3.3 months), particularly if major associated lesions are present. In infants with multiple VSDs the risk of operation remains, at the end of 1982, significantly higher than in single defects. However, our data suggest that the risk of open correction in patients over 12 kg of weight approaches that of single VSD if concomitant lesions do not complicate the surgical treatment.

Adolescent↗

Acute mitral regurgitation after blunt chest trauma.

We treated a case of isolated acute mitral incompetence due to complete transection of the anterior papillary muscle produced by blunt chest trauma. The excellent results obtained with conservative therapy suggest that this approach be used in other similar cases. The pertinent medical literature is reviewed.

Adolescent↗

Experience with operation for total anomalous pulmonary venous connection in infancy.

Twenty patients presenting with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) in infancy underwent cardiac repair. Four had associated major intracardiac anomalies (complex TAPVC) and 16 had isolated TAPVC. All patients with complex lesions died during or shortly after the operation; they all had pulmonary venous obstruction (PVO). The associated malformations were critical pulmonary stenosis (one case), multiple ventricular septal defects (VSDs) (one case), mitral atresia (one case), and asplenia syndrome with common atrioventricular valve, double-outlet right ventricle, and pulmonary stenosis (one case). Among the patients with isolated lesions there were two surgical deaths, both in infants less than 1 month of age, with severe PVO and subdiaphragmatic drainage. Statistical analysis of these data shows a strongly incremental risk of surgical death due to the presence of associated malformations. Analysis of just isolated TAPVC shows a possible incremental effect due to neonatal age (less than 1 month) and PVO, these two factors being not clearly separated. There have been no late deaths and no late complications among the 14 survivors followed from 7 months to 10 years (mean 44 months). An aggressive surgical approach regardless of the age, degree of pulmonary hypertension, and type of anatomic connection is advised for isolated TAPVC. Some caution is recommended for complex TAPVC, in which a much higher risk is anticipated, particularly when a palliative pulmonary vein-to-left atrium anastomosis is performed.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗

Surgical treatment of patients with triple heart valve disease. Results and analysis of factors affecting the surgical outcome.

During a 10-year period (1972 to 1981), 48 patients underwent repair of combined aortic, mitral and tricuspid disease at our Institution. The aortic valve was replaced in 47 cases and treated by valvulotomy in one; the mitral valve was replaced in 47, and conservatively managed in one by means of open mitral commissurotomy; the tricuspid valve was treated by annuloplasty in 37, by commissurotomy in 3 and replaced in 8. Operative mortality decreased from 67% among those cases operated on normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with coronary artery perfusion (1972 to 1973) to 23% in those operated with mild hypothermic CPB and intermittent aortic cross-clamping (1974 to 1976), to 8% in patients treated with mild to deep hypothermic CPB and cold cardioplegic solutions (1977 to 1981) (p = 0.012). Analysis of the factors affecting the surgical risk has demonstrated that age at the time of operation, preoperative functional class, duration of the disease, preoperative cardiothoracic ratio and insertion of a prosthesis in the tricuspid position did not significantly influence the operative result. On the contrary, the recent techniques of myocardial protection with the use of cold cardioplegia, possibly associated with an earlier indication for operation and a prompter treatment of postoperative complications, were the major determinants of the improved surgical outcome.

Adult↗

[Early hemodynamic changes after mitral valve replacement with the Hancock prosthesis].

In mitral valve replacement for mitral stenosis the persistence of a depressed cardiac performance immediately after operation has been outlined by several authors. The choice of a porcine central flow prosthesis, that has several theoretical advantages, should allow better acute hemodynamic results. Therefore ten patients have been studied by thermodilution methods and the variations in their hemodynamic parameters has been evaluated with a paired T-Test. Results confirm the persistence of a depressed cardiac function throughout the time span of the study (36 hours). This behaviour could be related to the use of Kirsch solution for myocardial protection. Therefore the authors compare a similar group of nine patients that underwent mitral valve replacement with differently designed prosthesis and the use of a St Thomas analogue cardioplegic solution. They conclude for the persistence, in the acute postoperative period, of an intrinsic myocardial dysfunction.

Adult↗

[The coarctation of the aorta in the adults. Long term results over 10 years (author's transl)].

From May 1964 through December 1976, at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Padova, Medical School, 148 patients underwent surgery for coarctation of the aorta; 62 of them where 18 years of age or older. The Authors deal particularly with the clinical symptoms, the operative findings, the surgical technique and the postoperative complications of their series. The early (only three operative deaths) and late results are considered satisfactory, and are discussed according particularly to the type of surgical intervention.

Adult↗