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Biomedical subjects

K Haerten

Publications and source records attributed to K Haerten.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

[Natural history of patients with severe mitral and double-valve disease under medical therapy (author's transl)].

55 patients with mitral valve disease (MV) and 30 patients with combined aortic and mitral valve lesions (DV) class III or IV (NYHA) were followed up to ten years on medical therapy. In all cases valve replacement was indicated but not done for different reasons. The prediction of late survival was analyzed by anamnestic, clinical and hemodynamic variables. The five-years survival rate in MV was 50% (stenosis 57%, incompetence 25%), in DV 28%. Those patients who refused operation had a high survival rate. Functional class IV, cardiothoracic ratio greater than 60%, mean pulmonary artery pressure greater than 30 mm Hg (MV) or greater than 25 mm Hg (DV), pulmonary vascular resistance greater than 400 dyn/s/cm5 (MV) or 300 dyn/s/cm5 (DV) were significantly negative factors influencing the survival curves. In addition, in patients with MV and incomplete right bundle branch block and a PEP/LVET ratio greater than 0.34 calculated from systolic time intervals indicated a serious prognosis. Comparing the survival curves after mitral valve replacement and conservative therapy, it is evident that in mitral and double valve disease class III or IV the operative therapy leads to life prolongation with the exception of mitral stenosis class III.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

[A 17-years follow-up study after closed mitral commissurotomy (author's transl)].

410 patients were operated upon by closed mitral commissurotomy in 1961-62. Of this group, 224 patients were followed up until 1978. The actuarial survival rate after 16 to 17 years postoperatively was 58%. Overall 43 patients were reoperated (second commissurotomy or mitral valve replacement). The cumulative reoperation rate of these patients was 1.5% per year. The mortality rate in patients with reoperation was 1.2% per year, without reoperation 2% per year. 87 patients are still alive 17 years after mitral commissurotomy without reoperation. 59% of this group belong to functional class II or I (NYHA). Most of them have combined mitral valve disease with predominant mitral stenosis. Atrial fibrillation was present in 33% (n = 29) preoperatively and in 58% (n = 50) postoperatively at the end of the study. Only 20% of all patients were on anticoagulant therapy. Nevertheless, the total embolic rate (5.7%) and the cumulative embolic rate (0.2% per year) remained low. The good long-term results show that mitral commissurotomy is an effective therapeutic approach in patients with mitral stenosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

[Paradoxic response to disopyramide and quinidine (author's transl)].

Until recently, severe paradoxic responses to disopyramide have been believed to occur only, if at all, at extremely high doses. This credo has been shaken by some recent reports on severe ventricular tachyarrhythmias occurring in some patients on disopyramide. A further case (62 years, female, mitral commissurotomy in 1966, combined mitral valve lesion) is presented in whom a normal oral regimen (100 mg disopyramide four times daily) induced syncope due to ventricular tachycardia and flutter. The patient exhibited a long QT time before medication without deafness. Indication for treatment was the preservation of sinus rhythm as intermittent atrial fibrillation or flutter has been documented before. The serum potassium level was in the range of normal. Similar side-effects occurred some days later when the patient received quinidine sulfate. A survey of the most recent literature reveals a total of 20 patients with proven or suspected paradoxic responses to disopyramide. Factors that might favour the occurrence of paradoxic effects were preexisting QT prolongation, hypokaliemia, or massive overdosage. Though the total incidence of these side-effects seems to be relatively low, disopyramide should be given to special subgroups of patients only under careful monitoring.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

[Natural history of patients with severe aortic valve disease under medical therapy (author's transl)].

65 patients out of 420 with aortic valve lesions (class III and IV NYHA) who underwent cardiac catheterization in 1967-1976 were not operated upon for different reasons. The fate of these 65 patients was analyzed retrospectively to elucidate the natural history of severe aortic valve disease. The five years survival rate was 26% (aortic stenosis 17%, aortic incompetence 37%). Patients with angina pectoris and congestive heart failure, ventricular ectopic beats, mean pulmonary artery pressure greater than 30 mm Hg, mean left atrial pressure greater than 16 mm Hg and left ventricular enddiastolic pressure greater than 20 mm Hg had a significant worse prognosis than those without these parameters. Otherwise patients who refused the operation by personal reasons had a high survival rate. The results of the study indicate that patients with aortic valve disease class III or IV (NYHA) have a serious prognosis when treated medically. In comparison with our patients who underwent aortic valve replacement surgery has proven to be a life-prolonging procedure in these highly endangered cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

[Echocardiographic observations in malfunctioning heart valves due to thrombosis (author's transl)].

The study includes two patients with obstruction of prosthetic heart valves by thrombosis. In the first patient, a thrombus attached to the ventricular side of the cage of a Smeloff-Cutter mitral prosthesis caused incomplete excursion of the ball in most cardiac cycles, which was detected by echocardiography. In the second patient a thrombosis of the atrial and ventricular side of a Lillehei-Kaster mitral prosthesis delayed opening of the disc. The initial part of the opening movement was "rounded", the excursion of the disk diminished. The cases presented indicate that in patients whose condition deteriorates after prosthetic valve replacement, echocardiography can help identify the cause. In particular, the technique makes it possible to differentiate between valvular dysfunction and muscular insufficiency of the left ventricle. Comparison with recordings obtained in the early postoperative period facilitate the detection of a malfunctioning prosthesis.

Echocardiography↗
PubMed1979

[The applicability of systolic time intervals in patients before and after aortic valve replacement (author's transl)].

In order to evaluate the systolic time intervals (STI) for characterizing the left ventricular pump function and the clinical course in patients with aortic valve disease, 35 patients with aortic stenosis (AS) and 25 patients with aortic insufficiency (AI class III or IV (NYHA) were studied before and 1 year after valve replacement either with Björk-Shiley, Lillehie-Kaster or Starr-Edwards aortic prostheses. Left ventricular ejection time index (LVETI), preejection period index (PEPI) and PEP/LVET were determined and compared with cardiac index (CI), stroke volume index (SVI) and ejection fraction (EF). Prosthetic valve replacement leads to a high significant decrease of LVETI from preop. 468 +/- 31 ms to postop. 394 +/- 26 ms (mean normal values 415 ms) and an increase of PEPI from 100 +/- 26 ms to 136 +/- 25 ms (normal 132 ms) as of PEP/LVET from 0.21 +/- 0.09 to 0.41 +/- 0.12 (normal 0.31). Pre- as well as postop. there is no difference in STI between AS and AI. Also the groups with the three prosthetic valve types do not differ significantly. LVETI and PEPI correlate only postop. with CI and SVI, but PEP/LVET correlates well with EF (r = -0.73) before and after operation. The comparison of STI with the hemodynamic data suggest that preop. values of STI near normal and postop. LVETI below, PEPI and PEP/LVET above the mean values of the whole group with aortic valve replacement indicate left ventricular pump dysfunction. The STI are helpful in the pre-/postop. follow-op of patients with severe aortic valve disease to characterize the clinical and hemodynamic course.

Aortic Valve↗
PubMed1979

[Echocardiographic determination of the severity of mitral stenosis by the mitral valve closure index (author's transl)].

In 34 patients with mitral stenosis or combined mitral valve disease class II, III or IV (NYHA), the mitral valve closure index (MVCI, Shiu et al. 1977), based on the rate of diastolic apposition of the anterior and posterior mitral leaflet echos, and the diastolic closure rate (EF-slope) were determined and compared with hemodynamic data such as mean left atrial pressure (PLA), mean diastolic pressure gradient across the stenotic valve (DP) and mitral valve orifice area (Q), calculated by the Gorlin formula. MVCI and EF-slope correlated more favorably with DP (MVCIr = -0.71, EF-sloper = -0.53) than with Q and PLA. The results were not different in patients with sinus rhythm or atrial fibrillation. Using MVCI or EF-slope thie discrimination between severe and moderate or between moderate and light mitral stenosis was uncertain. Nevertheless, MVCI below 30 was associated with light, above 50 with severe mitral stenosis. In spite of the relationship between MVCI or EF-slope and the severity of mitral stenosis, in the individual case an exact quantification of mitral stenosis is not possible due to the great variability of echocardiographic data. For the assessment of the severity of mitral stenosis the mitral valve closure index is not superior to the EF-slope.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Hemodynamic studies after De Vega's tricuspid annuloplasty.

Postoperative hemodynamic studies were conducted at rest and during exercise in 24 patients who, in addition to mitral and/or aortic valve surgery, had De Vega's tricuspid annuloplasty. To determine the degree of tricuspid insufficiency (TI), right atrial pressure (PRA) tracings, biplane right ventricular cineangiograms, and ultrasonic Doppler flow patterns were obtained. The TI improved in 14 patients, but still remained mild to moderate in 20 patients. In addition, a mild-to-moderate tricuspid stenosis with pressure gradients from 2 to 7.8 mm Hg were found in 12 patients. There was no significant change in the mean PRA, with 8.0 +/- 4.5 mm Hg preoperatively and 7.5 +/- 3.5 mm Hg postoperatively at rest. During exercise, PRA rose to 17.0 +/- 6.5 mm Hg. The unsatisfactory results are also due to the persistent elevation of left atrial and pulmonary artery pressure after left heart surgery. De Vega's annuloplasty does not answer the tricuspid challenge, since the results are unpredictable.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

[Hemodynamic results after tricuspid valvuloplasty (author's transl)].

Postoperative hemodynamic studies were conducted at rest and during exercise in 24 patients who, in addition to mitral and/or aortic valve surgery, had De Vega's tricuspid anuloplasty. To determine the degree of tricuspid insufficiency (TI), right atrial pressure (PRA) tracings, biplane right ventricular cineangiograms, and ultrasonic Doppler flow patterns were obtained. 20 patients had postoperative by a mild to moderate TI, but after operation the TI had improved by one or more degrees in 14 cases. In addition, a mild to moderate tricuspid stenosis with pressure gradients from 2.0 to 7.8 mm Hg were found in 12 patients. There was no significant change in mean right atrial pressure (PRA) with 8.0 +/- 4.5 mm Hg preoperatively and 7.5 +/- 3.5 mmHg postoperatively at rest. During exercise PRA rose to 17.0 +/- 6.5 mmHg. This pressure increase is in part due to the persistent elevation of left atrial and pulmonary artery pressure, in part to the TI and the tricuspid stenosis. De Vega's anuloplasty does not answer the tricuspid challenge, since the results are unpredictable.

Adolescent↗