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Biomedical subjects

R Prêtre

Publications and source records attributed to R Prêtre.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Surgical management of hemorrhage from rupture of the aortic arch.

BACKGROUND: Control of hemorrhage in patients with active bleeding from rupture of the aortic arch is difficult, because of the location of the bleeding and the impossibility of cross-clamping the aorta without interfering with cerebral perfusion. A precise and swift plan of management helped us salvage some patients and prompted us to review our experience. METHODS: Six patients with active bleeding of the aortic arch in the mediastinum and pericardial cavity (5 patients) or left pleural cavity (1 patient), treated between 1992 and 1996, were reviewed. Bleeding was reduced by keeping the mediastinum under local tension (3 patients) or by applying compression on the bleeding site (2 patients), or both (1 patient) while circulatory support, retransfusion of aspirated blood, and hypothermia were established. The diseased aortic arch was replaced during deep hypothermic circulatory arrest, which ranged from 25 to 40 minutes. In 3 patients, the brain was further protected by retrograde (2 patients) or antegrade (1 patient) cerebral perfusion. RESULTS: Hemorrhage from the aortic arch was controlled in all patients. Two patients died postoperatively, one of respiratory failure and the other of abdominal sepsis. Recovery of neurologic function was assessed and complete in all patients. The 4 survivors are well 8 to 49 months after operation. CONCLUSIONS: An approach relying on local tamponade to reduce bleeding, rapid establishment of circulatory support and hypothermia, retransfusion of aspirated blood, and swift repair of the aortic arch under circulatory arrest allows salvage of patients with active bleeding from an aortic arch rupture.

Aged

Performance of a safe proximal anastomosis in aortic dissection.

Because of the increased fragility of a freshly dissected aorta, the anastomosis between the aortic root and a tubular prosthesis is not forgiving of technical imperfections and may lead to troublesome bleeding. Providing an appropriate everting surface of contact and a homogeneous distribution of tension between the graft and aorta, as described here, should help obtain a hemostatic suture line.

Anastomosis, Surgical

Endothelial cell injury in cardiac surgery: salicylate may be protective by reducing expression of endothelial adhesion molecules.

OBJECTIVE: Cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass induces ischemia to the heart, hypoxemia to various tissues and release of endotoxins. The endothelial cell may suffer from hypoxia and trigger cascades of adverse reactions by activation of neutrophils through adhesion molecules. The authors measured expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), during hypoxia and normoxia and hypothesized that salicylate, which inhibits the nuclear factor-kappaB (NFkappaB), an hypoxia-dependent transmission factor, could reduce this expression. METHODS: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were cultured and exposed to normoxia and hypoxia in the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The endothelial cells were thereafter treated with salicylate or indomethacin under the same conditions. The surface expression of ICAM-1 was measured by whole cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the NFkappaB expression by Western blotting. RESULTS: In the presence of LPS and under hypoxic conditions, the endothelial cells produced a 300 +/- 41% increased expression of ICAM-1 compared with normoxia. The addition of salicylate (0.02-20 mM) completely inhibited the enhanced expression of ICAM-1, the addition of indomethacin at equivalent concentrations did not reduce ICAM-1 expression under either condition. CONCLUSION: ICAM-1 expression is greatly enhanced by the hypoxic endothelial cell in the presence of circulating endotoxin. Pre-treatment with salicylate completely abolishes the enhanced expression. The study suggests that salicylate administered before cardiopulmonary bypass might protect the heart against ischemic/reperfusion injuries and reduce the load of the overall inflammatory reaction.

Blotting, Western

Aortic dissection.

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Aortic Dissection

Blunt injury to the supra-aortic arteries.

BACKGROUND: Blunt trauma causing injury to the vessels of the aortic arch is uncommon but may be attended by serious consequences. Most surgeons will experience only an occasional case and will need to rely on published literature for guidance. METHODS: A Medline search over 1986-1995 was carried out using the following keywords: brachiocephalic trunk, common carotid artery and subclavian artery; injury was used as a subheading. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: After the aortic isthmus, the innominate is the most commonly injured artery in the chest. Whatever the site of an arterial lesion, however, angiography is the diagnostic test of choice. Some vascular lesions are relatively benign and may be managed without operation; this form of management may also be appropriate if there is severe associated neurological injury. Otherwise, operation using an approach and technique suited to the site of the injury is advocated.

Aorta, Thoracic

Operative injury to the hepatic artery. Consequences of a biliary-enteric anastomosis and principles for rational management.

Although the interruption of the hepatic arterial flow usually is well tolerated, this is not always the case, and it is important to predict in which circumstances complications are likely to occur. The main determinants that should guide the surgeon confronted with this problem are (1) whether the portal circulation is normal, (2) whether structures carrying collateral blood supply have been interrupted, and (3) whether some form of biliary reconstruction is needed. We present our experience with three patients in whom the hepatic artery was damaged at operation as examples of how this injury can be dealt with in practice and discuss the measures to prevent or treat the complications that developed.

Adult

Blunt injury to the ascending aorta: three patterns of presentation.

BACKGROUND: Injury to the ascending aorta is a rare lesion that may present in various forms. A thorough analysis of this lesion is lacking in the literature. This study was undertaken to delineate the prevalence and modes of presentation of injuries to the ascending aorta after blunt trauma and to suggest guidelines for management. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of autopsies performed in our department of forensic medicine on blunt trauma victims from 1984 to 1993 and a literature review of autopsy series were undertaken to delineate the prevalence and relevant characteristics of this injury. A cash report from our institution and a review of the literature were used to provide information regarding clinical presentations of this injury and treatment approaches. RESULTS: Three modes of presentation were encountered. (1) Presentation at autopsy: The prevalence of injury to the ascending aorta after a traffic accident was 2% in our autopsy series. Among 13 patients with this injury 12 had other associated, potentially lethal lesions. A massive hemopericardium was present in two patients only. In autopsy series the incidence of injury to the ascending aorta in patients with an injury to the aorta ranged from 0% to 23%. (2) CLINICAL PRESENTATION: Twenty-one patients were treated surgically and reported in the literature. Fourteen presented with a pseudoaneurysm and seven with a chronic sinus of Valsalva fistula. One patient with a pseudoaneurysm presented with signs of cardiac tamponade and required immediate decompression; the others were hemodynamically stable. Seven patients had a cardiac lesion (valve tear in six and cardiac contusion in one), and three had an arch vessel lesion. Aorta repair was performed under cardiopulmonary bypass in every patient. (3) Incidental presentation: Seven patients with a traumatic tear of the aortic valve presented an incidental lesion of the ascending aorta. It was a subadventitial hematoma in three patients and an intimal and medial tear in four patients. Aortic tears were reinforced by direct suture. CONCLUSIONS: Injury to the ascending aorta after blunt trauma is rare but lethal mostly from associated injuries. Survivors may appear in stable condition and present mostly with pseudoaneurysms of the ascending aorta or sinus of Valsalva fistula. Associated lesions to the heart and arch vessels should be looked for. Repair of the ascending aorta injury is performed under cardiopulmonary bypass.

Adolescent

Preoperative inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme improves systemic and renal haemodynamic changes during aortic abdominal surgery.

We studied 22 patients undergoing aortic surgery, allocated randomly to receive, before induction of anaesthesia, a single i.v. dose of enalapril 50 micrograms kg-1 or saline. During infrarenal aortic cross-clamping, we observed similar reductions in oxygen uptake in the two groups, despite greater systemic oxygen delivery in enalapril-treated patients; angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition prevented the reduction in cardiac output and attenuated the decrease in glomerular filtration. Changes in glomerular filtration secondary to aortic clamping were related positively to changes in renal plasma flow (r = 0.83 (saline group) and r = 0.65 (enalapril group)). Creatinine clearance on the first day after operation was significantly higher in the enalapril compared with the saline group. We conclude that enalapril pretreatment is effective in improving systemic oxygen delivery, renal plasma flow and glomerular filtration during aortic abdominal surgery.

Aged

Lower limb trauma with injury to the popliteal vessels.

A retrospective analysis of blunt trauma to the lower extremity with injury to the popliteal vessels was undertaken in an attempt to determine the major predictors of outcome and to expose the shortcomings of our management. Thirty-one patients with lower extremity trauma including a popliteal artery injury were admitted to our clinic between 1979 and 1993. Two patients died of hemorrhagic shock or from associated lesions. Amputation of the leg was performed primarily in one patient because of massive tissue damage and secondarily in five patients because of uncontrolled local infection (two patients), excessive tissue damage (two patients), and persistent ischemia (one patient who later died). A peripheral neurologic deficit resulted in 12 of 24 non-amputated extremities. Three additional patients suffered sequelae from bone and joint damage. In all, nine patients recovered completely from their limb injury. Severe ischemia of the leg was found to be an indicator of major limb damage and was a strong determinant of poor outcome. Of 18 patients with severe ischemia, two died (one after amputation), five were amputated, and eight were left with a peripheral neuropathy. Only two patients recovered completely. Of 13 patients with relative ischemia, five recovered completely and four sustained a peripheral neuropathy. The deleterious effects of delayed revascularization were evident in four patients who developed a peripheral neuropathy secondarily. Morbidity from the ischemic insult could have been reduced in seven patients: the diagnosis was missed in two, its seriousness not realized in one, and a non-optimal management led to an excessive ischemic time in four. The magnitude of skeletal and soft tissue injury, alone or in combination, was also strongly associated with an increased morbidity. Most patients with blunt lower limb trauma and popliteal vascular injury are left with serious sequelae from associated neuro-musculo-skeletal damage and from ischemia. Although the magnitude of the first variable is determined by initial trauma and cannot be altered, a constant awareness of possible arterial injury in lower limb trauma, and adherence to a plan of management according to the ischemic state of the leg, should help avoid the additional deleterious effects of prolonged ischemia.

Adolescent

Posterior deviation of the classical approach to the carotid artery to control hemorrhage from a carotido-cutaneous fistula.

Hemorrhage from a carotido-cutaneous fistula after tumor resection may be difficult to arrest, especially if occlusion of the carotid artery produces neurological symptoms. A posterior deviation of the classical incision allows an approach to the carotid artery while local digital compression controls external hemorrhage. The fistulous tract can then be resected and the carotid axis restored with a graft via this approach. Perfusion of the brain is maintained during repair by an indwelling shunt. The details of this approach are presented.

Anastomosis, Surgical

Correction of pectus excavatum combined with open heart surgery in a patient with Marfan's syndrome.

We report a patient with Marfan's syndrome and pectus excavatum who underwent open heart surgery with simultaneous correction of the sternal malformation. Permanent internal stabilization, achieved by bilateral overlapping of the bevelled ends of the lowest ribs and reinforced with sternal closure wires offered a maintained postoperative chest wall stability, avoided the potential postoperative complications of cardiac compression, and improved the aesthetic appearance of the anterior chest wall. The increased risk of bleeding due to extensive dissection was minimized by postponing the repair of pectus excavatum to when protamin is administered after termination of cardiopulmonary bypass.

Aortic Aneurysm

Traumatic occlusion of the left anterior descending artery and rupture of the aortic isthmus.

A patient with occlusion of the left anterior descending artery and rupture of the aortic isthmus following blunt trauma is reported. Treatment of both lesions through a median sternotomy using cardiopulmonary bypass was accomplished successfully. Special considerations regarding the surgical management of combined cardiac and aortic isthmus lesions in trauma patients are discussed.

Adult

Blunt carotid artery injury: devastating consequences of undetected pseudoaneurysm.

A case of delayed embolization of a traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the right common carotid artery, resulting in fatal cerebral infarction, is reported. This case emphasizes the importance to detect occult lesions to the carotid arteries after blunt neck injuries and to treat aggressively pseudoaneurysms located upstream to a cerebral vessel to prevent embolic complications.

Adult