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Biomedical subjects

U Squarcia

Publications and source records attributed to U Squarcia.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

MRI evaluation of myocardial viability.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an accurate noninvasive imaging procedure for the study of postischaemic residual cardiac function, thanks to the evolution of MRI machines, postprocessing software and, above all, sequences. After infarction, and in chronic myocardial ischaemia, the degree of contractile dysfunction is one of the main determinants of longterm survival. The identification and quantification of viable dysfunctional myocardium and the possibility of improving its contractility after revascularisation improves patient prognosis and quality of life. In current clinical practice, myocardial viability is evaluated with stress echocardiography and nuclear methods. Thanks to its intrinsic characteristics and to the delayed-enhancement technique (DE-MRI), MRI has recently emerged as the only noninvasive modality able to provide a three-dimensional (3D) evaluation of cardiac viability with a multiparametric approach.

Humans↗
PubMed2006

Cryptogenic stroke in children: possible role of patent foramen ovale.

Stroke is a rare disorder in childhood. The majority of these cases is of an ischemic nature. In spite of the long list of known causes, many strokes remain undetermined, so-called cryptogenic strokes. Increasing evidence indicates that, in the young adults, many cases of cryptogenic stroke are presumably due to paradoxical embolism. In childhood, this is usually not considered, unless in the context of a complex cyanotic heart disease. We present two cases, a 6-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl who had an episode of cerebral ischemia documented by MRI, and in whom the only anomaly found was a patent foramen ovale (PFO) with intermittent left to right shunt at rest, but with a large right to left shunt during the Valsalva maneuvre. We assumed that, in our cases, in the absence of identifiable causes, the cerebral ischemia was most likely due to paradoxical embolism through the PFO. Of course, as in the adult, the paradoxical embolism could not be proved, but in our opinion it remains the most concrete possibility. Therefore, in presence of a cryptogenic stroke, a PFO should be investigated also in children.

Child↗
PubMed2004

Long-term outcome after senning operation for transposition of the great arteries.

BACKGROUND: The Senning operation for transposition of the great arteries (TGA) was first introduced by Senning in 1959 and was revived by Quaegebeur et al. in the late 1970s, thus becoming the intervention of choice for the correction of TGA in many centers. HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term follow-up of a group of patients undergoing surgery with the Senning procedure for TGA. METHODS: From November 1978 to November 1987, 73 consecutive patients underwent the Senning operation. The 70 survivors had an average follow-up of 19 years (16-25 years). RESULTS: (1) Cardiac rhythm: with time there was a progressive decrease in stable sinus rhythm (60% after 20 years) and a progressive increase of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias requiring therapy (10% after 20 years). (2) Right ventricular function: 20% of the patients had reduced ejection fraction. (3) Late mortality: in the last 12 years of follow-up years there were two sudden deaths (2.8%). (4) Functional status: 80% of patients were in NYHA class I, 17% in class II, and 3% in class III. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm that the patients who undergo the Senning procedure have a progressive loss of sinus rhythm, an increase in active arrhythmias, and other important adverse outcomes such as late sudden death and a decrease in right ventricular function; however, most patients (93% in our series) are alive and in good functional status.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Device closure of fenestrated atrial septal defects: use of a single Amplatz atrial septal occluder after balloon atrial septostomy to create a single defect.

Successful transcatheter device closure of secundum atrial septal defect has achieved worldwide acceptance with the clinical use of the Amplatz atrial septal occluder. However, device closure of multiple fenestrated secundum atrial septal defects remains a challenge for the interventionist and in some cases may be only effectively closed surgically. This case report of multiple fenestrated atrial septal defects represents a further expansion of technologic efforts to improve the results and simplify the mechanism of device closure of fenestrated defects. When device closure with more than one device seems impractical or disadvantageous, consolidation of multiple defects in a fenestrated fossa ovalis by simple balloon atrial septostomy as demonstrated by this case report provides an easy mechanism to allow implantation of a single large device which will effectively close all of the defects. This approach is similar to the surgical approach for resection of the fenestrated membrane with secondary patch closure of the enlarged defect. Excellent and complete closure of a fenestrated secundum atrial septal defect is illustrated in this case report.

Balloon Occlusion↗
PubMed2000

[New methods of percutaneous closure of patent ductus arteriosus].

Various devices have been developed for the percutaneous closure of persistent patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). In recent years Gianturco coils have become increasingly widespread for this purpose. Poor control during positioning is a major disadvantage of Gianturco coils, with resultant embolization of coils and residual shunts. Very recently a new screwing detachable coil is available (Cook Cardiology, Europe). Between January 1996 and January 2000, 34 consecutive patients with PDA underwent cardiac catheterization. Thirty cases were judged suitable for this procedure, on the base of diameter and morphology of the ductus. Three cases were excluded because of the ductal diameter was too large (> 4.2 mm) and one because of its morphology (type B). In 28 patients a single coil was positioned, while in one case 2 coils were simultaneously used. In 29 cases (97%) complete closure was obtained (in 18 cases immediately, in 6 after 24 hours, in 5 after 1 month). One case showed a residual shunt and a second coil was applied eighteen months later with complete closure. So, considering also this last case, the closure was achieved in 100%. There were neither embolization or other complications. In conclusion, screwing detachable coil for PDA closure is a safe, very effective and at low cost technique. Therefore nowadays this procedure represents the method of choice for occlusion of small PDA (minimal diameter < or = 4 mm).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

[Symptomatic vascular rings in infancy. Surgical treatment in 19 patients (author's transl)].

The Authors report their experience in the surgical treatment of 19 patients under two years of age (75% under six months), with severe symptoms for the presence of a complete or incomplete vascular ring. Twelve patients had double aortic arch, two had a right aortic arch with a left ligamentum arteriosum, four a symptomatic retroesophageal right subclavian artery and one an abnormally placed innominate artery. Symptoms, methods of diagnosis, indications to the surgical treatment, surgical techniques and late results are considered. The Authors remark that even if correction of these rare congenital malformations may be simple and with a low operative mortality, many problems exist in the early diagnosis and in the post-operative treatment of these patients.

Aorta, Thoracic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Congenital pulmonary steal phenomenon associated with tetralogy of Fallot, right aortic arch, and isolation of the left subclavian artery.

Isolation of the left subclavian artery has been reported in cases of tetralogy of Fallot with a right aortic arch. As the isolated left subclavian artery is supplied by the left vertebral artery (in which the blood flow direction is inverted), this anomaly is usually responsible for a congenital subclavian steal phenomenon. In our case the isolated left subclavian artery was connected by a patent ductus arteriosus to the main pulmonary artery. Therefore the left vertebral artery did not supply the distal left subclavian artery but supplied the main pulmonary artery (congenital pulmonary artery steal).

Aorta, Thoracic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Transcatheter closing of patent ductus arteriosus using detachable coils].

Various devices have been developed for the percutaneous closure of persistent patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). In recent years Gianturco coils have become increasingly widespread for this purpose. Poor control during positioning is a major disadvantage of Gianturco coils, with resultant embolization of coils and residual shunts. Modifications to improve the positioning of coils have been developed. Very recently a new screwing detachable coil is available (Cook Cardiology, Europe). Between January 1996 and March 1999, 24 consecutive patients with PDA underwent cardiac catheterization. Twenty cases were judged suitable for this procedure, on the base of diameter and morphology of the ductus. Three cases were excluded because of the ductal diameter was too large (> 4.2 mm) and one because of its morphology (type B). In 19 patients a single coil was positioned, while in 1 case 2 coils were simultaneously used. In 19 cases (95%) complete closure was obtained (in 15 cases immediately, in 2 after 24 hours, in 2 after 1 month). One case showed a residual shunt and a second coil was applied eighteen months later with complete closure. So, considering also this last case, the closure was achieved in 100%. There were neither embolization or other complications. In conclusion, screwing detachable coil for PDA closure is a safe, very effective and at low cost technique. Therefore nowadays this procedure represents the method of choice for occlusion of small PDA (minimal diameter < or = 4 mm).

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Exercise test in detecting anomalous behaviour of blood pressure in patients successfully operated on for coarctation of the aorta.

Twenty-eight patients operated with success for isolated coarctation of the aorta (i.e. with normal blood pressure and upper/lower limb gradient < or = 20 mmHg at rest) underwent exercise testing to evaluate blood pressure and upper/lower limb pressure gradient during exercise. At maximum effort: 57% (16/28) of the patients were hypertensive and 43% (12/28) of patients increased upper/lower limb gradient over 35 mmHg. No significant correlation was found between the age at surgery (before or after 3 years of age) and maximal systolic blood pressure on exercise and maximal pressure gradient on exercise. The 12 patients with an exercise pressure gradient > 35 mmHg underwent digital angiography or magnetic resonance of the aorta. In 7 cases a mild residual narrowing was found (5 with mild transverse aortic arch hypoplasia, 2 with a mild residual coarctation). In 5 cases no residual narrowing was present. Many factors are thought to be involved in the anomalous behaviour of blood pressure during effort: in some cases anatomic factors, as residual narrowings of the aorta, in other cases functional factors, as increased forearm vascular reactivity, altered baroceptor function, different reactivity and structure of the pre- and post-stenotic aorta, etc., in other cases finally, both factors, anatomic and functional. We conclude that the exercise testing provides the best information on blood pressure modifications during activity and it allows to us to identify those patients which, because of exercise-induced hypertension, remain at risk of premature cardiovascular disease, also after a successful operation. However, when hypertension is found during effort, a strenous physical activity should be avoided and antihypertensive treatment may be required. So the cardiovascular risk due to hypertension can be reduced in the long term follow-up. Corrective surgery for coarctation of the aorta, introduced in 1944, has completely modified the natural history of the disease. Nowadays the operative risk is very low for isolated coarctation and the great majority of the patients is asymptomatic after surgical repair. Nevertheless, their life expectancy is substantially shortened, if compared with the survival curve of a normal population. The vascular and cardiovascular accidents, usually related to residual systemic hypertension, are the most common cause of this. Some studies in the literature have shown that many patients with normal blood pressure and no or little residual upper/lower limb pressure gradient at rest, may develop an anomalous blood pressure response e and/or a high upper/lower limb pressure gradient during exercise. We have studied by exercise test a group of patients successfully operated on for isolated coarctation of the aorta to evaluate the behaviour of the systolic blood pressure and the upper/lower limb pressure gradient during exercise. The aim was to recognize the patients who, inspite of very good operative result, remain at cardiovascular risk in the long-term follow-up.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Cardiac arrhythmias in childhood].

The knowledge of various dysrhythmias and their prognostic value permits the selection of appropriate diagnostic and management strategies. The most frequent pediatric dysrhythmias are described: premature atrial and ventricular contractions, supraventricular tachycardias, preexcitation syndrome, long Q-T syndrome, sick sinus syndrome, A-V blocks congenital and acquired. These arrhythmias may be related to structural abnormalities of the conduction system or may reflect temporary cardiac immaturity, as in the newborn, or may occur after surgical repair of a congenital cardiac lesion. It is important decide if the arrhythmias is benign and likely to resolve spontaneously or if it is potentially dangerous. Sometimes an arrhythmias indicates underlying extracardiac disease such as central nervous system disease, sepsis, hypoglycemia, drug toxicity, severe tissue hypoxia, electrolyte abnormalities. In these instances the treatment of the underlying cause will correct the rhythm abnormalities.

Age Factors↗