Scintillation Characteristics of the Single-Crystalline Film and Composite Film-Crystal Scintillators Based on the Ce3+-Doped (Lu,Gd)3(Ga,Al)5O12 Mixed Garnets under Alpha and Beta Particles, and Gamma Ray Excitations.

The crystals of (Lu,Gd)3(Ga,Al)5O12 multicomponent garnets with high density ρ and effective atomic number Zeff are characterized by high scintillation efficiency and a light yield value up to 50,000 ph/MeV. During recent years, single-crystalline films and composite film/crystal scintillators were developed on the basis of these multicomponent garnets. These film/crystal composites are potentially applicable for particle identification by pulse shape discrimination due to the fact that α-particles excite only the film response, γ-radiation excites only the substrate response, and ß-particles excite both to some extent. Here, we present new results regarding scintillating properties of selected (Lu,Gd)3(Ga,Al)5O12:Ce single-crystalline films under excitation by alpha and beta particles and gamma ray photons. We conclude that some of studied compositions are indeed suitable for testing in the proposed application, most notably Lu1.5Gd1.5Al3Ga2O12:Ce film on the GAGG:Ce substrate, exhibiting an α-particle-excited light yield of 1790-2720 ph/MeV and significantly different decay curves excited by α- and γ-radiation.

Implantation of durable left ventricular assist device in patient with postmyocardial infarction ventricular septal defect.

Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a severe complication of myocardial infarction (MI) with a high mortality rate. We report a case of a large post-MI VSD treated with percutaneous venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) to restore hemodynamic stability and to avoid surgery in the acute setting. VSD closure with endoventricular patch and implantation of biventricular assist device (BiVAD) was arranged sixteen days after MI. Because of no signs of myocardial recovery, implantation of durable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) as a bridge to transplant was provided, leaving right ventricular assist device (RVAD) to right ventricle recovery. RVAD was explanted 18 days after durable LVAD placement and the patient was discharged home two months after MI. The use of durable LVAD is a unique solution that can be applied in selected patients with MI-VSD and heart failure.

Isovolumic loading of the failing heart by intraventricular placement of a spring expander attenuates cardiac atrophy after heterotopic heart transplantation.

Cardiac atrophy is the most common complication of prolonged application of the left ventricle (LV) assist device (LVAD) in patients with advanced heart failure (HF). Our aim was to evaluate the course of unloading-induced cardiac atrophy in rats with failing hearts, and to examine if increased isovolumic loading obtained by intraventricular implantation of an especially designed spring expander would attenuate this process. Heterotopic abdominal heart transplantation (HTx) was used as a rat model of heart unloading. HF was induced by volume overload achieved by creation of the aorto-caval fistula (ACF). The degree of cardiac atrophy was assessed as the weight ratio of the heterotopically transplanted heart (HW) to the control heart. Isovolumic loading was increased by intraventricular implantation of a stainless steel three-branch spring expander. The course of cardiac atrophy was evaluated on days 7, 14, 21, and 28 after HTx Seven days unloading by HTx in failing hearts sufficed to substantially decrease the HW (-59 ± 3%), the decrease progressed when measured on days 14, 21, and 28 after HTx Implantation of the spring expander significantly reduced the decreases in whole HW at all the time points (-39 ± 3 compared with -59 ± 3, -52 ± 2 compared with -69 ± 3, -51 ± 2 compared with -71 ± 2, and -44 ± 2 compared with -71 ± 3%, respectively; P<0.05 in each case). We conclude that the enhanced isovolumic heart loading obtained by implantation of the spring expander attenuates the development of unloading-induced cardiac atrophy in the failing rat heart.

Case report: atypical fungal obstruction of the left ventricular assist device outflow cannula.

We describe a very rare case of outflow cannula obstruction with fungal infectious thrombus formation. Discussion includes the etiology, diagnosis, and management of fungal infection complications related with long-term mechanical circulatory support. Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are increasingly used as bridge to transplant and permanent long-term therapy in the population with end-stage heart failure. Even though better clinical outcomes have been achieved with the newer-generation continuous-flow devices, infection complications are still a major risk for patients with continuous-flow LVAD implantation in long-term follow-up [Ann Thorac Surg 90:1270-1277, 2010]. Device-related infections can be categorized as driveline infections, pump-pocket infections, and LVAD-associated endocarditis [Expert Rev Med Devices 8: 627-634, 2011]. The microbiological profile is very heterogeneous; the most common pathogens are Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, Streptococcus species, and Candida. Severe fungal infection may lead to dysfunction of the LVAD due to obstructive mass formation within the device. Due to the only anecdotal reports in the current literature, we present a very rare case of outflow fungal infectious thrombus formation leading to outflow cannula obstruction in patient with LVAD.