Experience acquired after 34 years of the first heart transplantation in Mexico.

On July 21, 1988, a successful heart transplant was carried out for the first time in Mexico; 34 years later, several hospitals in the country have performed this procedure. We present information and comments on the results obtained within this period at Mexican Social Security Institute La Raza National Medical Center "Dr. Gaudencio González Garza" General Hospital, where 234 transplants have been performed (one out of every three carried out throughout the country), with a short- and mid-term survival comparable to that reported in the rest of the world. This hospital is the only center that performs simultaneous heart-kidney transplantation and elective heart re-transplantation, with favorable results.

El 21 de julio de 1988, en México se realizó con éxito el primer trasplante de corazón; 34 años después, diversos centros hospitalarios del país efectúan este procedimiento. Aquí se presenta información y comentarios de los resultados obtenidos en este periodo en el Hospital General "Dr. Gaudencio González Garza", Centro Médico Nacional La Raza, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, donde se han llevado a cabo 234 trasplantes (uno de cada tres efectuados en el país), con una supervivencia a corto y mediano plazo equiparable a la reportada en el resto del mundo. Ese hospital es el único centro que realiza trasplante simultá de corazón-riñón y retrasplante cardiaco electivo, con resultados favorables.

Dispositivos de asistencia ventricular como tratamiento de destino. A propósito de un caso.

The treatment of refractory terminal heart failure has been heart transplantation. However, there are limitations with regard to clinical conditions of the recipient and availability of donors, and ventricular support has therefore been alternatively used as destination therapy. We describe the case is of a female patient with ischemic cardiomyopathy-associated heart failure who had a left ventricular assist device successfully implanted and at eight months of the procedure was at functional class I, with no complications.

El tratamiento de la falla cardiaca terminal avanzada ha sido el trasplante de corazón, sin embargo, hay limitantes en cuanto a las características del receptor y disponibilidad de donadores, por lo que se ha utilizado alternativamente el soporte ventricular como tratamiento de destino. Se describe a una paciente con falla cardiaca terminal por cardiomiopatía isquémica en quien se implantó exitosamente un sistema de soporte ventricular izquierdo y a ocho meses del procedimiento se encontraba en clase funcional I, sin complicaciones.

[Retrasplante cardiaco electivo. Primer caso en México].

Orthotopic cardiac retransplantation is used to treat transplanted cardiac graft end-stage failure. We present the first case of successful elective cardiac retransplantation in Mexico. It was a 25-year old male with heart transplantation who developed graft-resistant chronic vasculopathy. He underwent elective retransplantation in September 2017; complications during postoperative evolution were treated with favorable response. He was discharged owing to improvement at four weeks postoperatively. It is concluded that in adequately selected cases and comprehensively assessed, cardiac retransplantation is an appropriate option to treat cardiac graft failure.

El retrasplante cardiaco ortotópico se utiliza para tratar la falla cardiaca terminal del injerto cardiaco trasplantado. Presentamos el primer caso exitoso de retrasplante cardiaco electivo en México. Se trató de un varón de 25 años con trasplante de corazón, quien presentó vasculopatía crónica resistente del injerto. Fue retrasplantado electivamente en septiembre de 2017; las complicaciones durante la evolución posoperatoria fueron tratadas con respuesta favorable. Egresó por mejoría a las cuatro semanas del posoperatorio. Se concluye que en los casos apropiadamente seleccionados y valorados integralmente, el retrasplante cardiaco es una opción adecuada para el manejo de la falla cardiaca del injerto.

[Combined heart-kidney transplantation in Mexic]. / Trasplante combinado de corazón-riñón en México.

BACKGROUND: In our country, heart and kidney transplantation is a novel option for treatment of combined terminal heart and kidney failure. This program began in 2012 for selected patients with documented terminal heart failure and structural kidney damage with renal failure. Description of cases: Between January 1, 2012 and April 30, 2016, we made 92 orthotopic heart transplantations. In five of these cases the heart transplantation was combined with kidney transplantation. RESULTS: There were three male and two female patients with a mean age 25.6 ± 5.2 years (range, 17-29). The patients improved their renal function and the heart transplantation was successful with an improved quality of life. One patient died from abdominal sepsis. The other patients are doing well. CONCLUSION: The combined heart-kidney transplantation is a safe and efficient procedure for patients with structural kidney and heart damage as a cause of terminal failure.

[Mucha-Habermann disease and orthotopic heart transplant. Case report]. / Enfermedad de Mucha-Habermann y trasplante ortotópico de corazón. Informe de un caso clínico.

BACKGROUND: Mucha-Habermann disease is a cutaneous clinical manifestation of unknown etiology that frequently appears in young patients. The aim was to present Mucha-Habermann disease that occurred in an old man who had a heart transplant. CLINICAL CASE: a 62 year-old male, heart transplant recipient, who four years after that transplantation procedure presented with papular lesions in neck, thoracic members of which extended to all body surfaces and that evolved vesicles and pustular lesions. A skin biopsy was performed and Mucha-Habermann disease was diagnosed. The patient was treated with steroids and antimicrobial therapy with favorable response. After two years there are no skin lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Mucha-Habermann disease is a low frequency disease and it requires skin biopsy to confirm diagnose. This is an uncommon case due to the age and kind of patient.

Introducción: la enfermedad de Mucha-Habermann es la afección cutánea de etiología desconocida más frecuente en los pacientes jóvenes. Se caracteriza por la erupción aguda de lesiones papulares que evolucionan a vesículas, pústulas y cicatrices deprimidas hiperpigmentadas de aspecto varioliforme. Su curso habitual es subagudo o crónico. El objetivo es describir la enfermedad de Mucha-Habermann en un hombre con trasplante ortotópico de corazón. Caso clínico: hombre de 62 años de edad que cuatro años después de recibir trasplante de corazón presentó lesiones papulares diseminadas en cuello y miembros torácicos, las cuales se extendieron al resto del cuerpo y evolucionaron a vesículas y pústulas. Se obtuvo biopsia de piel y se conformó el diagnóstico de enfermedad de Mucha-Habermann. El paciente recibió tratamiento con esteroide y antimicrobiano, al que respondió favorablemente. Al momento de este informe, las lesiones habían desaparecido. Conclusiones: la enfermedad de Mucha-Habermann es poco frecuente y requiere confirmación mediante biopsia de piel para tratarla adecuadamente. El caso que se describe es poco común por el tipo de paciente y la edad en que se manifestó la enfermedad.

[Gated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and radionuclide ventriculography for evaluate the left ventricle ejection fraction in heart transplant recipients. Comparative study]. / Comparación de la ventriculografía isotópica de equilibrio y la tomografía computarizada con emisión de fotones individuales (SPECT) sincronizado para evaluar la fracción de expulsión del ventrículo izquierdo en pacientes trasplantados de corazón.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate which is the best method to determine the left ventricular ejection fraction in heart transplant recipients: radionuclide ventriculography or gated SPECT, compared with echocardiography as the gold standard method. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective, transversal, observational, and open study including all orthotopic heart transplant recipients between January 1, 1993 and December 31, 2010 was realized after signed Informed Consent, and we performed echocardiography, radionuclide ventriculography and gated SPECT in 14 patients. Normal value for left ventricle ejection fraction was considered 50% in all the methods. RESULTS: Fourteen heart transplant recipients were considered for the study. Two patients were excluded because of arrhythmic heartbeat at the time of gated SPECT acquisition and two by being newly transplanted. The mean left ventricle ejection fraction was: echocardiography: 69.9%;gated SPECT: 60%; radionuclide ventriculography: 61.1%. The sensitivity of gated SPECT was 75% and 100% for radionuclide ventriculography. Specificity could not be obtained because our population was very small and there were no false negatives. (All the echocardiography results were over 50%). CONCLUSION: It was concluded that despite our small population, the gated SPECT was a useful tool in the evaluation of heart transplant patients due to its functional and prognostic information, besides offering myocardial perfusion imaging.

[Heart transplant program at the UMAE, General Hospital Dr. Gaudencio González Garza, of the La Raza National Medical Center]. / Programa de trasplante cardiaco de la unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Hospital General Dr. Gaudencio González Garza, del Centro Médico Nacional la Raza.

BACKGROUND: The heart transplantation has modified the life expectancy of patients with terminal heart failure. OBJECTIVE: To present our experience in heart transplantation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was realized for heart transplant recipients between July 21, 1988 and May 30, 2011. We evaluated the procedure for evaluation and selection of heart donors and heart transplant recipients. Also we reviewed etiology of cardiomiopathy, age and gender of patients, surgical procedure, and postoperative evolution, immediate and long-term survival. RESULTS: Of all 233 heart transplants performed in Mexico, 64 were done in our hospital. Seven cases were excluded due to incomplete information. We present 57 heart transplantation performed in 56 patients (one retransplantation): 27 cases with dilated cardiomiopathy (47.35%), 23 with ischemic cardiomiopathy (40.35%), four patients with terminal heart valve disease (7.0%), two with restrictive cardiomiopathy (3.5%) and one retransplantation (1.8%). Forty-six male patients (82.1%), and 10 female cases (17.9%). The mean age was 40.9 +/- 15.6 years-old (8-66 years-old). In 22 years the immediate mortality was 30.3% and the main cause was primary graft failure. The longest survival has been 10 years. All survival recipients are in functional class I. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that heart transplantation is a feasible surgical option in our country for terminal heart disease.

La experiencia adquirida a 34 años del primer trasplante de corazón en México / Experience acquired after 34 years of the first heart transplantation in Mexico

Resumen El 21 de julio de 1988, en México se realizó con éxito el primer trasplante de corazón; 34 años después, diversos centros hospitalarios del país efectúan este procedimiento. Aquí se presenta información y comentarios de los resultados obtenidos en este periodo en el Hospital General "Dr. Gaudencio González Garza", Centro Médico Nacional La Raza, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, donde se han llevado a cabo 234 trasplantes (uno de cada tres efectuados en el país), con una supervivencia a corto y mediano plazo equiparable a la reportada en el resto del mundo. Ese hospital es el único centro que realiza trasplante simultáneo de corazón-riñón y retrasplante cardiaco electivo, con resultados favorables.

Abstract On July 21, 1988, a successful heart transplant was carried out for the first time in Mexico; 34 years later, several hospitals in the country have performed this procedure. We present information and comments on the results obtained within this period at Mexican Social Security Institute La Raza National Medical Center "Dr. Gaudencio González Garza" General Hospital, where 234 transplants have been performed (one out of every three carried out throughout the country), with a short- and mid-term survival comparable to that reported in the rest of the world. This hospital is the only center that performs simultaneous heart-kidney transplantation and elective heart re-transplantation, with favorable results.

STEMI and NSTEMI: Real-world Study in Mexico (RENASCA).

INTRODUCTION: Mexico is the country with the highest mortality due to acute myocardial infarction in adults older than 45 years old according to the OECD (28 vs. 7.5% of the average). The first real-world study, RENASCA IMSS, showed a high-risk population at 65%, but 50% without reperfusion strategies. The aim was to describe the clinical presentation, treatment, and outcomes of acute coronary syndromes at the IMSS. METHODS: RENASCA IMSS is a nation-wide, prospective, longitudinal-cohort study. We include consecutive patients with an Acute Coronary Syndrome diagnosis (ACC/AHA/ESC) admitted in 177 representative hospitals of the IMSS (166 of second level and 11 of third level of attention). In an electronic database clinical, paraclinical, times, reperfusion treatment, complications, and other variables were assessed. Confidentiality was maintained in data and informed consent was obtained. Registrer calibration was performed with more than 80% of the variables and 80% of the cases. RESULTS: From March 1, 2014 to December 25, 2017; 21,827 patients were enrolled presenting an average age 63.2 ± 11.7, 75% men (16,259) and 25% women (5,568). The most frequent risk factors were: hypertension (60.5%), smoking (46.8%), diabetes (45.5%), dyslipidemia (35.3%) and metabolic syndrome (39.1%). STEMI diagnosis was established in 73.2% of the patients and NSTEMI in 26.8%. The STEMI group within the Code Infarction showed an improvement in the reperfusion therapy (34.9% before vs. 71.4% after, p ≤0.0001) and reduction of mortality (21.1 vs. 9.4%, p ≤0.0001); while the NSTEMI group showed high risk set by a GRACE score of 131.5 ± 43.7 vs. 135.9 + 41.7, p ≤0.0001. Mortality was more frequent within the STEMI group (14.9 vs. 7.6%, p ≤0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: RENASCA IMSS study represents the largest Acute Coronary Syndromes real-world study in Mexico, demonstrating that the Mexican population has a high risk. Patients with a STEMI diagnosis were more frequently enrolled and were associated with higher mortality and complications; however, there is improvement in the reperfusion therapy and in mortality with the Code Infarction strategy.

[Heart transplantation for the treatment of isolated left ventricular myocardial noncompaction. First case in Mexico]. / Trasplante cardiaco: una opción para tratamiento del miocardio no compactado aislado de ventrículo izquierdo. Primer caso en México.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial noncompaction of the left ventricle is a congenital cardiomyopathy characterised by left ventricular hypertrabeculation and prominent intertrabecular recesses. The incidence ranges from 0.15% to 2.2%. Clinical manifestations include heart failure, arrhythmias, and stroke. Prognosis is fatal in most cases. Heart transplantation is a therapeutic option for this cardiomyopathy, and few had been made worldwide. CLINICAL CASE: The case is presented of a 20 year-old male with noncompacted myocardium of the left ventricle, who had clinical signs of heart failure. His functional class was IV on the New York Heart Association scale. He was successfully transplanted. Its survival to 15 months is optimal in class I New York Heart Association, and endomyocardial biopsies have been reported without evidence of acute rejection. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that heart transplantation modified the natural history and improved survival in patients with this congenital heart disease.

[Transcatheter aortic valve implantation for aortic stenosis. Initial experience]. / Tratamiento de la estenosis valvular aórtica con implante de prótesis valvular transcatéter. Experiencia inicial.

BACKGROUND: Aortic stenosis is a frequent disease in the elderly, and is associated with other systemic pathologies that may contraindicate the surgical procedure. Another option for these patients is percutaneous aortic valve implantation, which is less invasive. We present our initial experience with this procedure. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with aortic stenosis were included once selection criteria were accomplished. Under general anaesthesia and echocardiographic and fluosocopic control, a transcatheter aortic valve was implanted following s valvuloplasty. Once concluded the procedure, angiographic and pressure control was realized in order to confirm the valve function. RESULTS: Between November 2014 and May 2015, 6 patients were treated (4 males and 2 females), with a mean age of 78.83±5.66 years-old. The preoperative transvalvular gradient was 90.16±28.53mmHg and posterior to valve implant was 3.33±2.92mmHg (P<.05). Two patients had concomitant coronary artery disease which had been treated previously. One patient presented with acute right coronary artery occlusion which was immediately treated. However due to previous renal failure, postoperative sepsis and respiratory failure, the patient died one month later. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that our preliminary results showed that in selected patients percutaneous aortic valve implantation is a safe procedure with clinical improvement for treated patients.

Cellular autotransplantation for ischemic and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Preliminary report.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure is highly prevalent among patients >65 years old. The incidence increases starting at approximately 45 years of age. Recent therapeutic advances have included stem cell transplantation in the affected areas of the myocardium in order to improve perfusion and myocardial performance. METHODS: Between July 13, 2004 and August 31, 2005, 39 procedures were undertaken in 34 male and 5 female patients, with a mean age of 53.6 +/- 9.08 years (range: 35-71 years old), suffering from terminal heart failure and without any other therapeutic alternative. Thirty four cases presented ischemic cardiomyopathy and five presented idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. All patients were treated with autologous stem cell transplantation obtained from the peripheral blood supply through hemophoresis and implanted by means of a left anterior thoracotomy via intramyocardial injection. Functional class, ejection fraction and myocardial perfusion were analyzed preoperatively and postoperatively. RESULTS: Seven patients presented ventricular fibrillation during the procedure, requiring defibrillation. Two patients died due to intractable arrhythmias during the perioperative period; the remaining patients are currently participating in a rehabilitation program with a favorable evolution. A mid-term follow-up has been completed in 27 patients. Preoperatively, the functional class for 26 of these patients was III. Postoperatively, functional classes are II in 5 cases and I in 15 patients at the mid-term evaluation with ejection fraction improvements of 37.7 +/- 14.2 to 42.15 +/- 5.9. CONCLUSIONS: Cell therapy is a safe and useful procedure in selected patients with ischemic and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

[Risk factors for mediastinitis and sternal dehiscence after cardiac surgery]. / Factores de riesgo para mediastinitis y dehiscencia esternal después de cirugía cardíaca.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of our study was to identify risk factors for the development of post-sternotomy mediastinitis and sternal dehiscence without infection. PATIENTS AND METHOD: The records of all patients who presented with sternal abnormalities between January 1, 1997 and December 31, 2003 were reviewed retrospectively, and potential risk factors were examined. Patients were divided into three groups: group A had mediastinitis; group B had sternal dehiscence; and group C served as a control group. Multivariate analysis was carried out and the three groups were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: The incidence of mediastinitis was 0.34% and that of sternal dehiscence without mediastinitis was 0.55%. The main risk factors for mediastinitis were postoperative pneumonia (P=.006), urinary tract infection (P=.02), and use of intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (P=.027). Risk factors for sternal dehiscence without infection were age >60 years (P=.01), postoperative pneumonia (P=.003), antiplatelet agent use (P=.006), and beta-blocker use (P=.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The incidences and risk factors for mediastinitis and sternal dehiscence were different in this series. Postoperative pneumonia was the only risk factor common to the two conditions.

[Coronary artery bypass graft surgery in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Analysis of results]. / Cirugía de revascularización miocárdica en pacientes con síndrome coronario agudo. Análisis de resultados.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this work was to determine the main risk factors that influence prognosis, results, morbidity and mortality rates and causes in patients with acute coronary syndrome requiring surgical myocardial revascularization. METHODS: This was a retrospective study including patients in our hospital with acute coronary syndrome requiring coronary artery bypass-graft surgery between January 2000 and December 2003. The following were identified and compared with international values: demographic factors, indications for surgery, intercurrent pathologies, results of the procedures, morbidity and mortality rates and causes. RESULTS: There were 73 males and 23 females with an age range of 46 to 88 years old. The main cause of surgery was unstable angina (42.7%). In two patients, surgery was indicated for percutaneous coronary angioplasty failure and in 28 patients due to mechanical complications of acute myocardial infarction. The procedure was urgent in 90.6%. The majority of patients were in Killip-Kimball or Forrester class I or II. Risk factors detected were left ventricular failure, mechanical complications, emergency surgery, diabetes and respiratory or renal failure. Perioperative mortality was 14.5% and morbidity was 41.6%, both compared with risk classification scales and were lower than expected according to Parsonet and Tuman evaluations. CONCLUSIONS: With a major number of risk factors and the high-risk associated with surgery, in our center surgical treatment for acute coronary syndromes showed favorable results.

[Routine hormonal therapy in the heart transplant donor]. / Terapia hormonal de rutina en el donador para trasplante cardiaco.

BACKGROUND: Successful heart transplantation depends largely on donor heart function. During brain death many hormonal changes occur. These events lead to the deterioration of the donor hearts. The 2002 Crystal Consensus advises the use of a triple hormonal scheme to rescue marginal cardiac organs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective, longitudinal study was conducted on potential donor hearts during the period 1 July 2011 to 31 May 2013. All donor hearts received a dual hormonal rescue scheme, with methylprednisolone 15mg/kg IV and 200mcg levothyroxine by the enteral route. There was at least a 4 hour wait prior to the harvesting. The preload and afterload was optimised. The variables measured were: left ventricular ejection fraction cardiac graft recipient; immediate and delayed mortality. RESULTS: A total of 30 orthotopic heart transplants were performed, 11 female and 19 male patients, with age range between 19 and 63 years-old (Mean: 44.3, SD 12.92 years). The donor hearts were 7 female and 23 male, with age range between 15 and 45 years-old (mean 22.5, SD 7.3 years). Immediate mortality was 3.3%, 3.3% intermediate, and delayed 3.3%, with total 30 day-mortality of 10%. Month survival was 90%. The immediate graft left ventricular ejection fraction was 45%, 60% intermediate, and 68% delayed. The causes of death were: 1 primary graft dysfunction, one massive pulmonary embolism, and one due to nosocomial pneumonia. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that the use of double rescue scheme hormonal therapy is useful for the recovery and preservation of the donor hearts. This scheme improves survival within the first 30 days after transplantation.

[Primary cardiac hemangioendothelioma: early diagnosis and surgical resection]. / Hemangioendotelioma cardiaco primario: diagnóstico y resección quirúrgica temprana.

BACKGROUND: The term hemangioendothelioma encompasses all tumors that derive from the endothelium of blood vessels. It has an uncertain prognosis, and it is always considered as a low-grade malignancy. CLINICAL CASE: Male, 23, who was admitted to the emergency room with chest pain, intermittent paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea and malaise. He denied having a history of degenerative diseases, and had a weight loss of 6 kg in two months. Chest X-rays suggested pericardial effusion. Patient presented a tendency to hypotension tamponade, which was solved with subxiphoid puncture, and drain 800 mL of liquid from ancient hematological parameters. He presented a tumor in the right atrium of 8x4 cm, attached to the anterior wall of the atrium without involucre of interatrial septum. When patient underwent surgery, it was identified a tumor lesion in the anterior wall of right appendage. It was done the resection of the tumor and of 70% of the right atrial appendage. The latter was replaced with bovine pericardium. Patient showed good outcome; it was discharged after 10 days of follow-up surgery for six months in the outpatient clinic. CONCLUSION: The hemangioendothelioma is a vascular tumor of unpredictable behavior, and whose origin rarely comes from the heart. A timely detection, and a radical surgical resection is, so far, the more acceptable management, given the worldwide little experience for handling this type of tumor. Our experience suggests an aggressive clinical approach and surgical removal within the first hours of the suspected diagnosis for the greatest chance of complete resection and reducing the risk of recurrence.

Introducción: el hemangioendotelioma engloba todos los tumores que derivan del endotelio de los vasos sanguíneos. Es de pronóstico incierto y siempre se considera como una lesión maligna de bajo grado. Caso clínico: paciente masculino de 23 años que ingresó a urgencias con dolor retroesternal intermitente, disnea paroxística nocturna y ataque al estado general. Negó antecedentes crónico-degenerativos y tuvo pérdida ponderal de 6 kg en dos meses. Las pruebas sugirieron derrame pericárdico. Presentó tendencia a la hipotensión por tamponade, resuelta con punción subxifoidea, y drenaje de 800 mL de líquido de características hemáticas antiguas. El paciente presentó un tumor de la aurícula derecha de 8 x 4 cm, dependiente de la pared anterior de la aurícula, sin involucro de septum interatrial. Al someter al paciente a cirugía, se identificó lesión tumoral en la pared anterior de orejuela derecha. Se hizo resección del tumor y del 70 % de la orejuela derecha, sustituida con parche de pericardio bovino. El paciente presentó buena evolución; egresó a los 10 días de la cirugía con seguimiento por seis meses en la consulta externa. Conclusión: estamos ante un tumor vascular oncológicamente impredecible y que rara vez se origina en el corazón. Una detección oportuna y la resección quirúrgica radical es el manejo más aceptado ante la poca experiencia que hay a nivel mundial para lidiar con esta entidad. Sugerimos un abordaje clínico agresivo y la extirpación quirúrgica dentro de las primeras horas de la sospecha diagnóstica para obtener la mayor posibilidad de resección total y la reducción del riesgo de recidiva.

[Heart transplant. Preservation and surgical technique. Eleven-year experience]. / Trasplante de corazón. Preservación y técnica quirúrgica. Once años de experiencia.

BACKGROUND: Heart transplantation is a treatment which has modified the long-term, survival and terminal heart failure patients. The objective of this work is to inform our experience with this surgical procedure. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed the heart transplants realized between January 1, 1993 and November 30, 2004, the surgical techniques for harvest and implant and the procedure of heart preservation. The conventional approach for harvesting was median sternotomy with celiotomy in multiorgan donation. In main cases for preservation, we used the Bretschneider solution at 30 cc/ kg and 4 degrees C of temperature. For the implant of the heart the surgical techniques were biatrial or bicaval anastomosis. RESULTS: A total of 16 heart transplantation was realized. The mean age of the recipients was 41 year-old (range: 15 a 57). In 68.7% the indication for the procedure was dilated idiopathic cardiomyopathy. The ischemic period was 154.6 +/- 63.9 min. There were 4 harvesting procedures out of the city. In 4 cases we used biatrial anastomosis, and in the other patients the bicaval procedure. We have three deaths for primary organ failure. The one-year survival was 80.2%. CONCLUSION: Heart transplantation is a therapeutic option to improves long-term, survival in heart failure patients, and the results with the procedure we use are comparable to others around the world.

[Ventricular rupture in mitral valve surgery. Five-year experience]. / Ruptura ventricular en cirugía valvular mitral. Experiencia de cinco años.

OBJECTIVE: We present our 5-year experience in ventricular rupture in mitral valve surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed all patients submitted to mitral valvular surgery between January 1st, 1997 and December 31, 2001. Incidence and type of rupture, technique for repair and morbi-mortality were analyzed. RESULTS: Mitral valve surgery was performed in 1151 patients with different modalities. Seventeen patients (5 male and 12 female) had ventricular rupture. The incidence was 1.47%. Mean age was 55 years. Four (23%) were in the right ventricle and 13 (76%) in left ventricle and atrioventricular groove. Of all ruptures, nine (52.9%) were in the simple mitral valve, three (17.6%) in mitroaortic surgery, two (11.7%) in mitral prosthetic replacement, two (11.7%) in mitro-tricuspid surgery and only one (5.8%) in mitral prosthetic valve resuture secondary to paravalvular leak. Six (35.2%) survived; two (11.7%) had right ventricular rupture and four (23.5%) had left ventricular rupture. CONCLUSIONS: Incidence and mortality of this complication in our study group has seldom appeared in the literature worldwide. The most successful surgical method was the sandwich repair technique with Teflon strips and polypropylene suture plus packing.

[Congenital aortic supravalvular stenosis. Frequency and results of surgical treatment in a third level hospital]. / Estenosis supravalvular aórtica congénita. Frecuencia y resultados del tratamiento quirúrgico en un hospital de tercer nivel.

In a prospective study made between 1 September 1996 and 31 December 2001, pediatric patients with a diagnosis of supravalvular aortic stenosis confirmed by a reduction in the aortic inner diameter and a gradient > or = 50 mmHg were detected. Of 83 patients with aortic stenosis, only 7 (8.4%) had supravalvular aortic stenosis. All 7 patients underwent surgical treatment consisting of resection of fibrous tissue and reconstruction of the ascending aorta with a preclotted Dacron patch. One patient with severe, diffuse stenosis died and the another had perioperative heart failure, cardiac arrest and reversible neurological sequelae. A significant decrease in the postoperative gradient was obtained (p < 0.05). At present all surviving patients are free of symptoms. It was concluded that supravalvular aortic stenosis is infrequent in Mexico. In our experience, surgical treatment produced good results and success depended on the magnitude and type of stenosis.