[Hypertension and pregnancy]. / Hipertensión arterial sistémica en el embarazo.

Increasing evidence indicates that hypertension in pregnancy is an under recognized risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Compared with women who have had normotensive pregnancies, those who are hypertensive during pregnancy are at greater risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events and have a less favorable overall risk profile for CVD years after the affected pregnancies. One factor that might underlie this relationship is that hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (pre-eclampsia, in particular) and CVD share several common risk factors (e.g. obesity, diabetes mellitus and renal disease). Alternatively, hypertension in pregnancy could induce long-term metabolic and vascular abnormalities that might increase the overall risk of CVD later in life. In both cases, evidence regarding risk-reduction interventions specific to women who have had hypertensive pregnancies is lacking. While awaiting results of large-scale studies, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy should be screened for during assessment of a woman's overall risk profile for CVD. Women at high risk must be monitored closely for conventional risk factors that are common to both CVD and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and treated according to current evidence-based national guidelines.

[Hypertension in women]. / Hipertensión arterial sistémica en la mujer.

The cardiovascular disease is a crucial cause of morbidity and mortality in the woman mainly when they arrive at menopause. The pathophysiology and neurohormonal mechanisms widely vary with respect to the man. This finding has given the support to think that the estrogens may be playing a protector role in cardiovascular disease. However, the associated risk factors like obesity, diabetes, dislipidemia, smoking and sedentary life are increasing in an exponential form. In Mexico the population age distribution establishes that 60% of the women with hypertension are aged < 54 years old. This is reason why as factor of independent cardiovascular risk is commonest. Nevertheless, after the menopause cardiovascular mortality is greater in the woman than in the man. In this review, the importance of the new pathophysiological mechanisms and the clinical-therapeutic approach are analyzed, making emphasis in the importance of the change in the life style and also in the nutritional aspects. In Mexico the woman still have a unique role in the nutritional culture.

[Therapeutic clinical approach for the elderly patient with hypertension: recommendations for clinical practice]. / Abordaje clínico terapéutico del paciente adulto mayor con hipertensión arterial sistémica: recomendaciones para la práctica clínica.

The incidence of hypertension in the geriatric population is very high and is a significant determinant of cardiovascular risk in this group. The tendency for blood pressure to increase with age in westernized societies such as the United States may depend on environmental factors such as diet, stress, and inactivity. Our population tends to become more obese; to consume relatively greater amounts of sodium and lesser amounts of potassium, calcium, and magnesium; and to decrease exercising with increasing age. Senescent changes in the cardiovascular system leading to decreased vascular compliance and decreased baroreceptor sensitivity contribute not only to rising blood pressure but also to an impairment of postural reflexes and orthostatic hypotension. The hallmark of hypertension in the elderly is increased vascular resistance. Greater vascular reactivity in the elderly hypertensive patients may reflect decreased membrane sodium pump activity and decreased beta-adrenergic receptor activity as well as age-related structural changes. Treatment of diastolic hypertension in the elderly is associated with decreased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Although treatment of systolic hypertension may not decrease immediate cardiovascular mortality, it appears to decrease the incidence of stroke. The initial therapeutic approach to the elderly hypertensive patient should generally consist of a reduction in salt and caloric intake and an increase in aerobic exercise, i.e., walking. Drug therapy should be initiated with lower doses of medication with a special concern about orthostatic hypotension.

[Hypertension in children and adolescence]. / Hipertensión arterial sistémica en el niño y adolescente.

The epidemic of childhood obesity, the risk of developing left ventricular hypertrophy, and evidence of the early development of atherosclerosis in children would make the detection of and intervention in childhood hypertension important to reduce long-term health risks; however, supporting data are lacking. Secondary hypertension is more common in preadolescent children, with most cases caused by renal disease. Primary or essential hypertension is more common in adolescents and has multiple risk factors, including obesity and a family history of hypertension. Evaluation involves a through history and physical examination, laboratory tests, and specialized studies. Management is multifaceted. Nonpharmacologic treatments include weight reduction, exercise, and dietary modifications. Although the evidence of first line therapy for hypertension is still controversial, the recommendations for pharmacologic treatment are based on symptomatic hypertension, evidence of end-organ damage, stage 2 of hypertension, or stage 1 of hypertension unresponsive to lifestyle modifications, and hypertension with diabetes mellitus.

[Prevention and treatment of hypertension and coronary heart disease]. / Prevención y tratamiento de la hipertensión arterial sistémica en el paciente con enfermedad arterial coronaria.

The association between arterial systemic hypertension arterial coronary disease has been demonstrated by cumulated evidence of several epidemiological studies. Hypertension is an important independent risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease, vascular cerebral disease and nephropathy. Important advances exist in the knowledge of neurohumoral and hemodynamic factors that come together in the pathophysiology of the hypertension and in the development of coronary disease that allow to establish better strategies not only of treatment, but also of prevention, with the purpose of diminishing the cardiovascular mortality. The spectrum of the coronary artery disease secondary to atherosclerosis is wide and the strategies of treatment of hypertension must be adapted to each particular case. The treatment of both conditions needs of specific limits of agreement to the conditions of the patient and the form of presentation of each one of these disease.

[Extreme elevation of the blood pressure (hypertensive crisis): recommendations for its clinical-therapeutic approach]. / Elevación extrema de la presión arterial (crisis hipertensiva): recomendaciones para su abordaje clínico-terapéutico.

From beginnings of last century the hypertensive emergency was defined as the association of acutely elevation from the arterial pressure and the appearance of damage to end organ. At present is recognized the effects of the hypertensive emergency, the aspects of its patophysiology in which are included phenomenon of vasomotricity and the participation of different substances with vasoactives properties. The clinical presentation includes not only the manifestations of the increase of the arterial pressure, the end organ damage too; for this reason the hypertensive emergency needs the immediate reduction of the arterial tension to prevent the damage to specific organs. The treatment in every case will have to be individualized, with a wide knowledge of the characteristics of every medicament to obtain the best results. The diagnosis and treatment of the hypertensive emergencies needs often of the attention of its complications if they have appeared and later, of a treatment of support for the arterial hypertension.

[Obstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract on the obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Case report and literature review]. / Obstrucción en la vía de salida del ventrículo derecho en la miocardiopatía hipertrófica obstructiva. Informe de un caso y revisión de la literatura.

OHC is a disorder with a broad spectrum of morphological, functional and genetics abnormalities. The Obstruction on the Right Ventricular Outflow (OHCRV) is not expected most of the time, that's way it is not usually detected and rarely mentioned in the cardiological literature. Its clinical presentation may include basically systemic venous hypertension symptoms that come with the hypertrophic cardyomiopathy manifestations. The manifestations of an apparent Right Ventricular Hypertrophic (RVH) in the ECG are probably due to the huge septal vector that activates the septum with a major thickness. The clinical confirmation of the obstruction on the OHCRV produced by a considerable asymmetric septal hypertrophic is easily shown with bidimensional an Doppler echocardiography.

[Clinical guidelines for detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of systemic arterial hypertension in Mexico (2008)]. / Guías clínicas para la detección, prevención, diagnóstico y tratamiento de hipertensión arterial sistémica en México (2008).

The multidisciplinary Institutional Committee of experts in Systemic Arterial Hypertension from the National Institute of Cardiology "Ignacio Chávez" presents its update (2008) of "Guidelines and Recommendations" for the early detection, control, treatment and prevention of Hypertension. The boarding tries to be simple and realistic for all that physicians whom have to face the hypertensive population in their clinical practice. The information is based in the most recent scientific evidence. These guides are principally directed to hypertensive population of emergent countries like Mexico. It is emphasized preventive health measures, the importance of the no pharmacological actions, such as good nutrition, exercise and changes in life style, (which ideally it must begin from very early ages). "We suggest that the changes in the style of life must be vigorous, continuous and systematized, with a real reinforcing by part of all the organisms related to the health education for all population (federal and private social organisms). It is the most important way to confront and prevent this pandemic of chronic diseases". In this new edition the authors amplifies the information and importance on the matter. The preventive cardiology must contribute in multidisciplinary entailment. Based mainly on national data and the international scientific publications, we developed our own system of classification and risk stratification for the carrying people with hypertension, Called HTM (Arterial Hypertension in Mexico) index. Its principal of purpose this index is to keep in mind that the current approach of hypertension must be always multidisciplinary. The institutional committee of experts reviewed with rigorous methodology under the principles of the evidence-based medicine, both, national and international medical literature, with the purpose of adapting the concepts and guidelines for a better control and treatment of hypertension in Mexico. This work group recognizes that hypertension is not an isolated disease; therefore its approach must be in the context of the prevalence and interaction with other cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity, diabetes, dislipidemia and smoking among others. The urgent necessity is emphasized to approach in a concatenated form the diverse cardiovascular risk factors, since independently of which they share common pathophysiological mechanisms, its suitable identification and control will affect without any doubt the natural history of the other concatenated risk factor. By all means that to greater participation of factors, greater it will be the global cardiovascular risk but never, however, the specific weight is due to avoid that each one has on the global cardiovascular risk. In this Second edition we try to amplify and give systematic forms for the clinical approach for the suspicion of secondary hypertension and we emphasizes that hypertension in the woman with or without menopause should be careful analyzed, and special recommendations are given for the hypertension in pregnancy. Also we have approached some aspects related to the hypertensive emergencies and other special situations. In this second version some recommendations are presented for boarding hypertension in children and adolescents.

[Exclusion of venous ventricle. Evolution and challenges]. / Exclusión del ventrículo venoso. Evolución y retos. A propósito de los primeros cien casos del procedimiento de Fontan en el Instituto Nacional de Cardiología "Ignacio Chávez".

The history and evolution of the cardiovascular surgery and pediatric cardiology is fascinating. For centuries many erroneous galenic concepts about cardiovascular anatomy and physiology were sustained by physicians. At the end of the XIX century and during the XX century, the progress in science allowed for a more appropriate understanding of the anatomophysiology of the cardiovascular system, promoting the concept of dispensability of half of the heart. This concept of right ventricle dispensability has subsisted, teaching us lessons that have led to a bear understanding of the hemodinamic behavior of many cardiac congenital malformations. The cavopulmonar total bypass or Fontan procedure with its modifications is an example of this knowledge. In the present article we make a brief historical review of the concept of right ventricle dispensability, and a brief analysis of the learned lessons provided by many authors and our own experience, without forgetting that we still have a long way to fully understand the pulmonary vasculature behavior and the univentricular physiology.

[Sugical treatment of aortic coarctation. Long-term results at National Institute of Cardiology of Mexico]. / Tratamiento quirúrgico de la coartación aórtica. Resultados a largo plazo en el Instituto Nacional de Cardiología.

OBJECTIVES: Evaluate long-term evolution of patients submitted to surgery for coarctation of the aorta. Compare event free survival in younger vs older patients at the time of surgical correction. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical records of patients operated for coarctation of the aorta from January 1 1980 to December 31 1994. The mean follow-up ranged from 9 to 23 years (mean 10.9 y). Final events registered were recoarctation, death, systemic hypertension, endocarditis, stroke, aneurisms. RESULTS: Two hundred and sixteen patients were found with mean age 13 +/- 12 y male gender was most frequent (61%). Recoarctation was found in 13 patients (6.02%), persistent hypertension in 14.1%. Event free survival at 10 years was 86.2%. In patients less than 10 y was 89% vs 80.2% in older patients. Hypertension free survival in patients less than 10 y was 98.3% vs 80.1% in older patients (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our data confirms that surgical treatment for coarctation of the aorta is associated with low morbidity and mortality at long-term with reduced rate of recoarctation (7%). Early correction (< 10 y) is associated with a better long term survival. Hypertension and use of pharmacologic treatment are reduced after surgery and persist in the long-term evolution.

[Clinical implications and prognostic significance of the study on the circadian variation of heart rate variability in patients with severe pulmonary hypertension]. / Implicaciones clínicas y pronósticas del estudio circadiano de la modulación simpático-vagal de la variabilidad de la frecuencia cardiaca en pacientes con hipertensión arterial pulmonar grave.

BACKGROUND: A reduction of heart rate variability (HRV) is currently considered an independent risk factor for morbidity, mortality and severity of severalcardiac disease, however, the dynamic sympathovagal modulation on HRV during 24 hr in primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) had not been described. METHODS: 24 hr Holter monitoring (HA) were recorded in 32 patients (mean age 34, +/-12, 90% female) with severe primary pulmonary hypertension (mean pulmonary pressure, 90:t:12 mm Hg), and in 34 patients (mean age 36 +/-14, 60% female) with Eisenmenger syndrome (ES) secondary to septal ventricular defect or atent ductus arteriosus. A control group (n=44) paired for age, gender and arterial pulmonary pressure was included. HRV time and spectral parameters (mean, SDNN, SDANN, rMSSD, PNN50, LF, HF and LF/HF ratio) were analyzed during three periods: 24 hr; day (8-22:00), night (23-07:00) and also every hour of recording at 5 min-intervals). After detection of sympatho-vagal balance 15 patients were randomized, Treprostinil (prostaglandin) was administered to 6 patients and subcutaneous placebo to 9. RESULTS: HRV frequency parameters during 24 hr HM were significantly different among groups. LF/HF (day) 5.9:1:12.5:1:1P.001 and LF/HF night) 2.8:tlvs.1.5:l:.8.034. Sympathovagal modulation on 24 hr HRV showed that heart rate circadian rhythm is clearly altered in both PPH and ES, but the sympathetic tone in PPH is higher at l 24 hr. (p < .05), after administering treprostinil a recovery of sympathovagal balance was observed CONCLUSIONS: Autonomic cardiac disturbance is clearly present in PPH and ES. The circadian rhythm of HRV is first lost due to an increase of sympathetic tone. These changes may be markers of autonomic disbalance that favor the development of arrhythmias and sudden death. The sympathovagal balance in PPH could be considered an important risk marker.

Prevalance of proteinuria in Mexico: a conjunctive consolidation approach with other cardiovascular risk factors: the Mexican Health Survey 2000.

BACKGROUND: A number of cross-sectional or serial studies have demonstrated the clinical impact of microproteinuria and macroproteinuria by identifying individuals at risk of both end-stage renal disease and major cardiovascular events. This study focused on the prevalence of proteinuria in Mexico and its relationship with other cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, body mass index, smoking, age, and gender. METHODS: The prevalence of proteinuria in Mexico was obtained from the probabilistic cross-sectional national health survey performed in the year 2000. The proportion of urine dipstick samples that tested positive for protein (defined as > or =1+) in adults from 20 to 69 years of age was determined. The analysis was performed using both algebraic and multicategorical models. Potential interactions between proteinuria and other major cardiovascular risk factors were investigated. RESULTS: A total of 46,523 adult survey participants were included in the analysis. In the general population, 9.2% had proteinuria. By univariate, multivariate, and multicategorical analysis, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and age were strongly associated with the prevalence of proteinuria (P < 0.001). However, in Mexico, the specific distribution of age groups demonstrated that the absolute number of patients without hypertension that had proteinuria is not irrelevant. To identify 1 case of proteinuria, one would need to screen 3 persons with diabetes mellitus, 5 patients with hypertension without diabetes, or 6 persons over the age of 55 years. When proteinuria is present, the probability of having a noncommunicable chronic disease or other major cardiovascular risk factor is more than 85%. CONCLUSION: Proteinuria is prevalent. When considered together, dipstick-positive proteinuria, blood pressure level, body mass index > or =30 m(2)/kg, and abnormal fasting blood glucose measured on a single occasion identifies different segments of the population. Studies such as this may be a suitable initial clinical approach to general population screening for renal and cardiovascular risk stratification.

[Percutaneous closure of ventricular septal defect by Amplatzer occluder. Immediate and mid-term follow up results]. / Cierre percutáneo de la comunicación interventricular perimembranosa con el dispositivo de Amplatzer: resultados inmediatos y a mediano plazo.

OBJECT: To report the immediate and mid-term follow-up results of the Amplatzer membranous VSD occluder for the percutaneous occlusion of the perimembranous VSD. BACKGROUND: Percutaneous perimembranous VSD occlusion is still considered an experimental method where a variety of devices have been tested. Nowadays, more than 500 membranous Amplatzer devices have been implanted worldwide with encouraging results. METHOD: We included 6 patients (1 man and 5 women) with a mean age of 9.9 years (range, 3 to 17.5) in whom percutaneous perimembranous VSD closure was attempted. RESULTS: In one of the patients, positioning of the device was not possible (intention to treat success rate, 83.3%). In the remaining five patients, there was a single defect. The VSD mean diameter with echo was 7 +/- 1.7 mm (range, 5.1 to 9) and with angio was 6.9 +/- 1 (range, 6 to 8). Mean pulmonary pressure was 20.2 +/- 7.7 mm Hg (range, 12-30) and Qp/Qs was 1.69 +/- 0.65 (range, 1.2-2.8). A single device was use in all cases. Immediate angiographic control showed complete occlusion in two patients, trivial shunt in one, and mild shunt in two. Follow-up was at least 4 months. Only one patient has residual trivial shunt, the rest of the defects are completely closed. CONCLUSION: The special design of the Amplatzer membranous VSD occluder allows percutaneous closure of this defect in a safe and effective way, with good mid-term results. In selected cases, this is a good alternative to surgery in the treatmen of this cardiac defect.

[National Re-survey of Arterial Hypertension (RENAHTA). Mexican consolidation of the cardiovascular risk factors. national follow-up cohort]. / Re-encuesta Nacional de Hipertensión Arterial (RENAHTA): consolidación Mexicana de los factores de riesgo cardiovascular. Cohorte nacional de seguimiento.

OBJECTIVE: Based on a National Re-survey on Hypertension (HTA) and other cardiovascular risk factors performed in Mexico during 2003 and 2004 in the adult population with HTA, as identified in the 2000 National Survey of Health, this study was planed to determine: 1) morbidity and mortality rates; 2) the incidence and interrelation with other risk factors, such as overweight, obesity, dyslipidemia, nephropathy and diabetes; 3) the main risk factors associated to HTA involved in its complications, need for hospitalization and number of days; and, 4) the degree of therapeutical adhesion and the type of antihypertensive drugs used. METHODS: The survey was of type III using the step by step method described by WHO. Sampling was weighed a priori taking into account a national prevalence average of HTA of 30.05% and its corresponding rate for each federal state. Permissible maximum error in the estimation = 0.28. Effect of design = 4.5; and, Rate of awaited answer (0.70). RESULTS: From the initial 14,567 interviewed patients, 1,165 (8%) subjects were considered non-hypertensive or false positives at the 2000 survey. From the 13,402 remaining patients, 335 died during the first 2 years of pursuit, which implies an annual mortality of approximately 1.15% in the hypertensive population. Thus, 13,067 survivors were subjected to the final analysis. The mean age at the re-survey was 45.6 +/- 12.6; 40.5% were men (n = 5,295). There was a statistically significant difference in height, but not in weight between both genders. The control HTA was raised 14.6% in the year 2000 and 19.2% in 2004. The prevalence of diabetes was duplicated from 16% to 30% (< .001). Fifty four percent of the whole population required hospitalization at least once during the period of study. The rates of overweight, obesity, and dyslipidemia rose significantly (p < 0.05) independently from age, federal state, and gender. CONCLUSION: RENAHTA shows the impact of hypertension on the morbidity and mortality during the 3.1 +/- 1.5 years of follow-up in Mexico. It alerts us on the need to reinforce the strategies of attention and prevention of this crucial risk factor and of screening the dynamic nonlinear interaction between the main cardiovascular risk factors in Mexico. New hypotheses are proposed for the metabolic syndrome.

Anatomic three-dimensional echocardiographic correlation of bicuspid aortic valve.

This study was undertaken to verify the echocardiographic characteristics of bicuspid aortic valve (AV) using 3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography by comparing the findings with anatomic examination of autopsy specimens from carriers of this condition. Three-dimensional reconstructions of transesophageal echocardiograms were performed on 14 patients with bicuspid AV, and 20 autopsy specimens of bicuspid AVs were analyzed. Echocardiographic images and autopsy material were correlated. Two variants of bicuspid aorta were identified. In group I the AV had 2 leaflets. This group included 9 (9/14) 3-dimensional echocardiographic studies and 13 (13/20) necropsies. In group II 3 sigmoid leaflets had originally developed and 2 underwent dysplastic fusion, resulting in functionally bicuspid valves. Five (5/14) echocardiographic studies and 7 (7/20) anatomic specimens fell into this category. There was a clear correspondence between anatomic and echocardiographic findings, which leads to the conclusion that 3-dimensional echocardiography is a technique that reliably defines the morphological details of bicuspid AV with the precision of anatomopathologic examination.

Three-dimensional echocardiography in congenital malformations of the mitral valve.

Three-dimensional echocardiography has proved to be valuable in congenital heart disease by enhancing the evaluation of morphologic abnormalities and increasing the understanding of complex relationships. This study was undertaken to determine how 3-dimensional echocardiography could be best used to study some of the congenital malformations of the mitral valve such as mitral arcade, double orifice mitral valve, accessory mitral tissue, cleft mitral valve, and unicuspid mitral valve. Five patients were studied. Three-dimensional echocardiography was found to be helpful in defining spatial location and extent of deformities.

Atrial septal defect in adults > or =40 years old: negative impact of low arterial oxygen saturation.

BACKGROUND: Although good prognosis and clinical long-term outcome have been commonly reported in minimally symptomatic adult patients with ASD, this information has been based on studies with a relatively small number of adult patients. We studied unoperated patients aged over 40 years to define the patterns of presentation, anatomical characteristics, outcome and predictive factors for free-event survival of major cardiovascular and pulmonary events. METHODS AND RESULTS: Two-hundred survivors of atrial septal defect aged over 40-yr attended from 1985 to 1998 were reviewed and followed-up from 1.6 to 22 years. Patients were classified in three groups according to age at entry: Group 1, between 40 and 49; Group 2; 50 and 59; and Group 3, > or =60 years old. The mean age at presentation was 48.8+/-9.2 years, and the most common clinical presentations were arrhythmia and dyspnea (51.4%). There were 37 (18.5%) events: 7 heart failure-related, 5 sudden death, 13 severe pulmonary infections, 5 embolisms, and 4 strokes. According to Cox's regression analysis, predictors of primary end point included age group at presentation (hazard ratio 1.71, 95% confidence limits 1.16 to 2.54), and either pulmonary hypertension (mean pulmonary pressure >35 mmHg; hazard ratio=0.65 (4.6, confidence limits 2.2 to 9.5) or, arterial oxygen saturation <80% (hazard ratio 1.71, 95% confidence limits 1.16 to 2.54). CONCLUSIONS: This study supports that long term outcome of patients aged >40 years with unoperated ASD is importantly determined by the mPAP (>35 mmHg), SaO2% (_80) and the age at diagnosis. Nevertheless we identified an inverse association between the mPAP level and SaO2% (interaction). The event-free survival expectancy may be estimated using the age at diagnosis and either SaO2% or mPAP. This prognostic stratification based on pathophysiological principles, may help in making decisions for therapeutic interventions. SaO2% should always be measured as a part of the initial clinical approach of those patients with atrial septal defect aged over 40 years.

[Anatomic diagnosis of congenital cardiopathies]. / Diagnóstico anatómico de las cardiopatías congénitas.

In this review, the adequate steps for the anatomical diagnosis of congenital heart diseases are defined. We emphasize the need to use the connections among the diverse segments as an adequate measure to take care of the anatomical diagnosis of congenital heart diseases. These segments are the atria, the ventricles, and the large arteries. Lesions occupy the second stage in the sequential analysis of congenital heart diseases, not withstanding their knowledge remains essential.

[Decisions about the treatment of atrial septal defect in adults]. / Decisiones terapéuticas en el adulto con comunicación interatrial.

Surgical treatment of atrial septal defect in patients over 40 years-old is still controversial. We compared long-term outcome in patients over 40 years old treated conservatively, versus a similar group of patients after surgical closure. We concluded that surgical closure was superior to medical treatment. Our results indicate that surgery should be performed as soon as possible, even if the functional symptoms seem to be minimal.

[Interatrial communication in patients over 40 years of age]. / Comunicación interatrial en pacientes mayores de 40 años.

Surgical treatment of atrial septal defect in patients older than 40 years is a subject of controversy. We compared the outcome in patients medically treated after the age of 40, with the long-term outcome in a similar group of patients after surgical closure. We conclude that surgical closure was superior to medical treatment. According to our results, surgical treatment must be performed as soon as possible, even if the symptoms of the functional status seem to be minimal.