Autologous monocusp pulmonary valve: preliminary results of a new surgical technique.

A new technique for constructing a pulmonary valve from the wall of the pulmonary artery is described. Hemodynamic studies conducted following this procedure demonstrated no systolic gradient and good diastolic competence. A long-term study of this procedure is needed to determine whether or not the technique has clinical applicability.

Surgical treatment of asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic mitral regurgitation.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to review the risk-benefit ratio of mitral valve repair in patients with severe mitral regurgitation and no or mild symptoms. METHODS: From January 1989 to December 1994, 584 patients were operated on for mitral regurgitation. Of these, 175 patients were in New York Heart Association class I or II with grade 3 to 4 isolated chronic mitral regurgitation. They comprise our study population. Mean age was 51.3 +/- 14.3 years. Principal causes of mitral regurgitation were degenerative in 128 (73%) and rheumatic in 26 patients (15%). Leaflet prolapse was the mechanism responsible for regurgitation in 152 patients (86%). Mitral valve repair was performed in 174 patients, and one patient required initial valve replacement. Mean follow-up was 34.3 +/- 18.8 months. RESULTS: Three patients died, for an overall mortality of 1.7%. Five patients were reoperated on, for an actuarial freedom from reoperation of 97.0% +/- 0.8% at 5 years. Actuarial freedom from thromboembolism and endocarditis was 96.3% +/- 1.7% and 99.4% +/- 0.6%, respectively, for an event-free survival of 91.0% +/- 2.0% at 5 years. Left atrial diameter decreased from 54.3 +/- 11.6 mm to 43.6 +/- 10.5 mm (p < 0.001). Left ventricular end-systolic and end-diastolic diameters decreased from 40.0 +/- 6.8 mm and 64.8 +/- 7.0 mm to 34.6 +/- 6.7 mm (p < 0.001) and 52.7 +/- 7.4 mm (p < 0.001), respectively. Mean residual mitral regurgitation was 0.44 +/- 0.6. CONCLUSION: Mitral valve repair for chronic mitral regurgitation in patients having mild or no symptoms was performed with low mortality and morbidity, good valve function, and preserved late left ventricular performance. Early repair may be advocated on the basis of severity of regurgitation and valve repairability, regardless of symptoms.

Tricuspid valve incompetence caused by nonpenetrating thoracic trauma.

Tricuspid valve incompetence from ruptured papillary muscle or chordae as a result of nonpenetrating trauma is uncommon. Blunt trauma causing partial detachment of a leaflet from the annulus is very rare. We report the case of a young adult involved in a car accident who had these findings. Operative repair with resuture of the leaflet to the annulus and annuloplasty using a Carpentier ring resulted in complete recovery.

Extrapleural takedown of the internal mammary artery as a pedicle.

Four hundred thirty-three patients underwent coronary bypass grafting using both internal mammary artery (IMA) and saphenous vein graft. In 233 patients the IMA was exposed with a conventional technique (group 1), whereas in the remaining patients the IMA was harvested leaving the pleura intact and performing an associated lysis of the endothoracic fascia (group 2). Postoperative course and complications of these groups were studied and compared in a period of time ranging from 8 to 28 months. Postoperatively, the blood transfused was significantly less in group 2 patients than in group 1; group 2 also had a reduction of surgical reexploration. Pleural effusion and hemidiaphragm impairment were infrequent or absent in group 2 patients, whereas pericarditis, severe postoperative chest pain, and respiratory insufficiency were noted only in group 1 patients. Our data suggest that extrapleural access without pleurotomy may be preferred owing to its low rate of chest wall complications.

Haemorrhagic shock in cardiac surgery. Pharmacological treatment with ACTH (1-24).

Spontaneous rupture of one or more cardiac chambers following open heart surgery is not common. A case is reported of a 45 year-old woman who sustained a spontaneous rupture of the right atrium in the intensive care unit after mitral valve replacement. Exsanguination of the patient was very rapid. On the basis of clinical and experimental convincing studies in this case a high dose of ACTH was used to prevent the damaging effect of haemorrhagic shock. During the reopening manoeuvre and initial conventional management, 10 mg ACTH (1-24) was injected into a peripheral vein. Although the blood lost was 93% of her circulating blood volume and a lot of fluid transfused via the central venous catheter was lost into the pericardium and hemithorax, the patient's condition improved rapidly after the occlusion of the atrial tear with initial small volume of transfusion. Based on the review of recent investigations the use of ACTH is emphasized.

Is the tricuspid position suitable for testing replacement bioprosthetic valves in the sheep model?

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Glutaraldehyde may promote calcification in xenograft tissue by the action of toxic aldehyde group residues involved in the cross-link process. Post-fixation treatment with homocysteic acid (HA) neutralizes this toxicity by bonding aldehyde groups, and enhances biocompatibility on the basis of strongly electronegative sulfonic groups. Previous studies in a rat subcutaneous model showed significant long-term mitigation of mineralization of glutaraldehyde-fixed pericardium treated with HA. This study aimed to assess the anticalcific efficacy of HA in a valvular implant in growing sheep, and establish if the tricuspid position is suitable for testing replacement bioprosthetic valves. METHODS: Eleven stented 25 mm Pericarbon bioprostheses (seven HA-treated, four standard) were implanted in the tricuspid position of growing sheep. Infective endocarditis occurred in four prostheses. Among the remaining seven, three (two HA-treated, one standard) were explanted at 91 days (mid-term), and four (two HA-treated, two standard) at 140-141 days (long-term). All explants were studied by gross, X-ray, light, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, as well as by atomic absorption spectroscopy. RESULTS: No histological and ultrastructural difference in tissue preservation were observed between HA-treated and standard Pericarbon bioprostheses, either in the mid or long term. The mean calcium content of mid-term HA-treated explants was 9.55 mg/g compared with 16.26 mg/g in mid-term standard explants. Only one late standard explant failed as a result of severe stenosis caused by massive dystrophic calcification. Among four late explants, two showed significant increase in mineralization (HA-treated, 87.45 mg/g; standard, 181.20 mg/g), while two showed calcium contents similar to those in mid-term explants (HA-treated, 11.96 mg/g; standard, 17.32 mg/g). CONCLUSION: Post-fixation treatment with HA preserves structural properties after tricuspid implantation in growing sheep. The tricuspid implant in the sheep model failed to reproduce remarkable accelerated progressive calcification in all xenografts so as to demonstrate a significant difference between HA and standard explants. The tricuspid position for testing replacement bioprosthetic valves should be abandoned, and investigations repeated with the prosthesis in the mitral position.

Hemodynamic evaluation of the Carbomedics R, St Jude Medical HP and Sorin-Bicarbon valve in patients with small aortic annulus.

UNLABELLED: A Doppler echocardiographic study was performed to evaluate the hemodynamic performance of three 19 mm size currently used bileaflet valve prosthesis (St Jude Medical Hydrodinamic Plus, Sorin-Bicarbon and Carbomedic Reduced) implanted in aortic position. METHODS: Patients, 30, with the same profile receiving 19 mm size valve (ten for each valve type) were selected when body surface area (BSA) was > 1.7 m2. Doppler echocardiography was carried out at rest and after exercise, 60 days after surgery. Peak (Pg) and mean (Mg) gradients across the valve were recorded: the effective orifice area (EOA), and performance index (PI) were calculated. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed between St Jude Medical and Sorin Bicarbon as far as peak and mean gradient, effective orifice area and performance index at rest and after exercise. A significant difference (P < 0.05) was demonstrated in the above mentioned parameters when Carbomedics-R valve were tested. This type of valve showed a lower EOA and PI with higher Pg and Mg gradient both at rest and after exercise. CONCLUSION: The St Jude Hydrodymanic plus (Hp) and Sorin Bicarbon valves had similar performance and a better hemodynamic trend when compared to the Carbomedics-R valve in patients with large body surface areas. The Carbomedics-R valve shows a ineffective use of the total area of the prosthesis both at rest and after exercise.

Calcification of chemically treated bovine pericardium.

One of the most important problems arising in cardiac bioprostheses made with bovine pericardium and, more generally, with biologically-derived tissues is tissue calcification. The present study assessed four chemical treatments on patches of bovine pericardium, intended to avoid or minimize calcification. Pericardium specimens were treated with: A) 0.5% glutaraldehyde; B) 0.5% glutaraldehyde + 4% formaldehyde; C) same as A, but with a further neutralization treatment; D) acylation of fresh bovine pericardium. Circular samples of 1 cm diameter were subcutaneously implanted in the abdominal region of three groups of six rats. The explants were retrieved after 2, 4 and 8 weeks. The calcium content and the histological results showed better behaviour for C and D samples than with the commonly used fixation methods (A and B). The lowest calcification was observed with treatment D, even though its morphological structures were somewhat modified with homogenation of collagen bundles. Among the glutaraldehyde-based treatments, treatment C appears to be the most promising because the pericardium shows slower calcium accumulation with a diffusive pattern.

Melanocortins as innovative drugs for ischemic diseases and neurodegenerative disorders: established data and perspectives.

Ischemic insults and neurodegenerative diseases are by far the leading cause of mortality and disability. Whole-body hypoperfusion, as it occurs in polytraumatic and hemorrhagic shock, is alike an increasingly frequent condition, especially due to traffic accidents, wars and acts of terrorism. It is now clearly established that inflammatory processes play a fundamental role in the pathophysiology of both hypoperfusion/ischemia damage (be it generalized to the whole body, as in the case of shock, or limited to individual organs) and neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). On the other hand, concurrent animal and human data show that melanocortin peptides with agonist activity at melanocortin MC3/MC4 receptors are highly effective in different shock conditions as well as in conditions of ischemia/ischemia-reperfusion of individual organs (heart, brain, intestine, kidney, etc.), and accumulating evidence indicates that such effects of melanocortins are mostly due to quite peculiar antiinflammatory mechanisms. Melanocortins have also long been known (i) to exert important neurotrophic effects, not only during fetal development but also in adulthood, in different animal models of brain lesions; (ii) to reduce the morphological correlates of brain aging; (iii) to retard the behavioral deficits that develop during the aging process. Moreover, recent data from different laboratories show that after brain ischemic episodes melanocortins activate the transcription of neurotrophins and their receptors in the cerebral cortex and in the hippocampus, and increase the proliferation of progenitor neuron cells. The above arguments support the view that pharmacokinetically suitable agonists at MC3/MC4 melanocortin receptors may represent a completely innovative class of drugs for an effective treatment of both ischemic and neurodegenerative diseases.

In vitro computerized evaluation of biological cardiac prosthesis calcification.

The late valvular bioprostheses failure is mainly related to leaflet calcification. This study reports a new approach to testing the biological prostheses calcification applying a computerized technique to x-ray picture. A bovine glutaraldehyde-fixed bioprostheses (BB) was implanted in two sheep in mitral position. The experimental procedure was performed on valves explanted six months after surgery. The BB x-ray pictures were tested by means of a video display computer (VDC) that can process radiographic, photographic or microscopic images and also evaluate the optical density of image quantifiable. The calcification zone assumes different values according to the calcification degree. The VDC can colour the BB x-ray images and display them on monitors (one black and white, one colour) with the colours strictly related to the grey levels of the image.

Early alteration of bioprosthetic cardiac valves in sheep: influence of the immunological status.

Ten Pericarbon valve bioprostheses were examined after being implanted in tricuspid position in two different groups of animals: group I sheep with increased immunoglobulins, plasma levels, and eosinophilis count of more than 10%, due to parasitic infection, and group II sheep without any parasitic infection, i.e. with normal blood data. The explanted valve follow up was between 60-95 hours in both groups. Microscopic observation of group I valves revealed a massive blood cell (lymphocytes, eosinophilis and large mononuclear cells) infiltration especially around the natural pericardial blood vessels in the region of flexion and attachment. The epipericardial surface was covered by fibrin sheath, and immunofluorescence studies showed a strongly positive reaction for immunoglobulins (IgG and IgE) on leaflet surfaces and lamellar stratification into the fibrosa. Microcalcifications were detected around pericardial blood vessels in the same zones where infiltrated blood cells were found. In group II valves cell infiltration was absent with no signs of calcification and immunofluorescence was negative. Our data suggest that immunoglobulins adherence followed by blood cell infiltration may be one of the early causes of tissue leaflet degeneration and there is a parallel trend between plasma immunoglobulin levels and the early tissue alteration. Our data show that the experimental model for testing bioprostheses in sheep is influenced by the pre-immunological status and it is important to control it before surgery.

Survival rate after early treatment for acute type-A aortic dissection with ACTH-(1-24).

Haemorrhagic shock, usually as a consequence of major trauma, is the most frequent cause of death among people younger than 40 years. Reports indicate that melanocortin peptides are effective in reversing haemorrhagic shock. We found that in patients with aortic-dissection-induced haemorrhagic shock, the addition of an early intravenous bolus injection of the melanocortin andrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)-(1-24) to standard treatment significantly improved cardiovascular function and increased survival rate. Because administration of ACTH-(1-24) is simple, and because melanocortin peptides have no acute toxicity, their use in the early critical care of patients in shock should be more extensively assessed.