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Biomedical subjects

A J Larrieu

Publications and source records attributed to A J Larrieu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Emergency coronary revascularization in a liver transplant recipient.

A liver transplant recipient in cardiogenic shock from an acute myocardial infarction and failed coronary angioplasty underwent successful emergency coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Our case is only the fourth documented report of a coronary artery bypass graft in a liver transplant patient and the first conducted on an emergency basis in a patient in cardiogenic shock. Preservation of both cardiac and liver function has been evident in all cases. Based on these findings, liver transplantation should not be a deterrent or contraindication to coronary artery bypass or cardiac surgery.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary

Effect of cocarboxylase in dogs subjected to experimental septic shock.

We examined the effects of cocarboxylase treatment on both the hemodynamic variables and metabolic function during endotoxic shock in dogs. Cocarboxylase inhibited deterioration in metabolic function as reflected by improved pH and base excess as well as maintenance of normal oxygen consumption. Significant improvements in mean arterial pressure and cardiac index were also seen. Cocarboxylase is a major coenzyme of mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase and may exert its beneficial effects via this complex.

Animals

Preliminary evaluation of cocarboxylase on myocardial protection of the rat heart.

The presence of cocarboxylase (CC) is essential for the oxidation of pyruvate to acetylcoenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) and its subsequent degradation by means of the Krebs cycle. We compared the effects of various concentrations of CC in a cardioplegic solution on the survival and hemodynamic and metabolic recovery of 23 isolated, working rat hearts subjected to 60 minutes of hypothermic (23 degrees C) ischemic arrest. Group 1 (N = 6) consisted of hearts infused with the basic cardioplegic solution (Tyers' solution with glucose), to which no CC was added. In group 2 (N = 6) CC was added at 0.1 ml/L to the cardioplegic solution. In group 3 (N = 5) CC was added at 1 ml/L, and in group 4 (N = 6) CC was added at 10 ml/L. The cardioplegic infusions were performed at a pressure of 40 mm Hg for 2 minutes just before arrest; 30 minutes later they were performed again for 1 minute. Only two hearts (33.3%) recovered in group 1 whereas five recovered in group 2, five (100%) in group 3, and five (83.3%) in group 4. The recovery of hemodynamic performance as a percentage of preischemic control values showed marked improvement in the CC groups, especially group 3, when compared with group 1. The metabolic variables in the CC groups were also markedly improved, with significantly (p less than .05) decreased levels of tissue lactate and increased levels of creatine phosphate compared with those in group 1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals

Pericardial substitutes: delayed reexploration and findings.

Four patients' experience with two varieties of pericardial substitutes has been evaluated. Two patients received glutaraldehyde-preserved, formalin-fixed bovine bioprosthetic pericardial substitutes. These were associated with dense prosthesis-to-epicardium adhesions and the formation of a thick gelatinous peel. Two other patients received glutaraldehyde-preserved, ethanol-fixed bovine bioprosthetic pericardial substitutes. One patient had minimal prosthesis-to-epicardium adhesions, and the remaining patient demonstrated moderate prosthesis-to-epicardium adhesions with giant-cell and lymphocyte fibrosis. In all patients prosthesis-to-sternum adhesions were minimal. These observations suggest that careful washing is essential in all bioprosthetic implants to eliminate residual preservatives and fixatives. In addition, preservation in ethanol is associated with less prosthesis-epicardium reaction than is formalin preservation. Both products are successful in easing reentry, and no episode of infection has been associated with either prosthesis.

Adolescent

Diagnosis and management of traumatic ventricular septal defect.

Four cases of ventricular septal defect secondary to stab wounds of the heart are presented. One of three patients arriving at the Emergency Department in shock and who were resuscitated required an emergency thoracotomy. These patients had immediate repair of their external cardiac wounds in the Operating Room. Cases 1 and 3 developed heart failure and loud systolic murmur postoperatively. Case 4 was treated with chest tube for a left hemothorax and developed heart failure after discharge. In Cases 1, 2, and 3, 2-D echocardiography detected and located a VSD. In Case 3 Doppler measurement showed elevated RV pressure (45 mm Hg) and decreased peak tricuspid to mitral flow ratio (0.36, normal = 0.6). All patients underwent cardiac catheterization. In Case 4 there was associated mitral regurgitation. Cases 1 and 3 had pulmonary to systemic flow ratios greater than 3:1. Cases 1, 3, and 4 underwent operative repair. In Case 1 the VSD was closed with a dacron patch, and in Cases 3 and 4 it was sutured with Teflon pledgets. In Case 4 a puncture wound of the mitral valve annulus was simultaneously repaired. All patients are alive but in Case 1 postoperative 2-D echocardiography demonstrated partial dehiscence of the patch which has not required reoperation and in Case 3 post-repair 2-D echocardiography and Doppler flow studies have shown an intact VSD repair. This series of post-traumatic VSD demonstrates its varying clinical presentation and the diagnostic and followup benefits offered by 2-D echocardiography, especially when combined with Doppler flow measures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult

Beneficial effects of cocarboxylase in the treatment of experimental myocardial infarction in dogs.

Cocarboxylase, or thiamine pyrophosphate, is an essential coenzyme in the catabolism of pyruvate. The authors evaluated the effects of a stable cocarboxylase solution in the treatment of an experimentally created acute myocardial infarction in 14 healthy mongrel dogs. The left anterior descending artery was ligated for 60 minutes and data were collected at the following points: A) prior to ligation, B) 15 minutes after ligation, C) 30 minutes after ligation, and D) 60 minutes after ligation. In one group (Group II), cocarboxylase (150 mgm/kg) was given systematically via a central line 15 minutes and 45 minutes after ligation, while in Group I an equal amount of D5W was given. Hemodynamic data include heart rate, systolic and mean arterial pressure, pulmonary wedge pressure, right arterial pressure, and cardiac output. Myocardial O2 consumption was determined by the method of Rooke and Feigl. Electrocardiographic data were also monitored throughout the experiment. In both groups, preligation (point A) hemodynamic data were similar. In Group II, there were beneficial hemodynamic changes versus Group I (expressed as percentage recovery of hemodynamic performance from preligation) at points C and D, with significant (P less than 0.05) decreases in heart rate, increased stroke volume, decreased systemic vascular resistance, and decreased myocardial O2 consumption. EKG criteria also showed improvement in Group II versus Group I. In conclusion, this experiment suggests that cocarboxylase may be beneficial to ischemic canine myocardium by virtue of its favorable systemic hemodynamic effects.

Animals

Carcinoma of the lung in patients under 40 years of age.

Bronchogenic carcinoma in the young population (40 years of age or less) is reported to present in an advanced stage and to have a virulent course. Between 1969 and 1979, 101 patients (65 men and 36 women) presented with cancer of the lung. Their mean age was 36.2 +/- 3.9 years (range 18 to 40 years). Eighty-seven percent had a history of cigarette smoking. Fifty percent of the patients had a strong familial history of malignancy of several organs. The interval between onset of symptoms and diagnosis was 4.01 +/- 3.48 months (3.56 +/- 3.34 for the surgically treated group and 4.16 +/- 3.53 for the nonoperated or unresectable group). Diagnosis was made at bronchoscopy in 32 patients, during thoracotomy in 30 patients, during nodal biopsy in 28 patients, and on cytologic examination of the sputum in 9 patients. The most common cell types were adenocarcinoma in 39 patients, squamous carcinoma in 29 patients, and oat cell carcinoma in 18 patients. Eighty-six patients (the majority) presented in stage III, whereas 9 were in stage I and 6 were in stage II. Twenty-seven patients (26.7 percent) underwent resection for cure, whereas 18 patients were inoperable at surgery. Eighteen of the surgical patients had adjuvant radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or both. The average length of survival for the nonresected patients was 7.12 +/- 5.9 months (range 1 to 36 months) and the actuarial survival was 1.5 percent at 36 months. The survival for the surgically managed patients was 56.1 +/- 52.6 months (range 3 to 168 months) or 48 percent at 36 months. At 46 to 168 months after treatment, the only survivors were 13 patients who were surgically managed. Stage III patients had longer survival after surgery (24.1 +/- 24.6 months to 7.09 +/- 5.90 months; range 3 to 74 months and 1 to 36 months, respectively). The survival at 5 years for patients with stage I disease was 78.8 percent, stage II disease 66.6 percent, and stage III disease, 3.6 percent. Early diagnosis and aggressive surgical management are necessary to improve the survival of patients with bronchogenic carcinoma under 40 years of age.

Adolescent

Trocar cannulation of the ascending aorta: a new technique.

An improved technique for cannulating the ascending aorta has been developed and used in 229 consecutive open-heart procedures without complication. Advantages of the method include speed and ease of cannula insertion, elimination of the need for partial-occlusion clamping of the aorta, minimization of the risk of introducing air, minimization of blood loss, and facilitation of distal cannulation in patients with short aortas.

Aorta

Strut fracture and disc embolization of a Björk-Shiley mitral valve prosthesis: localization of embolized disc by computerized axial tomography.

The case of a patient who survived strut fracture and embolization of a Björk-Shiley mitral prosthetic disc is presented. Prompt surgical treatment was directly responsible for survival. In addition, computerized axial tomography of the abdomen aided in localizing and retrieving the embolized disc, which was lodged at the origin of the superior mesenteric artery. A review of similar case reports from the literature supports our conclusions that the development of acute heart failure and absent or muffled prosthetic heart sounds in a patient with a Björk-Shiley prosthetic heart valve inserted prior to 1978 should raise the possibility of valve dysfunction and lead to early reoperation.

Adult

Continuous monitoring of mixed venous oxygen saturation in cardiac surgery.

Serial measurement of mixed venous oxygen saturation is useful in the care of critically ill patients. It is an index of cardiac output and overall tissue perfusion. Previously, lack of refinement of the technology for continuous monitoring of mixed venous oxygen saturation deterred its clinical application. The authors evaluated the Oximetrix ShawTM catheter oximeter system between May 1980 and April 1981 in 84 high-risk and moderately high-risk patients. Fifty-four had undergone only myocardial revascularization while 30 had undergone valvular or combined procedures. In 20 patients with compromised left ventricular function (mean ejection fraction of less than 40%) continuous mixed venous oxygen saturation was compared to hemodynamic parameters in an intraoperative and early postoperative study. The results indicated that satisfactory mixed venous oxygen saturation (more than 65%) correlated with normal hemodynamic measurements including cardiac output and cardiac index. In general, a fall in mixed venous oxygen saturation of more than 10% was noted before the mean blood pressure, heart rate or pulmonary capillary wedge pressure changed. Cardiac output, cardiac index, systemic vascular resistance and left ventricular stroke work index were found to change in association with a change in mixed venous oxygen saturation. A fall (mixed venous oxygen saturation less than 65%) can be related to: (a) abnormal hemodynamic status--reduced cardiac output, hypotension, elevated systemic vascular resistance and arrhythmias, (b) abnormal oxygen demand--shivering, suctioning, positioning and pyrexia and (c) abnormal oxygen supply--anemia, airway obstruction and altered diffusion of oxygen at the alveolar capillary membrane. The Oximetrix system proved reliable. Mixed venous oxygen saturation is a nonspecific indicator of hemodynamic status. Continuous monitoring of the mixed venous oxygen saturation facilitates optimal patient management by immediately alerting intensive care personnel to the development of inadequate tissue perfusion.

Adult

Primary cardiac tumors: experience with 25 cases.

The case histories of patients with primary cardiac neoplasms are presented. The mean age was 49.6 years and females predominated (17:8). Nineteen of the tumors were benign (76%), 18 myxomas and one mesenchymal hamartoma. There were six malignant neoplasms; two myxosarcomas, two rhabdomyosarcomas, one skeletal angiomatosis, and one malignant melanoma. The clinical presentation was congestive heart failure in 17 patients and peripheral embolization in five (one patient with both). There were four asymptomatic patients. Antemortem diagnosis was made in 20 patients and five were discovered at autopsy. After 1970, almost 95% of the patients were diagnosed preoperatively while only 14% of the patients had preoperative diagnosis before 1970. Cardiac catheterization and echocardiography were the most useful diagnostic procedures performed but a computed tomographic scan of the heart performed in a patient with right ventricular hamartoma was of great value in delineating the lesion. Twenty-one patients underwent a total of 26 operations but complete excision of the lesion was possible in only 16 patients. Three patients underwent extensive resection and reconstruction. Associated procedures consisted of coronary artery bypass grafts in two patients, mitral valve annuloplasty in one, and a right lung biopsy. Although there was no operative mortality following the original procedure, one patient died after a third operation for recurrence and another underwent unsuccessful emergency pericardiectomy. All patients with malignant lesions died from recurrence 6 to 13 months postoperatively while only three patients in the benign group died and these of unrelated causes. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice for all primary cardiac neoplasms since it is curative in the benign tumors and may prolong life for up to a year with malignant tumors.

Adolescent