Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Pavie

Publications and source records attributed to A Pavie.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

[Video-surgery for pericardial effusion. Technique and results].

Videosurgery is a relatively non-invasive method of draining the pericardium by the creation of a pleuropericardial window. It provides an excellent view of the thoracic cavity and allows selection of pericardial and pleural, pulmonary or mediastinal biopsy sites. The authors report their preliminary results with this technique. Between May 1994 and May 1995, 22 patients with pericardial effusions were operated by videosurgery at the Pitié Hospital. None of the patients had clinical signs of tamponade. The technique consists in introducing, through 2 or 3 thoracic incisions of 15 mm, trocarts allowing passage of an endoscopic camera and different surgical instruments. Access to the thoracic cavity enabled assessment of the pleura, evacuation of pleural effusions (n = 8) and biopsy of pleural nodules (n = 2). One pulmonary biopsy was performed. Opening the pericardium enabled evacuation of pericardial effusions averaging 622 ml. Pericardial biopsies showed appearances suggesting tuberculosis (n = 2), lupic vasculitis (n = 1) and post-radiation pericarditis (n = 1). In other cases, a histologic diagnosis of non-specific pericarditis was made. A biopsy of a pleural nodule showed undifferentiated carcinoma in one case. A pulmonary biopsy revealed the presence of relatively undifferentiated carcinoma. There were no complications related to the technique. There was one recurrence of pericardial effusion at one month in a patient with carcinoma of the lung who had previously had subxiphoid drainage. There were no cases of secondary pericardial constriction. Therefore, videosurgery is a relatively non-invasive and effective technique of pericardial drainage and biopsy. When there is no emergency, it is probably the method of choice in the treatment and diagnosis of pericardial effusions.

Adult↗

[Reoperation for aortic valve replacement after myocardial revascularization].

A series of 13 patients (11 male, 2 female, average age 61 +/- 6 years) with previous aortocoronary bypass surgery and reoperated for aortic valve replacement (AVR) were analysed retrospectively. At coronary bypass, 8 patients (Group I) has insignificant aortic stenosis (AS) (mean transvalvular pressure gradient < 40 mmHg and/or aortic valve surface > 1 cm2). The other 5 had no aortic valvular lesion (Group II). The average time interval between the two operations was 7 +/- 3.3 years (Group I: 6.7 +/- 3.5 years; Group II: 7.4 +/- 3.2 years). In Group I, 2 patients required early AVR (2 years) whereas the time of reoperation varied from 6 to 12 years in the other 6 patients. No operative complications related to the sternotomy or dissection of adhesions were observed. In 3 cases, it was necessary to free the implanted grafts on the right coronary artery to gain access to the initial part of the aorta. A transverse low aortotomy allowed AVR in good conditions in all cases. One patient in Group II died on the 5th postoperative day of a low output syndrome complicated by pneumonia. After an average follow-up of 3 +/- 2 years, 9 patients are still alive. Three patients in Group I died, two of cardiac failure and one of unknown causes. The authors conclude that "prophylactic" AVR in cases of insignificant AS in patients referred for coronary bypass surgery is not justified. Regular echocardiographic follow-up should lead to AVR at the most appropriate moment, sometimes after an interval of several years, with a low operative risk.

Aged↗

[Long term results of the surgical treatment of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathies].

Between January 1973 and December 1993, 66 patients underwent surgery in our department for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy; mean basal outflow gradient was 48.4 +/- 36 mmHg, 20 patients had mitral valve lesions. Thirty six patients underwent myotomy-myomectomy alone, 13 mitral valve replacement alone, and 17 both myotomy-myomectomy and mitral valve replacement. The 30-day mortality rate was 7.5% for all patients; predominant risk factors were gender (female), greater cardiothoracic ratio, preoperative episodes of atrial fibrillation and lack of syncope. Overall survival rate (operative mortality included) was 65.3 +/- 8.6% at 13 years. Predominant risk factors for late mortality were the same than above, plus mitral valve replacement; so mitral valve repair, whenever feasible should be undertaken. Forty nine patients are still followed up: 46 are asymptomatic; Doppler mean basal outflow gradient was reduced to 10 +/- 1.4 mmHg. In conclusion, surgery relieves symptoms and outflow obstruction, and allows mitral valve reconstruction.

Actuarial Analysis↗

Bridge to transplantation with the CardioWest total artificial heart: the international experience 1993 to 1995.

BACKGROUND: After reapproval by the Food and Drug Administration of the CardioWest total artificial heart for clinical investigation, an international study was started in January 1993 to ascertain the safety and efficacy of this device for bridging to heart transplantation. To date, 40 devices have been implanted in five centers. METHODS: Retrospective data collection from participating centers provided enough material for analysis of patient selection, patient survival, adverse events, and comparison with contemporary devices used for bridge to transplantation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Twelve patients (30%) died after implantation and before transplantation after an average of 10.6 +/- 10 days of support. The major cause of death in this group was multiorgan failure. Twenty-eight patients (70%) were supported 36 +/- 36 days before transplantation. There were two deaths after transplantation (1 rejection, 1 multiorgan failure) leaving 26 patients (65% of the total patients and 93% of those who were transplanted) who survived to discharge from the hospital. There was one late death from rejection at one month post discharge. The mean survival time of the 25 surviving patients is 12 months. These results compare favorably with those of other contemporary devices used for bridge to transplantation.

Adult↗

[Cardiac transplantation. Lack of donor organs. Current status].

The lack of donor organs in France has led to a decrease in the number of cardiac transplantations (636 in 1990. 429 in 1994), despite the fact that the number of indications remains high. The reasons for this inadequation are multiple, but family refusal remains the major cause (65% of cases of non-donation). Efforts should continue to try and reverse this attitude to make this unequaled treatment available. The difficulties should in no case influence the indications of transplantations.

Attitude to Death↗

Extra-annular procedures in the surgical management of prosthetic valve endocarditis.

Severe acute endocarditis can be associated with major destruction of the annulus. Meticulous surgical debridement of friable necrotic material is always necessary and major damage to the annulus of the valve may impair secure seating of the prosthesis. Extra-annular implantation of a prosthesis may be a life-saving procedure when annular implantation is impossible. Between 1978 and 1989, 36 patients underwent extra-annular complex procedures for annular abscesses. The infection involved the aortic prosthesis and the annulus in 22 patients, and the mitral prosthesis and the annulus in 14 patients. In cases of aortic root abscess, a subcoronary valved graft (11 patients), a supracoronary valved conduit (ten patients) or a left ventricle-abdominal aorta valved conduit (one patient) were implanted. In cases of mitral valve endocarditis with extensive annular abscess, intra-atrial insertion of a mitral prosthesis was performed. In such cases, repair of the aortic root with a valved conduit or intra-atrial implantation of a mitral valvular prosthesis can be life saving and can be expected to give excellent long-term results.

Abscess↗

Clinical experience with a total artificial heart as a bridge for transplantation: the pitie experience.

Since April 1986, 82 patients have received a pneumatic total artificial heart, 62 a JARVIK-7, and 20 a Cardiowest. The duration of support ranged from less than 1 day to 603 days (mean duration: 27 +/- 82). The indications were for acute shock (38 cases) or for chronic deterioration on the transplant waiting list (44 cases). The etiology was mainly due to idiopathic and ischemic cardiomyopathy. With the help of our scoring system, we divided our patients in three groups: Chronic Implantation, represented by two females staying on device for 6 and 19 months, respectively; a High-Risk group of 29 patients characterized by high-risk indications; graft failure, rejection, postcardiotomy patient, postpartum cardiomyopathy, and valvular and congenital reoperation. In addition, the dilated and ischemic cardiomyopathy patients with a score over 6 were included in this group; and an Elective Indication group (51 patients) represented all of the dilated and ischemic cardiomyopathy patients with a score under 6. Due to the shortage of donors, our criteria for transplantation are very strict. Transplants should be made only in cases of hemodynamic stability, on an extubated patient with normal renal and liver functions, without coagulation problems or infection. With such criteria, in the high-risk group, only four patients could be transplanted and of these two are still alive. In contrast, in the elective group, 31 were transplanted (61%), and 71% of these patients were discharged. The rate is improved in the most recent cases, with 90% of the Cardiowest patients being survivors.

Acute Disease↗

[Septicemia and endocarditis related to transvenous pacing leads of pacemakers: surgical indications and results].

Endocarditis of transvenous pacing leads is a rare condition. The authors review a series of 15 patients who developed bacteriologically proven septicaemia and/or endocarditis related to transvenous pacing leads, operated between 1988 and 1993. The interval between the last manipulation of the pacemaker and the onset of endocarditis was about 6 months. Six patients had had haematoma and/or infection of the pacemaker site. Endocarditis presented with chronic pyrexia (14 cases) associated with septicaemia (6 cases) and chronic local suppuration (1 case). The interval between the beginning of the pyrexia and the diagnosis was 3.4 months. Echocardiography showed a mass attached to the pacing lead in 8 cases and tricuspid valve vegetations in 4 cases. Blood cultures were positive in 13 patients and local wound swabs identified the organism in 1 patient. The commonest causal agent was the staphylococcus (epidermis in 7 cases, aureus in 4 cases). Appropriate antibiotic therapy was only effective in 1 case. The surgical indication in 13 cases was persistence of infection associated with pulmonary embolism (3) or tricuspid regurgitation (2). Complete ablation of the prosthetic material was performed by a peripheral vascular approach (2 cases), by a right atrial approach (1 case) and under cardiopulmonary bypass in 12 cases. The peroperative findings were of tricuspid valve vegetations (4 cases), thrombi on the pacing lead (7 cases) or in the right heart chambers (2 cases) or pulmonary artery (2 cases). The associated procedures performed under cardiopulmonary bypass were tricuspid valve repair (2 cases) and pulmonary thrombectomy (2 cases). Temporary and permanent epicardial leads were implanted in 10 patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

Cryopreserved small-diameter arterial allografts for arterial by-pass procedures: an experimental study.

The search of small-caliber vascular prosthesis for myocardial revascularization and arterial reconstruction has led to an investigation of cryopreserved arterial allografts in a sheep model. Carotid arteries with an internal diameter of 4 mm and length of 10 cm were harvested from donor sheep and soaked immediately in a cold saline solution. Nine arteries were cryopreserved in a nutrient media containing 10% DMSO as cryoprotectant and then were stored in a liquid nitrogen vapor at -150 degrees C to -170 degrees C. In recipient sheep from different species, arterial substitution of a 10 cm segment of carotid artery was realised by implantation of fresh (n = 9) or cryopreserved (n = 9) carotid artery allografts. After 3 months, the allografts were harvested. In both groups: 7/9 were patent at the time of explantation. Components of arterial allograft rejection were observed in most fresh and cryopreserved arteries: intimal thickening with cell proliferation was seen in fresh (3/7) and cryopreserved (4/8) arteries; Loss of smooth muscle medial cells was constant; Adventitia was involved by a marked inflammatory reaction. A non cellular fibrous intimal thickening and presence of large medial calcifications were essentially observed in cryopreserved arteries. In conclusion, these results show that at three months post implantation, there is little difference in the outcome of fresh and cryopreserved arterial allografts. Cryopreservation does not reduce the apparent antigenicity of small diameter arterial allografts.

Animals↗

Evaluation of cryopreserved arteries as alternative small vessel prostheses.

Biologic or synthetic grafts have had limited success in small vessel applications. Studies were initiated to assess the potential use of cryopreserved (CP) arteries as coronary artery bypass conduits. Sheep carotid arteries (internal diameter: 4 mm; length: 10 cm) were cryopreserved in a nutrient media containing 10% DMSO and were stored in a nitrogen vapor at -150 degrees C. After thawing, histological, enzyme-histochemical and functional studies showed slight histological alterations, preservation of enzymal activities and an abolition of the contractile response. In a sheep model, arterial substitution of a 10 cm segment of carotid artery was realised by implantation of fresh autografts ( n = 4); fresh allografts (n = 9) and CP allografts (n = 9). After 3 months, all autografts were patent with slight histological alterations. Fresh and CP allografts showed similar modifications: patency rate was 7/9 in both groups. Intimal thickening with cell proliferation was seen in fresh (3/7) and CP (4/8) arteries; loss of smooth muscle medial cells was constant. Adventitia was always involved by a marked inflammatory reaction. One characteristic of CP allografts was the frequent presence of large dystrophic calcifications. In conclusion, morphologic and functional arterial changes occurred after freezing and thawing. In spite of vascular rejection, the patency rate of allografts after 3 months of implantation in arterial circulation remained high and does not seem influenced by cryopreservation.

Animals↗