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Biomedical subjects

C E Bemis

Publications and source records attributed to C E Bemis.

50 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva: its natural history.

This case demonstrates that complications develop with aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva. The aneurysm is diagnosed almost exclusively only after rupture. We feel that echocardiography provides a convenient means to follow cases of suspected aneurysms. A change in aortic root size may indicate imminent rupture. Fluttering of the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve would suggest aortic insufficiency, while an increase in right ventricular size coupled with paradoxical septal motion would strongly suggest a left-to-right shunt. Change in a murmur or in the aortic silhouette probably warrants cardiac catheterization. If rupture is suggested by clinical findings and corroborated by catheterization, surgery is indicated to prevent progressive cardiac failure.

Adult↗

Retrograde catheterisation of left atrium.

Retrograde catheterisation of the left atrium using a no. 8 F pigtail catheter introduced percutaneously via a femoral artery was successfully accomplished in 48 out of 50 patients undergoing diagnostic cardiac catheterisation. There was one episode of ventricular fibrillation requiring cardioversion (without sequelae), and one episode of ventricular tachycardia which was self-terminating, but no other complications and no deaths. The average fluoroscopy time was four minutes.

Blood Pressure↗

Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva.

We present the clinical, angiographic and surgical findings in a 63-year-old man with anomalous origin of the left main coronary artery from the right sinus of valsalva. The course of the left main artery was abnormal in that it passed between the aorta and the pulmonary artery; in addition, there was obstructive disease involving the left main coronary artery. The association of these two entities in this age group is unusual.

Coronary Disease↗

Sudden death in severe aortic stenosis following cardiac catheterization.

Five patients with critical aortic stenosis (aortic valve area 0.6 cm2 or less) died 2 days to 21 days following cardiac catheterization performed in anticipation of cardiac surgery. A sixth patient was successfully resuscitated for spontaneous ventricular fibrillation, and successful aortic valve replacement was accomplished. Two patients had prior history of syncope; one patient, of ventricular tachycardia; three patients, of pulmonary edema; and three patients, of crescendo angina. One patient had severe hypotension during maintenance hemodialysis for chronic renal failure. The mode of death was sudden but not witnessed in two patients. The terminal cardiac rhythms were slow junctional in one patient, idioventricular in one, ventricular tachycardia in one, and ventricular fibrillation in the fourth patient. We conclude that symptomatic patients with critical aortic stenosis should be monitored after cardiac catheterization, and surgery should be performed as soon as possible since sudden death is not unusual.

Aged↗

Coronary artery to pulmonary artery fistulas.

Twelve patients with a total of 14 coronary artery to pulmonary artery fistulas were discovered at the time of diagnostic coronary angiography. Six patients had severe coronary artery disease, five patients had normal coronary arteriography, one patient had insignificant coronary artery disease, and one patient had rheumatic heart disease. Only two patients had characteristic continuous murmurs; one patient had a normal coronary angiogram, and the second patient had severe coronary artery disease. Ten fistulas originated from the left anterior descending artery, three from the right coronary artery, and one from the left circumflex artery. The fistulas were either composed of one large (five fistulas) or one or more small channels (seven fistulas) or poorly defined plexiform channels (two fistulas). Hydrogen studies performed in two patients were negative and dye dilution curves performed in all patients were normal. In only four out of the six patients with severe coronary artery disease, the fistulas originated from a diseased vessel and in each case the origin was proximal to the narrowing. The pathogenesis and functional role of these fistulas is largely unknown.

Adult↗

Prolapse of the mitral valve: clinical, hemodynamic, angiographic and echocardiographic correlations.

Among 1,519 patients undergoing diagnostic cardiac catheterization over a 2-year period, angiographically unequivocal mitral valve prolapse was identified in 79 cases (5.2%). Mitral valve prolapse was clinically unsuspected in 30 of these 79 patients. Echocardiographic studies were available in 44 cases, but only 55% of the patients with prolapse of the mitral valve documented by angiography had positive echocardiographic findings. One third of the patients had associated coronary artery disease, aortic valve disease or atrial septal defects. 14 patients (18%) had moderate or severe mitral regurgitation. There was a wide spectrum of hemodynamic and ventriculographic abnormalities that could not entirely be explained by the degree of prolapse, by the severity of mitral regurgitation or by the presence of associated diseases.

Adolescent↗

Significance of collateral circulation in patients with left main coronary artery disease.

Fifty patients with left main coronary artery disease were studied to evaluate the functional role of collateral circulation. The left main was narrowed 50-70% in 22 patients (group I), and more than 70% in 28 patients (group II). Significant disease in the other vessels was equally common in each group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of inter- and intracoronary collaterals in the two groups. Fifteen patients with no collaterals were compared with 35 patients with collaterals, and to a subset of 11 patients with very rich right-to-left collaterals, and there was no significant difference in historic or ECG evidence of old infarction, duration of angina, incidence of unstable angina, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, cardiac index, ejection fraction, or segmental contraction abnormalities. We conclude that there is no evidence of protective effect of collateral vessels in patients with left main disease.

Adult↗

Unsuspected left-to-right shunt: is routine use of hydrogen platinum electrode system indicated in shunt detection?

Unsuspected left-to-right shunt was found in 6 of 1,500 adult patients undergoing diagnostic cardiac catheterization. In 3 patients were found unsuspected secundum atrial septal defects (1 associated with mitral stenosis and 2 with coronary artery disease). In 3 patients, unsuspected partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage was found (1 associated with aortic valve disease and 2 with severe coronary artery disease). It is concluded that the incidence of unsuspected left-to-right shunt diagnosed during routine cardiac catheterization is very low. Careful physical examination and the application of conventional techniques during cardiac catheterization should suggest the possibility of such a shunt. Hydrogen platinum electrode system (HPES) should be reserved for patients in whom the right heart catheter takes an abnormal course or when the pulmonary artery oxygen saturation is high and the arteriovenous oxygen difference is small.

Adult↗

A comparison of formulas used to estimate mixed venous saturations.

True mixing of venous blood in the absence of shunt occurs in the pulmonary artery. In the presence of left to right shunt at a level proximal to the pulmonary artery, mixed venous blood for oxygen saturation (MVO2) is estimated by using an average of blood samples taken from the chamber proximal to the shunt. In atrial septal defect, the determination of MVO2 is calculated by using blood samples from the superior vena cava (SVC) and the inferior vena cava (IVC). Several formulas have been proposed, utilizing varying combinations of blood samples taken from the SVC and IVC. In the present investigation, 100 patients without evidence of shunt were studied during routine cardiac catheterization. Duplicate blood samples were taken from the pulmonary artery (PA), the SVC, and the IVC, and were analyzed for oxygen-saturation. If one assumes that the PA blood sample represents true venous blood mixing (TMVO2), the following formulas were used for comparison: 1)PA = SVC; 2) PA = IVC; 3) PA = (SVC + IVC)/2; 4) PA = (2SVC + IVC)/3; 5) PA = (3SVC + IVC)/4; and 6) PA = (2IVC + SVC)/3. When one uses the standard two variable regression equations, this study shows that the 90% confidence limits are wide. The correlation, however, is somewhat better if one uses the formulas 3)-6). Therefore, the error that may be introduced in calculating the TMVO2 may be substantial and can critically alter the estimation of the shunted blood volume.

Adult↗