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Biomedical subjects

H R Figulla

Publications and source records attributed to H R Figulla.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

[High risk PTCA: prevention and treatment of cardiogenic shock with mechanical assist systems].

Vessel occlusion during of after PTCA integrates the risk of pump failure if the ischemia volume is great as compared to the remaining myocardium. In so-called high-risk PTCA a risk stratification by means of risk scores such as "Bergelson Score" is mandatory. To encounter the risk of pump failure the application of mechanical cardiac assist devices such as balloon pumps, Hemopump or percutaneous applicable cardio-pulmonary support (pCPS) can be considered. To counteract ischemia during balloon inflation active perfusion balloons can be applied. The latter systems are simple and effective, however the duration of application is restricted to the balloon inflation period. Cardiac assist devices are more aggressive. While the results of intaaortic ballon pump in combination with high-risk PTCA are unsatisfying, Hemopumps and pCPS were alternatives, although the Hemopump is still under investigation. Our own results on 42 patients with high-risk PTCA demonstrate an acceptable 8.6% hospital mortality rate, however an unsatisfying intermediate survival rate since a complete revascularisation in this subset of patients with extensive coronary disease and, frequently, total vessel occlusion is mostly impossible.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary↗
PubMed1995

[Successful valvuloplasty of a calcified, high-grade pulmonary valve stenosis with removal of a right-left shunt at the atrial level].

HISTORY AND CLINICAL FINDINGS: A 68-year-old woman, with a cardiac murmur known since childhood and suffering from increasing dyspnoea for several years, was admitted to hospital after echocardiography had suggested pulmonary valve stenosis and an atrial septal defect. While her general condition was satisfactory, she had marked central cyanosis with clubbed fingers and moderate bilateral oedema of the lower legs. A rough, diamond-shaped systolic murmur was heard, loudest over the left 2nd intercostal space. In addition to a cardiac defect with right to left shunt, primary pulmonary disease with cor pulmonale was considered in the differential diagnosis. EXAMINATIONS: Haemoglobin content was 25.1 g/dl, haematocrit 72.4%, red cell count 7.44 x 10(6). Arterial oxygen partial pressure was 40 mm Hg, arterial oxygen saturation 81.8%, Echocardiography further revealed right ventricular enlargement, marked tricuspid regurgitation and a stenosed calcified pulmonary valve. At right heart catheterization a right to left interatrial shunt was calculated at 47% of systemic flow and a systolic pressure gradient between right ventricle and pulmonary artery of 131 mm Hg was measured. TREATMENT AND COURSE: Haemoglobin content was lowered to 19.4 g/dl after bloodletting. Balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty reduced the transvalvular systolic gradient to 31 mm Hg. The further course was without complication: 4 months later the patient had only grade II (NYHA) dyspnoea, the oxygen saturation was 91.3%. CONCLUSION: Severe pulmonary valve stenosis with right to left interatrial shunt can be successfully treated by balloon dilatation even in elderly patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Pulmonary and left ventricular decompression by artificial pulmonary valve incompetence during percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass support in cardiac arrest.

BACKGROUND: In cardiac arrest, use of percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass support (PCPS) may lead to left ventricular loading, with deleterious effects on the myocardium, and is often accompanied by an increase in pulmonary artery pressure. The present study was designed to assess the potential of artificially induced pulmonary valve incompetency to retrogradely decompress the left ventricle during PCPS in ventricular fibrillation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Studies were performed using a standardized experimental animal model in sheep (n = 12; body weight, 77 to 112 kg). When PCPS was used during fibrillation, an increase in left ventricular pressure (from 21.4 +/- 5.0 mm Hg after 1 minute to 28.4 +/- 9.5 mm Hg after 10 minutes of fibrillation) was observed in all animals, with a simultaneous increase in pulmonary artery pressure in 6 animals, from 15.5 +/- 3.8 to 24.3 +/- 5.4 mm Hg (group A). In these animals, artificial pulmonary valve incompetency, which was induced by a special "pulmonary valve spreading catheter," led to effective decompression of both the pulmonary circulation (decrease in pulmonary artery pressure from 24.3 to 11.3 mm Hg) and the left ventricle (decrease in left ventricular pressure from 30.5 to 17.7 mm Hg). We simultaneously measured a decrease in the myocardial release of lactate (increase in arterial coronaryvenous difference in lactate content from -0.01 to 0.14 mmol/L), demonstrating the myocardial protective effect of the procedure. In contrast, in 6 animals without an increase in pulmonary artery pressure during PCPS (group B), artificial pulmonary valve incompetency did not reduce left ventricular loading, which was probably because of competent mitral valves in these animals. CONCLUSIONS: In case of increasing pulmonary artery pressure during PCPS in cardiac arrest, artificial pulmonary valve incompetency might be a useful tool for effective pulmonary and retrograde left ventricular decompression.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Extensive intramural hematoma as the cause of failed coronary angioplasty: diagnosis by intravascular ultrasound and treatment by stent implantation.

Dissections after coronary angioplasty are the major cause of ischemic events following percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and may require additional measures such as intravascular stent deployment to relieve or prevent acute vessel closure. We describe a rare type of dissection after PTCA which caused a severe obstruction of the vessel segment proximal to the dilatation site without a visible dissection flap. Intravascular ultrasound was used to elucidate the morphology of the proximal vessel obstruction, which revealed an intramural hematoma extending into the proximal vessel segment as underlying mechanism. A Palmaz-Schatz stent was placed at the entry site of this hematoma, which led to the relief of the proximal vessel obstruction. After 3 months of anticoagulation therapy the repeat coronary angiography showed no significant restenosis. This demonstrates the unique insight into the underlying morphology of failed PTCA by intravascular ultrasound, which can help to manage even rare and unusual complications.

Aortic Dissection↗
PubMed1995

Myocardial enterovirus infection with left ventricular dysfunction: a benign disease compared with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

OBJECTIVES: Endomyocardial biopsy samples from patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy were screened for the presence of enterovirus genome. Patients with enterovirus-positive samples were further studied with regard to disease course, histologic variables and response to interferon-alpha treatment. BACKGROUND: Studies of patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy have reported widely divergent clinical outcomes, suggesting that there is no unique underlying pathogenetic mechanism. METHODS: Five left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy samples were screened for the presence of the enterovirus genome by an established in situ hybridization technique in combination with a histologic, histomorphometric and immunohistologic workup. The course of the disease was then prospectively followed for up to 50 months. Virus-positive patients whose condition deteriorated were treated with interferon-alpha. RESULTS: Of 77 patients, 20 (26%) had enterovirus-positive and 57 (74%) enterovirus-negative biopsy samples. During a mean follow-up period of 25.8 +/- 13.7 months, 1 patient in the enterovirus-positive group and 11 in the enterovirus-negative group died. Four patients in the enterovirus-negative group underwent heart transplantation (p < 0.05). The surviving 19 enterovirus-positive patients had a decrease in mean left ventricular end-diastolic diameter from 66 to 61 mm (p < 0.05) and a mean increase in left ventricular ejection fraction from 0.35 to 0.43 (p < 0.05). In contrast, enterovirus-negative patients had no significant change in end-diastolic diameter or left ventricular ejection fraction. Four patients in the enterovirus-positive group whose condition deteriorated were treated with a 6-month course of subcutaneous interferon-alpha (3 x 10(6) U every second day). This treatment induced hemodynamic improvement in all four patients and eliminated the persistent enteroviral infection in two. CONCLUSIONS: Enterovirus-positive patients have a better heart transplantation-free survival rate and hemodynamic course, with fewer histologic changes, than do enterovirus-negative patients. In addition, enterovirus-positive patients respond favorably to interferon-alpha treatment. These observations indicate that myocardial enteroviral infection with associated left ventricular dysfunction is a distinct disease entity with a benign course.

Cardiac Catheterization↗
PubMed1995

Cultured human myocardial fibroblasts of pediatric origin: natural human interferon-alpha is more effective than recombinant interferon-alpha 2a in carrier-state coxsackievirus B3 replication.

Cultured human myocardial fibroblasts of pediatric origin seem to be a useful species-specific model for studying various heart diseases which involve the myocardial interstitium, for example enterovirus heart disease. Cells were propagated from small samples of human ventricular tissues (0.2 g) obtained from standard surgical procedure for the correction of Fallot-tetralogy. Cultured cells exhibited typical fibroblastoid morphology over a period of 4 months and were uniformly immunoreactive with a monoclonal antibody directed against prolyl-4-hydroxylase, a marker enzyme of fibroblasts. Infection of cell cultures with coxsackievirus B3, a cardiotropic enterovirus, resulted in a typical carrier-state type of virus persistence. Average virus titers of 2.3 x 10(5) plaque-forming units/ml (SD = 9.9 x 10(4)) were maintained over a period of up to 10 weeks by productive infection of about 8-10% of the cell population. Coxsackievirus B3 carrier cultures of human myocardial fibroblasts were used to evaluate in vitro the long-term antiviral effects of recombinant interferon alpha-2a and natural human interferon-alpha. Recombinant interferon-alpha reduced virus yields by 90% with a concentration of 423 IU/ml, whereas with natural interferon-alpha a 90% reduction of virus yields was achieved with concentrations as low as 21 IU/ml. Antiviral effects of both recombinant and natural interferon-alpha were highly specific and not related to inhibition of cell-proliferation (< 50% with interferon-alpha concentrations as high as 6250 IU/ml). Since effective concentrations of interferon-alpha can be easily attained in vivo with subcutaneous application, interferon-alpha (in particular: natural interferon-alpha) may become useful in the treatment of patients with enterovirus myocarditis and enterovirus induced dilated cardiomyopathy.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed1995

Subclassification of dilated cardiomyopathy and interferon treatment.

Seventy-seven consecutive patients with dilated cardiomyopathy underwent left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy. In 20 biopsies (26%) enteroviral RNA was detected by in-situ hybridization. After an average observation period of more than 2 years only one patient had died in the enterovirus positive (ev+) group compared with 11 deaths and four heart transplantations in the enterovirus negative (ev-) group. After a mean follow-up of 16 +/- 9 months haemodynamic evaluation of the surviving ev+ patients showed significantly better results with respect to left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter. The four ev+ patients with haemodynamic deterioration were given interferon-alpha, 3 million units subcutaneously every other day for six months. No severe side effects were seen and all four patients improved according to their haemodynamic and clinical parameters. In two of the four patients enteroviral RNA was not detectable in a subsequent biopsy.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Ventilation and dyspnoea during exercise in patients with heart failure.

Patients with chronic heart failure have an increased ventilation/carbon dioxide production ratio (VE/VCO2) during exercise. Recently it was discussed whether the cause of this increase was a ventilatory stimulus driven other than by CO2. Dyspnoea during exercise is thought to be related to impaired respiratory function. However, clinical confirmation is scarce. Ninety-two patients (age 51 +/- 9 years) with heart failure due to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy exercised on a bicycle ergometer to exhaustion, and measurement of ventilatory gases and Swan-Ganz catheterization were performed. The maximal oxygen consumption corrected for body weight (VO2max. kg-1) was 16.6 +/- 5.5 ml x min-1 x kg-1. The increase in (VE/VCO2) during exercise was related to an increase in respiratory rate (r = 0.43; P < 0.00001) but not to an increase in cardiac index or capillary wedge pressure. Nineteen patients stopped exercising because of dyspnoea. Their maximal tidal volume and VO2max . kg-1 were lower than the 67 patients who stopped exercise because of fatigue (P < 0.001 and P < 0.00001 respectively). Other variables showed no significant difference. In conclusion, the increase in VE/VCO2 during exercise may reflect a non-CO2 driven ventilatory stimulus as it cannot be attributed to increased pulmonary vascular pressures or an insufficient increase in cardiac output leading to a ventilation-perfusion mismatch. Low oxygen uptake is a prominent finding in patients with chronic heart failure who experienced dyspnoea during exercise, and dyspnoea is in part related to impaired respiratory function.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Indium-111-antimyosin Fab imaging to demonstrate myocardial involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Indium-111-antimyosin Fab imaging has been used to indicate myocardial injury. This report describes antimyosin accumulation in two patients with myocardial involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus. Both patients complained of chest pain, and significant stenoses of extramural coronary arteries were ruled out by angiography. The first patient, a 64-yr-old woman, had immunopathologic findings suggestive of systemic lupus. Indium-111-antimyosin Fab imaging showed myocardial tracer uptake. This prompted endomyocardial biopsy providing evidence of systemic lupus. The patient improved under immunosuppressive therapy. The second patient, a 47-yr-old man, had systemic lupus diagnosed by immunopathologic findings and skin biopsy. He had evidence of pericarditis on electrocardiography and echocardiography. Indium-111-antimyosin Fab imaging demonstrated additional myocardial involvement, which supported the initiation of immunosuppressive therapy. Our results suggest that 111In-antimyosin Fab imaging may provide valuable diagnostic information and influence patient management in systemic lupus erythematosus with suspected myocardial involvement.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1995

[Initial clinical experiences with TIPS (transjugular intrahepatic portasystemic stent-shunt)].

15 patients with predominantly alcoholtoxic liver cirrhosis (mean age 50 years; 8 men and 7 women) were treated by the technically successful implantation of a transjugular portosystemic stent-shunt (TIPS) within a period of 1 year. The indications for TIPS implantation were the following: gastroesophageal bleedings in 12 cases (10 patients with recurrent variceal bleeding including 2 emergency cases with severe bleeding resistant to conventional therapy and 2 patients with exclusively gastral bleeding due to severe hypertensive gastropathy) and ascites resistant to conventional therapy in 3 cases. Portovenous pressure could be effectively reduced by mean of 37%. Within a mean observation period of 8 months 13 patients including the emergency cases remained without recurrent bleeding. Duplexsonography showed patent stents. 1 patient suffered from an early recurrent bleeding due to occlusion of the stent-shunt. The estimation of liver function according to the Child-Pugh-classification showed only minor changes. Before TIPS 9 patients were in class A, 4 in B, 2 in C; after TIPS 8 patients in A, 5 in B and 2 in C. Ascites resolved completely. Following TIPS all patients appeared to abstain from alcohol. After TIPS 5 from 14 surviving patients (36%) developed clinically manifest encephalopathy within the first 4-8 weeks (2 patients with previous episodes of encephalopathy, 2 other patients after withdrawal of lactulose). By enhanced conservative treatment (lactulose, paromomycine and protein restriction) encephalopathy could be overcome. 8 from 11 surviving patients investigated displayed characteristic MRI changes with an increased signal intensity in the basal ganglia (T1 weighted images). According to our preliminary results TIPS represents a new successful interventional regimen for the treatment of portal hypertension in selected cases.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Prognostic value of Doppler echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular filling in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

The relation of left ventricular (LV) diastolic filling with the clinical outcome in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) was examined. LV diastolic filling was assessed by Doppler echocardiography in 57 patients with IDC at the time that the diagnosis was established by angiocardiography. Patients were followed for 29 +/- 16 months. Fifteen patients died: 12 due to progressive congestive heart failure and 3 suddenly. Four other patients underwent cardiac transplantation because of progressive heart failure (1-year survival 86%). Patients who died of congestive heart failure or underwent cardiac transplantation had a steep increase and decrease in the early filling phase as compared with survivors; the peak early Doppler velocity was higher (0.84 +/- 0.16 vs 0.65 +/- 0.21 m/s; p < 0.005), and the deceleration time of the early velocity peak was shorter (117 +/- 26 vs 188 +/- 62 ms; p < 0.001) than in survivors. Surviving patients and those who died suddenly showed similar patterns of LV filling. Deceleration time and peak early Doppler velocity were the strongest predictors of survival as compared with systolic function and clinical status in a Cox proportional-hazards analysis. Patients with a shortened deceleration time (< or = 140 ms) had a significantly reduced 2-year survival rate of 52% (confidence interval 34 to 71%) as compared with those with a longer deceleration time (94%; confidence interval 89 to 98%) (p < 0.001). Evidence was presented for a relation between LV filling and survival in patients with IDC.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed1994

Mechanical left ventricular unloading during high risk coronary angioplasty: first use of a new percutaneous transvalvular left ventricular assist device.

A new catheter mounted, transvalvular left ventricular assist device has been designed for percutaneous transfemoral access. The device, the Hemopump [14 French (Fr.) outer diameter], is based on a mixed flow rotary pump and is capable of flow rates of 1.5-2.2 l/min. The pump is inserted using a specialized 16 Fr. femoral introducer sheath. The first application of the percutaneous Hemopump in man was performed in two patients with hemodynamic compromise during high risk coronary angioplasty. In these patients, Hemopump support resulted in hemodynamic stabilization (increase in aortic pressure from 60/42 to 87/61 and from 80/60 to 100/70 mm Hg, respectively) and marked left ventricular unloading (decrease in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure from 25 to 10 and from 14 to 10 mm Hg) during balloon inflation. In both patients, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) could be accomplished successfully. Using the system for periods of about 2 hr in each patient, we observed no vascular, hemorrhagic, or embolic complications. In both patients, only a minor increase in both plasma free hemoglobin and lactate dehydrogenase levels was noted. Our preliminary experiences suggest that the percutaneous Hemopump is safe and effective and may be a powerful alternative to other devices used for supported angioplasty.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Comparison of hemodynamic and Doppler echocardiographic effects of a new low osmolar nonionic and a standard ionic contrast agent after left ventriculography.

The hemodynamic effects of a new nonionic low osmolar contrast agent (iomeprol) during left ventriculography (LC) was compared with a standard ionic contrast agent (meglumine diatrizoate) in a randomized double blind study in 30 patients with suspected coronary artery disease and normal systolic ventricular function. LV diastolic function was assessed by Doppler echocardiographic recording of the transmittal filling curve and by intraventricular tip-manometry before and within 30 sec of the LC. In the group receiving the ionic contrast agent the systolic pressure fell from 126 +/- 23 to 111 +/- 18 mmHg (P < 0.05), and heart rate increased from 64 +/- 9 to 71 +/- 11 min-1 (P < 0.05), while no such effects were observed with the nonionic contrast agent, indicating differences in the vasodilator properties. The latter caused an increase of the peak early Doppler velocity (52 +/- 11 to 62 +/- 14 cm/sec; P < 0.05). After the ionic contrast agent, the effect on the peak early Doppler velocity was less pronounced, probably due to an interaction with the known depressant effect of the increase in heart rate on the early Doppler velocity. In both groups the left ventricular end diastolic pressure was increased from 7 +/- 3 to 10 +/- 4 mmHg. No significant effects on peak-dp/dt and dp/dt were observed in either group. The nonionic contrast agent iomeprol had no significant effect on systolic arterial pressure and heart rate in contrast to the ionic contrast agent, probably due to a less pronounced vasodilator effect. Despite these differences of the global hemodynamic response, there were similar effects of both contrast agents on LV diastolic filling.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Enterovirus-induced myocarditis: hemodynamic deterioration with immunosuppressive therapy and successful application of interferon-alpha.

In 1985, myocarditis was diagnosed by endomyocardial biopsy in a 53-year-old woman who was free of symptoms of heart insufficiency. Immunosuppressive therapy with azathioprine and prednisolone was prescribed as the patient had deteriorated to NYHA II heart insufficiency in March 1986. When application of immunosuppressive agents was terminated in 1987, serial endomyocardial biopsies revealed no signs of myocarditis, thus indicating effectiveness of immunosuppression. Nevertheless, the patient had worsened clinically and hemodynamically. At follow-up in 1991, the patient had progressed to dilated cardiomyopathy resulting in NYHA III heart insufficiency. Enterovirus infection of the heart was detected by in situ nucleic acid hybridization. In addition, retrospective serology indicated a significant increase of coxsackievirus B2 antibodies between 1985 and 1991. Investigational antiviral therapy with recombinant interferon alpha-2a was tolerated well and a favorable clinical, hemodynamic, and virologic response was observed. Thus, progression of biopsy-proven myocarditis to dilated cardiomyopathy may have been facilitated by immunosuppressive therapy in enterovirus infection. Antiviral therapy might be advantageous in patients with enterovirus myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy.

Azathioprine↗
PubMed1994

Circulatory support devices in clinical cardiology. Current concepts.

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) has extended its indications to multivessel disease and impaired left-ventricular function. In these patients, failed PTCA may induce cardiogenic shock or arrest. Coronary and circulatory support devices such as antegrade perfusion catheters, coronary sinus retrograde perfusion, intraaortic balloon pumping, left-ventricular pumping (Hemopump) and percutaneously applicable cardiopulmonary support are the tools necessary for high-risk PTCAs. The devices are a prerequisite for developing a minimally invasive cardiac surgery.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary↗
PubMed1994

Need for active left-ventricular decompression during percutaneous cardiopulmonary support in cardiac arrest.

During ventricular fibrillation, myocardial hemodynamic and metabolic effects of percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS) were analyzed in 11 adult sheep (body weight 77-112 kg). During supported fibrillation, an abrupt increase in left-ventricular pressures with alignment to aortic pressures was observed in 2 animals, which was probably due to spontaneous aortic regurgitation, and resulted in deterioration of coronary perfusion. In 9 animals, left-ventricular pressures rose from 22.9 +/- 4.9 to 31.2 +/- 7.9 mm Hg elevating left ventricular wall stress from 16,750 +/- 8,745 to 28,835 +/- 8,892 dyn/cm2 after 10 min of PCPS-supported fibrillation (mean flow rate 4.5 +/- 0.7 liters/min). Simultaneously, myocardial perfusion pressures decreased from an average of 32.4 +/- 11.7 to 22.3 +/- 9.4 mm Hg and myocardial lactate release was observed. Additional transapical LV venting using a 9-Fr catheter led to a decrease in both LV pressure (to 25.7 +/- 5.3 mm Hg) and wall stress (to 20,612 +/- 7,499 dyn/cm2). Left-ventricular decompression decreased myocardial oxygen consumption (from 5.3 +/- 1.4 to 4.8 +/- 0.9 ml/min.100 g), and reduced myocardial lactate release, which indicates myocardial protection. Protective effects were most pronounced using 12-Fr-, and 21-Fr-venting cannulas (with 21 Fr: decrease in myocardial oxygen consumption to 2.7 +/- 0.6 ml/min.100 g, and reversal of myocardial lactate release to lactate uptake during fibrillation). Conclusions. Hemodynamic and metabolic data clearly demonstrate the deleterious effects of PCPS to the unvented left ventricle during cardiac arrest. The results emphasize the need for active left-ventricular decompression during PCPS in ventricular fibrillation.

Animals↗