Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Kachaner

Publications and source records attributed to J Kachaner.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

[Problems posed by preparation of the left ventricle for anatomical correction in simple transposition of the great vessels].

Surgical correction of simple transposition of the great arteries by arterial detransposition can only be considered if the left ventricle is capable of functioning under systemic conditions. This is possible at birth but the operation is too big for it to succeed. After a few weeks the left ventricle may lose this capacity but it can be induced to redevelop if it is given a systolic stress by pulmonary banding. This was attempted initially in 30 children aged from 5 weeks to 3,5 years old (20 aged less than 2 months) but had to be abandoned for the following reasons: 8 immediate failures due to severe hypoxia and acidemia, 7 left ventricular failures, mainly in 3 children operated after 6 months of age; 7 severe hypoxemias, 5 pulmonary arterial lesions due to banding and/or the systemo-pulmonary anastomosis associated in some cases; in all, there were 8 failures out of the 17 anatomical corrections performed to date in 22 survivors of banding. The criteria of left ventricular readaptation after banding were difficult to determine. The final result did not appear to be related to either the duration of banding, the degree of aortic desaturation, the ratio of ventricular pressures, or to the various echocardiographic indices. Only the initial hypoxemia (less than 50 p. 100 saturation) with respect to the risk of banding, and the age at which banding was performed (over 6 months) with respect to the risk of anatomical correction, appeared to be obvious risk factors. This is the reason for a new protocol at present under study to try to maintain left ventricular growth by banding in the first days of life, so to ensure a more harmonious and effective, and also less dangerous preparation for anatomical correction. Six new born children have been "prepared" in this way: three had adequate loose banding and underwent atrial correction. Very good results were obtained in the other three patients who have already undergone detransposition at 2,5 and 3 months with excellent immediate results. We believe that neonatal pulmonary banding (before 5 days) when aortic saturation after atrioseptostomy is over 50 p. 100, provides a real alternative to the classical methods of treating simple transposition of the great arteries (Mustard or Senning). Anatomical correction can then be carried out a few weeks later under good conditions.

Angiocardiography↗
PubMed1983

[Infection of an anastomosis: a formidable complication of operations for aortic coarctation].

One 12 day newborn, a 2 year old infant and two children aged 10 and 14, operated for isthmic coarctation of the aorta by three different surgical techniques (resection-anastomosis, angioplasty with an autograft, prosthetic graft) suffered infection of the operative field, resulting in septicemia (3 staphylococcal and 1 yeast infections). The aorta ruptured after 4 days, before any collection of pus in the newborn but a mycotic false aneurysm developed in the three other patients: this was the cause of death by aortic rupture during the 5th postoperative week in one case but was diagnosed and operated successfully in the other two, 13 and 54 days after their first operation. These complications are well known. Therefore, these patients should be closely followed up for at least one month. The occurrence of pyrexia, even slight or late, should be treated with suspicion. Characteristic dilatation of the part of the aorta operated on should be actively looked for by simple radiography, 2D echocardiography and, when in doubt, right heart angiocardiography. The diagnosis is a surgical emergency: the safest technique consists in initially establishing an aorto-aortic deviation by a right sided approach followed by exclusion of the lesion. Surgery is the only means of preventing catastrophic rupture of the aorta.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

[Myocardiopathies secondary to myocardial ischemia (author's transl)].

Myocardial ischemia is very rare in childhood but, as in the adult, it can result in very severe heart failure. The discovery of specific signs on the electrocardiogram provides a diagnostic orientation which can be confirmed by biologic data and radionuclide scans. The causes of the affections are related to the child's age group : severe fetal and neonatal anoxia in the neonate (transient myocardial ischemia syndrome) ; anomalous origin of the left coronary artery in the young infant ; acquired coronary anomalies of Kawasaki's disease in the older infant or the young child.

Cardiomyopathies↗
PubMed1982

[Acute infectious myocarditis (author's transl)].

Among the primary myocardiopathies resulting from a known cause, acute infectious myocarditis plays an important part. This condition, usually interstitial myocarditis of viral etiology, occurs predominantly in the infant under two years of age. They are characterized by a hypotrophic hypokinetic myocardiopathy which is very hard to differentiate from endocardial fibroelastosis. Fibroelastosis is probably only one possible result of the course of certain myocarditis'. However, on the whole, prognosis is good and the children recover. Typhoid fever and diphtheria may also compromise myocardial function.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1982

[Myocardiopathies secondary to cardiovascular diseases: systolic strain and diastolic overload (author's transl)].

All cardiovascular malformations compromise ventricular function and lead to alterations in the myocardial structure. Most of these are adaptive reactions. However, in some cases, this reaction overreaches its object and leads to an authentic myocardiopathy. This myocardiopathy is usually hypertrophic in obstacles which result in systolic overload of the left ventricle (coarctation peri-orificial stenosis of the aorta, systemic hypertension) or of the right ventricle (pulmonic stenosis), or congestive in diastolic overload by left-to-right shunts or valvular insufficiency. These myocardiopathies may prevent recognition of the signs of the underlying heart disease thereby leading to diagnostic errors and delay in therapy. They may constitute the main factor of an operative decision.

Aortic Coarctation↗
PubMed1982

[Treatment of ventricular tachycardia in infancy and childhood with amiodarone].

Ventricular tachycardia, especially in its apparently primary form, is rare in children and difficult to treat, often requiring aggressive methods of reduction or antiarrhythmic drugs unsuited for paediatric practice. Therefore, we investigated the use of amiodarone whose efficacity in the treatment of resistant ventricular tachycardia and good tolerance in children have been established. Three infants, aged from 9 to 15 months, and two children aged 6 and 7 years with apparently primary VT were selected. Etiological investigations were negative in four cases but in one of the older children a left ventricular fibroma was diagnosed and removed surgically. Amiodarone was administered orally at a dose of 500 mg/m2/24 hrs for 5 to 15 days, and then 250 mg/m2/24 hrs for one month in the surgical patient and for 9 to 39 months in the four "idiopathic" cases. Reduction of VT was obtained in all cases 8 to 48 hours after the first dose. There was only one recurrence, attributed to an over-rapid reducing in dosage; it quickly regressed after returning to the initial dosage. Stable sinus rhythm was maintained at long-term: 18 months, 2 years and 5 years after tailing off a course of 20, 40 and 1 month's treatment in 3 children. These cases are considered to be cured, but in one of these children two courses of amiodarone were required, the second for a relapse 3 months after stopping a 9 month's course of therapy. The other two children are still under treatment after 9 and 15 months with no recurrences. There were no hemodynamic, ocular or thyroid side effects. On the other hand, three cases of photosensitivity, two minor and one major requiring termination of therapy after a 20 months course, were observed. In conclusion, amiodarone would appear to be the treatment of choice for ventricular tachycardia in children, reduction of the arrhythmia being obtained in all cases even by oral administration within reasonable limits: its prophylactic value is excellent and clinical tolerance very satisfactory: a definitive cure can be hoped for an idiopathic VT providing that maintenance therapy has been sufficiently prolonged (2 years).

Amiodarone↗
PubMed1982

["Straddling" tricuspid valve across an isolated ventricular septal defect. Apropos of 4 cases].

Four cases of children from 10 months to 3 years of age with isolated ventricular septal defects and straddling tricuspid valve are reported. Three patients underwent surgery (mean age: 24 months). The lesion was diagnosed during operation in 2 cases. The VSD was a perimembranous defect with extension to the ventricular inlet in 2 cases, and in the other it was entirely muscular. The straddling involved all the septal leaflet of the tricuspid valve in 1 case. In two cases, there was doubling of the segment with one part crossing the VSD. The left ventricular attachment was a type B in 2 patients and type C in 1 patient. The tricuspid ring was normally situated in all patients (no overriding). In 2 patients, the diagnosis was made with the aid of complementary investigations, and, in particular, 2D echocardiography. One of these patients has not yet undergone surgery as the lesion is well tolerated and because of associated mitral regurgitation. In 3 patients, surgery consisted of repairing the ventricular septal defect, leaving the abnormal part of the tricuspid valve in the left ventricle. All patients survived; there were no cases of post-operative atrioventricular block or signs of tricuspid incompetence. With reference to these three cases, the authors review the main anatomical lesions, the diagnostic signs and different methods of treatment of this condition. Straddling tricuspid valve may present as a simple ventricular septal defect. This diagnosis should be considered in all cases of posterior ventricular septal defects.

Angiography↗