Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J Ollitrault.
We are reporting of proximal migration, intracardiac, of a percutaneous caval filter (LEM type), resulting in the death of the patient. It is a true, early (1st week) migration after accurate positioning, opposite L4, and not an incident of insertion.
The purpose of this paper is to specify the mathematical relationship between spontaneous AV interval (AVI) and heart rate (HR), the amplitude and rate of variation of AVI, and the physiological factors likely to affect these characteristics. Ten patients with healthy hearts were studied. Two catheter electrodes were positioned in the right atrium and at the tip of the right ventricle respectively, allowing the detection of endocardial signals. The AV and AA intervals for each heart cycle were digitized to an accuracy of +/- 1 msec. Measurements were made at rest, then during a stress test on an exercise bicycle, and finally during the recovery phase. The results show that adaptation is very precise and takes place instantly. Any variation in heart rate causes an immediate, inversely proportional variation in AVI. Adaptation follows a linear pattern, generally with relatively low amplitude and an average AVI reduction of 27.5 +/- 11.2 msec for an average HR increase of 78.7 +/- 22.5 bpm, i.e., a decrease of 4 +/- 2.1 msec for an HR variation of 10 bpm. The amplitude and variation rate of AVI seem to be independent of the age and base value of the PR interval. These observations may be useful for designing new VDD or DDD pacemakers that automatically adapt the AV interval to the instantaneous heart rate. The hemodynamic benefits of this adaptation were also demonstrated.
The authors report two cases of fissures of a left ventricular aneurysm diagnosed on the 8th and 21st days following an anterior myocardial infarction. In both cases, the clinical presentation consisted of a new episode of pain associated with a low cardiac output syndrome and adiastole. The diagnosis was confirmed by the simultaneous discovery of a pericardial effusion and a left ventricular aneurysm on echocardiography and cardiac catheterisation. An emergency operation, with circulatory assistance by means of intra-aortic counter-pressure, was performed and the infarcted area was excised. The post-operative course was uncomplicated in one case, but the other patient developed a false aneurysm of the left ventricle, requiring a second operation. The long term results were excellent with a follow-up of 30 months and 12 months respectively.
Three cases of acquired LV-RA communication during bacterial endocarditis are reported. The causal organisms were Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus. The endocarditis complicated aortic valve disease in 2 patients and a congenital aneurysm of the membranous interventricular septum in the third case. Perforation of the septal abscess was preceded by 1st and 2nd degree AVB in all cases associated with bursts of intrahisian tachycardia in 1 case. The clinical presentation was that of an acute VSD; LV-RA communication was diagnosed by the radiological demonstration of systolic expansion of the RA, by 2D echocardiography using constant and Doppler techniques which gave the exact diagnosis in 1 case, by oximetry showing a large left-to-right shunt situated in the RA, and finally by selective left ventriculography. Surgery is essential and urgent and comprises repair of the fistula by two patches, one atrial shown on via a right atrial approach and the other ventricular via aortotomy associated with correction of the valvular lesions. Third degree AVB is observed in all cases, due to the anatomical location of the His bundle and requires permanent pacing. Good results were observed in 2 cases with follow-up periods of 14 and 48 months respectively.