1. Liposomes (multilamellar vesicles, MLV) were prepared which entrapped triiodothyronine (T3). The MLV were composed of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine, cholesterol and dicetylphosphate as DMPC alone, DMPC:Chol (7.2 molar ratio) and DMPC:Chol:DCP (7:2:1 molar ratio). 2. The optimal T3 entrapment was within MLV composed of DMPC: Chol:DCP. The entrapped concentrations of T3 was 63.1%. 3. The MLV composed of DMPC:Chol:DCP did not leak T3 from the MLV into buffered saline but did leak T3 into serum (42.5% after 4 h). 4. The MLV composed of DMPC:Chol:DCP exhibited a distribution of T3 between membrane associated and membrane entrapped of 42.58%.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of bovine fibrin sealant in the dog.

Fibrin sealant (human fibrinogen-bovine thrombin) is an effective biodegradable hemostatic agent. However, there is a risk of transmission of infectious viral disease. A new bovine fibrinogen-thrombin sealant (BFTS) was tested for tissue and immune responses in intrathoracic aorta graft in dogs. Intrathoracic aorta replacement was performed in three dogs with a porous Dacron graft presealed with BFTS. Dogs were immunized preoperatively with four dermal applications of BFTS at 9-day intervals. Cellular and humoral immunity to BFTS were determined with lymphocyte blastogenesis test and enzyme-lined immunosorbent assay, respectively. Dogs were necropsied 3 weeks after aortic replacement. Histopathological examination showed that all dogs had a mild inflammatory reaction to the BFTS sealed graft, as expected in response to an inert foreign body. Assay of cellular and humoral immunity to BFTS revealed a low lymphocyte response and a moderate immunoglobulin G (Ig G) response, with no evidence of immediate Ig E (type I) or delayed (type IV) hypersensitivity reaction. We conclude that BFTS causes no adverse tissue response or immunologic reaction when used as a hemostatic agent in the dog even after multiple applications of the material.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Concomitant subclavian and carotid artery disease: the need for a combined surgical correction.

To determine the importance of carotid artery disease in patients undergoing revascularization of the proximal subclavian artery for a subclavian steal syndrome, an 18-year experience of 55 patients was reviewed. Concomitant carotid artery disease (> 50% stenosis) was present in 35 patients (Group I: 63.6%). Twenty patients (Group II: 36.4%) had no evidence of hemodynamically significant carotid disease. Twenty-five patients in Group I (Group IA: 71.4%) were treated by endarterectomy (CEA) for all their carotid lesions while one or both carotid lesions were left untreated in 10 patients (Group IB: 28.6%). The actuarial 5-year freedom rate from neurological events was 87.2% in Group IA, 34.9% in Group IB (p < 0.001) and 100% in Group II (Group IB vs. II, p < 0.001; Group IA vs. Group II, p = ns). All untreated carotid lesions had a deleterious effect on the early and late functional results after surgical reconstruction of the subclavian artery. We conclude that the combined correction of subclavian and carotid lesions should be recommended in every case.

Actuarial Analysis↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Importance of ulceration of carotid plaque in determining symptoms of cerebral ischemia.

In order to investigate the relationship between carotid plaque morphology and symptoms of cerebral ischemia, a prospective clinicopathological study was performed. Ninety consecutive intact carotid plaques obtained from surgery and 43 carotid plaques from cadavers without symptoms of cerebral ischemia were evaluated. Ulceration and mural thrombus were the only morphologic findings statistically correlated to the presence of hemispheric symptoms (p less than 0.02). Intramural hemorrhage was more common in patients with hemispheric symptoms but this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.31). Plaque causing high degree stenosis had a higher incidence of intramural hemorrhage (p = 0.04) and ulceration (p less than 0.02). Ulceration of plaque plays a major role in the onset of hemispheric symptoms. The results of our study support the hypothesis that in the majority of the cases, hemispheric symptoms are embolic in nature.

Arteriosclerosis↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Late upper limb acute ischemia in a patient with an occluded axillo-femoral bypass graft.

A case of severe upper limb ischemia that occurred three months after the occlusion of an axillo-femoral bypass graft (AXB) is described, the third case to be reported in the literature. Although the pathogenesis of this complication is far from clear, the possible role of a short graft in determining traction and finally an angulation of the donor artery is hypothesized. The exact correspondence existing between the length of the AXB and the body size could be altered during the postoperative period by an excessive increase in body weight. The graft could become relatively short for the new conformation and angulation of the axillary artery could be provocated. On the basis of our experience and in reviewing the literature, we believe that an occluded AXB still represents a risk for the donor artery that must be carefully evaluated during accurate follow-up of the patient.

Aged↗