Search

Background: This study evaluates changes in pulmonary functions before and after mitral valve replacement (MVR)., Materials and Methods: Twenty-five patients with rheumatic mitral lesions who had undergone MVR were divided into three groups, based on New York Heart Association (NYHA) class. They were evaluated for changes in pulmonary functions, preoperatively and postoperatively at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months to find any improvements after MVR., Results: Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow rates were universally found to be decreased preoperatively. Total lung capacity (TLC) and diffusion capacity (DLCO) were significantly reduced preoperatively in NYHA Class III and IV. The pulmonary functions further declined at 1 week after surgery. Except for FVC in NYHA Class IV (32.3% improvement, P < 0.05), the changes were statistically insignificant., Conclusions: Pulmonary functions deteriorate immediately after surgery and then recover gradually over a period of 3 months. However, they remain below the predicted values.

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in a patient with glaucoma is a challenge. The glaucomatous eye is at risk during CPB. We report a case of ostium secundum atrial septal defect that was not amenable to device closure. The unique feature in the patient was the presence of congenital glaucoma. She was blind in the left eye, and the visual acuity in the other eye was decreased because of glaucoma. She underwent direct closure of the atrial septal defect under CPB and fibrillatory arrest, with intraoperative monitoring of intraocular pressure. There was no change in visual acuity after 1 year of follow-up.

Sternal cleft is a rare visually dramatic congenital anomaly. It results from failure of fusion of the 2 lateral mesodermal sternal bars by the 8 weeks of gestation. Superior clefts are more frequent than inferior ones, and isolated central clefts are extremely rare. We describe the case of a 4-year-old girl with a central sternal cleft that was closed autogenously with pectoralis major advancement flaps.

A 7-year-old, spayed female Persian cat was referred for evaluation of progressive paraplegia. The cat was thin, cachectic and paraplegic on presentation. The survey radiographs showed a left caudal pulmonary lesion and lytic skeletal lesions at the right iliac crest and left distal scapula. Due to a poor prognosis for complete recovery, the owner opted for euthanasia. Post-mortem examination revealed bilaterally small and irregular kidneys, lysis of the left iliac crest and left distal scapula and a dilated left ventricular lumen with a thin interventricular septum. Histologically, all the lesions were determined to be squamous cell carcinoma. It appears that the origin or the primary site of the malignancy in this case is pulmonary as cardiac and skeletal tissues are primarily mesenchymal in origin and are less likely to develop a primary epithelial malignancy. To the best of our knowledge, there is no description of cardiac or skeletal metastatic squamous cell carcinoma in a cat.

Objective: Acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) is used cautiously in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients because of concerns of compromised coronary blood flow. This study aimed to compare hemodynamic changes by using either Ringer's lactate or albumin for ANH in CAD patients receiving beta-blockers., Design: Prospective, randomized study., Setting: Postgraduate teaching hospital., Participants: Thirty patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) (hemoglobin >12 g/dL, on chronic beta-blocker therapy)., Interventions: Monitoring, induction, and anesthesia followed a routine protocol for CABG surgery including pulmonary artery catheter placement. Patients were randomly included in group 1 (ANH by Ringer's lactate) or in group 2 (ANH by 5% albumin). A hemodynamic calculation software program was used for parameters recorded before and after ANH., Measurements and Main Results: ANH could not be completed in 5 patients (33%) in group 1 because of a fall in mean arterial pressure (MAP) of more than 25% from baseline. In both groups posthemodilution MAP, heart rate, systemic vascular resistance, and oxygen delivery index decreased, whereas stroke volume index, cardiac index, and tissue oxygen extraction increased significantly as compared to baseline values (p < 0.05). Hemodynamic parameters were better maintained during the study period in group 2 than group 1., Conclusions: Hemodynamic stability was better maintained by 5% albumin than Ringer's lactate for ANH in chronic beta-blocked CAD patients. Despite an increase in cardiac index, systemic oxygen delivery was decreased irrespective of the hemodiluting fluid used. ANH to a hemoglobin value of 10 g/dL in chronically beta-blocked CAD patients was well tolerated.

Pure red cell aplasia sometimes accompanies thymoma. Herein we report a PRCA patient with malignant thymoma. Only two Indian cases of PRCA with malignant thymoma have been reported so far and six cases in the world literature, to the best of our knowledge. This paper describes a malignant thymoma in a 40 year old male who later on developed pure red cell aplasia 7 months after thymectomy.

Medical records of 42 cats treated with mandibulectomy for oral neoplasia at eight institutions were reviewed to determine morbidity, progression-free interval, and survival time. Progression-free and survival rates at 1 and 2 years were 56% and 49%, and 60% and 57%, respectively. Cats with squamous cell carcinoma had significantly shorter survival than cats with fibrosarcoma or osteosarcoma. Seventy-two percent of cats were dysphagic or inappetent immediately postoperatively, and 12% never regained the ability to eat. Despite acute morbidity in 98% and long-term morbidity in 76% of cats, 83% of the 30 owners providing information were satisfied with the outcome of mandibulectomy.

We report a 30-year-old man with superior vena cava syndrome due to fibrosis from a previously irradiated malignant thymoma. The patient presented 4 years after the initial treatment, after having been lost to follow-up. Investigations revealed total obstruction of the superior vena cava, and right subclavian and right internal jugular vein. The patient underwent an extra-anatomic bypass (ringed polytetrafluoroethylene graft 10-mm diameter) between the left internal jugular vein and the left femoral vein brought in a subcutaneous tunnel over the anterior chest and abdominal wall. Entry to the thoracic cavity was avoided due to extensive fibrotic changes visualized in the computed tomographic chest scan. Follow-up Doppler at 2 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 3 years showed a patent graft. An internal jugular vein to the femoral vein bypass is a simple method for palliation of superior vena cava syndrome.

A 20-year-old man developed a giant pseudoaneurysm of the innominate artery 5 months after blunt chest trauma, causing severe respiratory distress and superior vena cava compression symptoms. The patient was managed with hypothermia and low flow cardiopulmonary bypass resulting in a successful outcome.

We describe a case of chondrosarcoma of the sternum requiring wide full thickness chest wall excision thereby creating a difficult defect for reconstruction. A mesh was used for support and two extended deep inferior epigastric artery fasciocutaneous flaps were mobilised medially into the defect.

Purpose: To describe total blindness secondary to presumed optic nerve melanocytoma., Design: Interventional case report., Methods: A 12-year-old African-American girl, who developed loss of light perception secondary to a pigmented lesion of the optic disk, underwent transvitreal fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of the lesion., Results: Cytopathology revealed cells with features of melanocytoma and melanophages but no cells compatible with melanoma. The patient is being followed without treatment., Conclusions: Optic nerve melanocytoma can cause total blindness in the affected eye. Although it has limitations, FNAB can assist in diagnosis and management of melanocytoma with visual loss.

This case report describes a 6-year-old dog with oral ameloblastoma and hypercalcaemia. Serum parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTH-rp) levels were high. No other cause for hypercalcaemia was found. The hypercalcaemia resolved after hemimandibulectomy. We are not aware of the previous description of canine oral ameloblastoma and hypercalcaemia mediated by PTH-rp. This case report suggests that PTH-rp stimulation of the PTH receptor may result in hypercalcaemia in dogs with oral ameloblastoma or other odontogenic neoplasms.

Objective: To study the feasibility and benefits of closed mitral valvotomy (CMV) during pregnancy., Design: Prospective study from 2000 through 2003 to study the effect on maternal condition and perinatal outcome of closed mitral valvotomy during pregnancy were evaluated., Methods: Eight pregnant women with severe mitral stenosis refractory to medical therapy had closed mitral valvotomy at different stages of pregnancy (one during labor)., Results: All patients improved clinically (according to the New York Heart Association classification), and the mitral valve area increased. There was no mortality or major morbidity., Conclusion: Closed mitral valvotomy offers excellent results and is cost effective during pregnancy. It is still the procedure of choice in poor countries when balloon mitral valvotomy (BMV) is not affordable.

Thymectomy has been shown to be effective in the treatment of myasthenia gravis. The logical goal of operation is the complete removal of the thymus, but there is no consensus on the selection criteria of patients for surgery and the choice of surgical approach. We retrospectively reviewed 56 patients with myasthenia gravis who had been treated surgically by transsternal radical thymectomy between January 1990 and March 2002. The patients were symptomatically grouped according to the modified Osserman clinical classification. There was 1 hospital death, and 53 patients had been followed up for between 1 month and 12 years. Improvement after thymectomy was observed in 1 of 4 patients (25%) in Osserman group I, 25 of 34 patients (74%) in Osserman group IIA, and 16 of 18 patients (89%) in combined Osserman groups IIB and IIC. Transsternal radical thymectomy is an effective therapy for myasthenia gravis. Sustained improvement is achievable in female patients with moderate to severe symptoms and in patients with thymic hyperplasia.

The optimal temperature for deep hypothermic circulatory arrest remains undefined. We present a case in which Bispectral Index monitoring during hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass showed electrocerebral silence at a higher temperature than previously reported. Bispectral Index monitoring may be a potentially useful tool in surgery employing deep hypothermic circulatory arrest.

A 13-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair cat with an abdominal mass was evaluated; radiography revealed a radiopaque mass in the cranioventral region of the abdomen. A celiotomy was performed, and the mass was identified histologically as a hepatic osteosarcoma. Complete remission of the tumor was accomplished after partial hepatectomy and adjuvant treatment with carboplatin.

Twenty cats with spontaneously arising tumors received oral lomustine at a dose range of 32 to 59 mg/m2 every 21 days. Due to biohazard concerns associated with lomustine capsule reformulation, a standardized 10-mg capsule dosage was used for all cats regardless of body weight. Severe hematological toxicity was infrequent, with the incidence of either grade III or IV neutropenia and thrombocytopenia being 4.1% and 1.0%, respectively. Cats receiving higher cumulative doses of lomustine trended toward a greater likelihood for progressive neutropenia (P=0.07). Two cats with lymphoma, two cats with fibrosarcoma, and one cat with multiple myeloma achieved a measurable partial response to lomustine therapy. Cats treated with higher dosages of lomustine trended toward statistically significant higher response rates (P=0.07).

A case of unusual benign tumour of the lung is described. The patient presented with a history of prolonged cough with expectoration, and fever with generalised weakness of shorter duration. Radiological examination of the chest revealed a large non-homogeneous opacity with calcification in the left lower zone. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was inconclusive. Therefore, surgical exploration and a left lower lobectomy was performed. The diagnosis of inflammatory pseudotumour was made on histopathological examination.

Blindness accounts for almost 7 million Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYS). Considering its importance ICMR has been continually conducting research in ophthalmology starting from the first nationwide blindness survey in 1970s till date. In addition ICMR also has mechanisms of sponsoring research by interested individuals which involve adhoc research schemes and fellowships. The details of these mechanisms and some of the results of major ICMR projects are presented. The identified new thrust areas and the coordinators for these are also listed.

Objectives: Pulmonary tuberculosis and bronchiectasis are the major causes of massive hemoptysis in developing countries. Lung resection remains the surgical treatment of choice. This may not always be possible and may even be hazardous in some patients due to fibrosis and dense vascular adhesions between the lung and the chest wall. This leads to marked blood loss and control of hilar vessels becomes dangerous., Methods: A series of 20 cases is described here. Nineteen presented with massive hemoptysis where control of bleeding was obtained by physiological lung exclusion. One patient had traumatic left main bronchus transection not suitable for repair or resection. Physiological lung exclusion was performed by surgical interruption of the bronchus and pulmonary artery of the involved lobe or lung, keeping pulmonary veins intact., Results: Hemoptysis could be controlled in all these patients without any significant morbidity. There was no mortality. There was no postoperative empyema and recurrence of hemoptysis on long-term follow-up. No patient required anatomical lung resection later on., Conclusions: Physiological lung exclusion is a safe and effective method for control of massive hemoptysis in cases where lung resection is technically hazardous or difficult. This should be kept as an alternative or adjunct to anatomical lung resection.

In this report the authors describe an unusual clinical presentation of lymphosarcoma (LSA) in a dog. A 9-year-old, neutered male, Golden Retriever was presented with a primary complaint of sudden onset of tetraparesis. Routine survey radiographs revealed multiple-site bony lesions and the histology revealed a diagnosis of LSA with diffuse skeletal and soft tissue involvement. The dog responded poorly to medical management and was euthanized on day two due to poor prognosis. Malignant LSA of the bone is a rare extranodal clinicopathologic entity and presents both a diagnostic and therapeutic hurdle. Reports of this kind are sparse and currently no optimal treatment for this entity has been determined.

Alterations in serum concentration of thyroid hormones occur even in euthyroid patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. The purpose of our prospective study was to define the effects of cardiopulmonary bypass on thyroid hormones. Twenty euthyroid patients for mitral valve replacement were included in this study. Heparinised arterial sample for thyroid function tests were obtained before cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), 30 and 60 minutes after initiation of CPB, immediate post-CPB and 24 hours after termination of CPB. T3, T4 and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were estimated using radioimmunoassay method. There was more than 50% decrease in T3 levels after initiation of CPB and it remained persistently below the physiological range until 24 hours after termination of CPB. T4 and TSH remained within normal limits throughout the study period. These results indicate that CPB simulates the euthyroid sick syndrome as seen in critically ill and burn patients. Whether routine administration of intravenous tri-iodo thyronine is beneficial in the prevention of low cardiac output syndrome seen after CPB remains to be elucidated in future.

Background and Objective: To investigate the incidence and patterns of posterior zones of relative decreased choroidal blood flow in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration., Patients and Methods: Digital indocyanine green (ICG) angiograms from 100 patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration were reviewed for the presence of posterior zones of relative decreased choroidal blood flow. The patterns of these zones and their location relative to the choroidal neovascular process were noted., Results: Ninety-five percent of the angiograms displayed the presence of either a complete or an incomplete zone of relative choroidal hypoperfusion. The zone was most apparent in the early frames of the angiogram. Five different patterns of relative decreased choroidal blood flow were identified: horizontal (32%), vertical (14%), bipartite (9%), tripartite (31%), and quadripartite (9%). The choroidal neovascular process was located within or at the edge of the zone of relative choroidal hypoperfusion in all cases., Conclusion: Most cases of choroidal neovascularization localize to areas of relative choroidal dye nonfilling on ICG angiography. These patterns of choroidal nonfilling may have implications in the pathogenesis and management of choroidal neovascular membranes in age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: The authors describe the clinicopathologic features of an anterior variant of diffuse retinoblastoma., Methods: The clinical history of a child with an anterior chamber infiltrate and cells in the anterior vitreous was reviewed. An anterior chamber aspirate was processed by a Millipore filter technique. The eye was enucleated and routinely processed for light and transmission electron microscopic examination., Results: An 8-year-old girl was treated for anterior uveitis in her right eye that failed to resolve. Examination of an anterior chamber aspirate showed cells suggestive of retinoblastoma. The eye was enucleated, and the enucleation specimen showed retinoblastoma confined to the iris, ciliary body, and anterior vitreous with one microscopic focus of tumor in the peripheral retina., Conclusion: This variant of diffuse retinoblastoma involved only anterior ocular structures with minimal involvement of the retina.

A case of unusual intrapulmonary foreign body in the form of a pencil is described. The penetration occurred following an insignificant fall. The diagnosis was made on CT scan and subsequently surgical removal was undertaken successfully.

Background: Echinococcus disease is endemic in areas where livestock are raised in association with dogs. The majority of patients reporting in the Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research have unilateral pulmonary hydatid disease., Methods: From March 1988 to May 1996 we came across 58 patients with pulmonary hydatidosis, of which 5 patients presented with combined bilateral pulmonary and hepatic hydatid cysts. In these patients, to avoid three-stage operation of two thoracotomies and a laparotomy, we proceeded with simultaneous combined resection of hydatid cysts in one stage through midsternotomy along with laparotomy or transdiaphragmatic removal of liver cysts., Results: Results indicate that combined resection of pulmonary and hepatic hydatid cysts is feasible with minimum morbidity and no recurrence., Conclusions: We conclude that a one-stage surgical procedure for bilateral lung and liver hydatid cysts is superior to the classic three-stage approach as it decreases morbidity, hospital stay, and cost.

The costs of heart operations and the problems related to anticoagulation after prosthetic valve replacement are among the limitations faced by patients in nonindustrialized countries with mitral stenosis caused by chronic rheumatic heart disease. The young age at which these patients are seen also compels the surgeon to preserve the native valve. The least costly and optimal way to achieve this objective is by closed mitral valvotomy. After closed mitral valvotomy, mitral restenosis is commonly encountered. We report here our 10-year experience with operation on 113 consecutive patients with mitral restenosis. Closed transventricular revalvotomy was performed with Tubbs dilator in 105 of 113 patients. Mean age was 343 years, with a male to female ratio of 1:1.5. Most patients were in New York Heart Association functional classes III and IV (74.3% and 19.4%, respectively). Mean interval between first and second valvotomy was 9.4 years, Hospital mortality rate was 2.8%, trivial postoperative mitral regurgitation occurred in 16.1%, and moderately severe regurgitation occurred in 1.9%. Early postoperative systemic embolism occurred in 3.8% of the cases. Moderate to excellent symptomatic improvement was noted in 89.4% of the cases and poor results were seen in 10.2%. Late follow-up of 76 patients ranged from 2 to 10 years (mean 3.8 years), with 39.4% patients in New York Heart Association class I and 50% in class II. Close mitral revalvotomy is thus an economical, simple, and safe palliative procedure that carries good long-term results.

From 1981 to 1992, 13 male and 7 female patients underwent surgical correction for ruptured aneurysms of sinus of valsalva. A total surgical experience of 22 procedures including 2 reoperations is presented, accounting for 1.37% of open heart surgery for congenital heart disease at PGIMER Chandigarh. Ninety percent were in the 20- to 40-year age group. Forty-five percent of patients had symptoms of > 1-year duration (range 2 months to 20 years) and catastrophic onset of symptoms was noted in four (18%). All patients had localized aneurysms originating either in right coronary sinus (14 pts) or noncoronary sinus (8 pts). Sites of origin and rupture are detailed. Associated congenital abnormalities such as ventricular septal defect (VSD) (13 pts), aortic regurgitation (3 pts), and left superior vena cava and atrial septal defect (ASD) (1 pt each) were noted. The data pertaining to Oriental and Western groups of patients were analyzed, and the differences in age, mode of presentation, site of origin, rupture, and the spectrum of associated abnormalities were elucidated. The majority of the patients (86.4%) were operated by the Bicameral approach. Repair was tailored according to the extent and severity of the defect in the sinus of Valsalva and aortic valve annulus and also the presence and site of VSD.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of retrobulbar and peribulbar anesthetic techniques for vitreoretinal surgical procedures., Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blind study., Setting: A large university teaching hospital., Participants: One hundred sixteen consecutive patients who were scheduled for vitreoretinal surgical procedures., Methods: Patients who were undergoing vitreoretinal surgical procedures were divided into four separate groups, depending on the type of surgical procedure planned. Equal numbers of patients in each group of patients who were undergoing a surgical procedure were randomly assigned to either the retrobulbar or peribulbar block-treated group. Anesthesia, akinesia, need for block supplementation, and patient acceptance were measured., Results: Both retrobulbar and peribulbar anesthetic techniques provided equal levels of akinesia and analgesia, with each requiring intraoperative supplementation in 32%., Conclusion: Peribulbar block can be expeditiously and efficiently used for a full range of vitreoretinal surgical procedures.

Purpose: The authors report their experience with the surgical removal of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization. Correlations between preoperative characteristics and final postoperative visual acuity are explored., Methods: A retrospective study of 159 consecutive patients was performed between February 1990 and August 1993. Follow-up of 2 or more months was available for 147 eyes: presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome, 67 eyes; age-related macular degeneration, 41 eyes; myopia, 10 eyes; multifocal choroiditis, 9 eyes; idiopathic, 8 eyes; angioid streaks, 4 eyes; and miscellaneous, 8 eyes., Results: Sixty-seven eyes had presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome: mean follow-up was 10.5 months. Visual acuity was stable or improved in 56 (83%) eyes and 20/40 or greater in 21 (31%) eyes. Mean interval to best visual acuity was 3 months. A recurrence rate of 37% had no significant effect on final visual outcome (P = 0.952). Forty-one eyes had age-related macular degeneration: mean follow-up was 15 months. Visual acuity was improved in only five (12%) eyes and was 20/40 or greater in only two (5%) eyes. The interval to best visual acuity was 5 months. A recurrence rate of 27% had not significant effect on final visual outcome (P = 0.31). The visual results and recurrence rates for eyes with less common disorders are presented., Conclusion: The surgical excision of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization may stabilize or improve visual acuity in selected cases. Patients with focal disorders of the retinal pigment epithelium-Bruch's membrane complex appear to have a better surgical outcome than those with diffuse disease.

Three cases of orbital tuberculosis are presented, two as cold abscess in the orbit and one as a chronic indolent sinus. A simple clinical test like Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) can demonstrate some or all of the characteristic pathological features like caseating necrosis, epitheloid cells and Langhan's giant cells. Important corroborative evidence can be obtained from the Tuberculin test and a positive therapeutic trial. While there are many other causes or orbital swelling and abscess, tuberculosis should be considered an important differential diagnosis in endemic areas. Simple tests like the tuberculin reaction and Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology should be considered among the routine diagnostic investigations for orbital swellings.

Acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy (APMPPE) is an idiopathic posterior segment inflammatory disorder of young adults. The pathophysiology is poorly understood, and debate persists as to whether it represents a primary pigment epithelial disorder or a choroidal vascular disease. Indocyanine green angiography was used to study choroidal blood flow in two patients with typical APMPPE. The authors demonstrate profound delayed choroidal filling in addition to extensive areas of choroidal vessel nonperfusion in the acute stage of this disease. Recovery of choroidal blood flow was evident during clinical resolution. Choroidal blood flow abnormalities are present in APMPPE and suggest that the clinical findings of this disease reflect a primary choroidal vascular disease.

A young man with spontaneous pneumothorax who suffered from fourth recurrence, is being reported. He was treated by surgical pleural abrasion.

Three cases of large airway stenosis of different aetiologies are reported. In the first case, tracheal stenosis occurred after endotracheal intubation. The second case developed bronchial stenosis as a sequelae to pulmonary tuberculosis. The third case had localized stenosis of the left main bronchus for which no cause could be found. The first case responded completely to dilatation while the 2nd case demonstrated only partial response. Third case did not improve significantly with dilatation.

A 17-year-old male presented with clinical features of left lung collapse. The diagnosis of isolated intrabronchial schwannoma was obtained by endoscopic biopsy and confirmed after pneumonectomy.

Total body computed tomography has introduced a unique method of obtaining body contours as well as anatomical representations for radiation therapy treatment planning. CT scanning combined with computerized radiation therapy treatment planning has improved accuracy and contributed greatly to the solution of complex treatment problems. CT scans can also be used to evaluate the progress of patients undergoing radiation therapy.

A 45-year-old female, post menopausal, presented with extensive bilateral radiological opacities in the lungs. Diagnosis of hydatid diseases was confirmed through open lung biopsy. Treatment with albendazole showed striking improvement in clinical symptoms as well as clearing of radiological shadows.