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Unlabelled: We researched the necessity of quinidine fumarate or acebutolol prophylaxis in patients in whom atrial fibrillation occurred in the postdischarge period and returned to sinus rhythm after coronary artery surgery., Design: Prospective review., Patients: Since 1992, 60 patients were chosen in whom atrial fibrillation occurred in early postoperative period. There were no significant differences between them and they were separated into 3 groups. In group I (20 patients) we did not give any drug, in group II (20 patients) quinidine fumarate was given and in group III (20 patients) acebutolol was given and patients were controlled for 90 days., Result: Atrial fibrillation occurred in one patient in group I, (5%), two in group II (10%) and two in group III (10%), (p < 0.05). Different from the other groups, atrial fibrillation was asymptomatic with low ventricular response in group III., Conclusions: There were no significant differences among three groups statistically, so we suggested that long-term prevention of atrial fibrillation with quinidine fumarate or acebutolol was not necessary after coronary artery surgery.

Objective: To evaluate the properties of the coexistent cardiac anomalies associated with the aneurysm of sinus of Valsalva (ASV) and examine the long-term surgical results after operation., Patients: From 1980 to 1994, nine patients (median age 22 years) underwent surgical correction of ASV. Aneurysms originated from the right (n = 5), noncoronary (n = 3) and left coronary sinus (n = 1) and entered into right ventricle (n = 5), right atrium (n = 3). In one patient, ASV originated from the left coronary sinus and unruptured. Coexistent cardiac lesions were aortic valve insufficiency (n = 4), ventricular septal defect (n = 5), patent foramen ovale (n = 1), right ventricular outflow tract obstruction (n = 1) and coronary artery anomaly (n = 2). All patients were symptomatic (sudden onset of symptoms in 3, gradual onset in 6)., Interventions: Ruptured ASVs were repaired by double approach in which both the involved chamber and the aortic root. Concomitant aortic surgery was performed in four patients (2 replacement, 2 valvuloplasty). VSDs were closed by patch in 4 and by direct suture in 1., Results: The incidence of coexisting coronary artery anomaly was 22.2%. There was no hospital and late mortality. The mean follow-up period was 6.8 years (range 1 to 14 years). There were no reoperation for leaks of VSD, recurrence of aneurysm and aortic regurgitation. Eight patients were found to be in New York Heart Association class I, one patient in class II., Conclusion: The risk of the recurrent fistula or VSD is prevented by double approach technique, and also this approach reduces the incidence of late aortic insufficiency. Routinely preoperative coronary angiography must be performed for determine of coronary anomaly.

Background: Military vascular injuries frequently result from fragment wounds while civilian vascular injuries usually are caused by gunshot wounds. The natural history of untreated major injuries by small low velocity fragments is not well known. This study evaluated the nature of these wounds., Methods: From 1990 to 1995, 40 patients with a delayed diagnosis of an arterial injury in the extremity, abdomen, or neck were treated. The median delay between injury and diagnosis was 60 days. All patients had been seen at other military hospitals immediately after trauma., Results: During initial hospitalization, immediate exploration had been performed in 23 patients and arteriogram in 3 patients. According to analysis of the records of patients, none of them had hard signs of vascular injury at the time of initial evaluation after trauma. Complications of missed arterial injuries included the following: false aneurysm, 21 (52.5%); arteriovenous fistula, 14 (35%); and occlusion, 5 (12.5%). The superficial femoral artery (n = 11) was the most commonly injured vessel. The remaining arteries included the following: carotid, 2; vertebral, 1; subclavian, 5; axillary, 2; brachial, 3; radial or ulnar, 2; internal iliac, 2; common femoral, 1; profunda femoris, 2; popliteal, 1; tibioperoneal, 8. Thirty-eight patients had penetrating wounds (21 fragments, 9 gunshot, 3 shotgun, 5 stab wounds), and only 2 patients had blunt trauma. All patients underwent surgery. There were no deaths and no loss of extremity, but 10 patients had fair results and only 4 patients required later reoperation., Conclusion: Traumatic arterial injuries that particularly are caused by low-velocity small fragment wounds can result in serious delayed complications months or even years after the injury. Patients with penetrating injuries must be closely monitored, and arteriography is recommended to evaluate the conditions of patients with potential vascular injury even when overt clinical signs or symptoms of vascular injury are absent.

Objective: Late cardiac tamponade after open heart surgery is a relatively uncommon, but potentially serious complication. We retrospectively analyzed 14 patients who had posterior cardiac tamponade 13 to 210 days after open heart surgery., Patients: Between May 1988 and July 1995, 3150 adult patients underwent open heart surgery at the Gülhane Military Medical Academy. In 35 of 3150 patients (1.11%) late pericardial effusions developed, and in 14 (0.44% of 3150 consecutive open heart surgery performed on adult patients in our center) of these patients had posterior tamponade. There were moderate symptoms including fatigue, malaise, and dyspnea on exertion in all patients. The diagnosis was made by echocardiography in 13 patients, and by tomographic scanning in 1 patient. Analysis of these 14 patients revealed that all of them had hemodynamic criteria consistent with tamponade physiology on right heart catheterization with Swan-Ganz catheters., Results: Echocardiography guid pericardiocentesis through the left anterior axillary line was effective in decompressing of posterior cardiac tamponade in 10 of 14 patients. Three patients required operative surgical drainage after unsuccessful pericardiocentesis through subxiphoid area. Two patients who underwent surgical drainage died, and in one patient surgical pericardiotomy had complete evacuation of posterior pericardial fluid with major complication., Conclusions: 2-D echocardiography guid pericardiocentesis through left anterior axillary line was found to be a useful, safe, and simple technique. It can be used as an alternative treatment to surgical pericardiotomy for posterior cardiac tamponade after open heart surgery.

Two patients, aged 20 and 21 years, with supravalvular aortic stenosis and aneurysms of the coronary arteries are described. In supravalvular aortic stenosis, dilatation of the sinuses of Valsalva and multiple abnormalities of one or both coronary arteries are common. Aneurysm of coronary artery has not been well recognized as a lesion associated with supravalvular aortic stenosis. The operation in these patients was limited to relief of the supravalvular obstruction.

Cor triatriatum is a rare cardiac malformation presenting with symptoms and signs of pulmonary venous obstruction. Although diagnosis of this defect has been facilitated by diagnostic procedures such as echocardiography and angiocardiography, it could be missed preoperatively. The authors report a case of cor triatriatum that is unique in having two separate atrial septal defects in each side of the fibromuscular membrane and that was undiagnosed preoperatively with transthoracic echocardiography and cardiac catheterization.

In an attempt to resolve the controversy concerning use of beta-adrenoceptor blockade in patients undergoing coronary artery revascularization, 40 consecutive patients with ischaemic heart disease receiving chronic beta-adrenergic blocking therapy (study group) were entered into a randomized trial and were compared with 40 patients receiving no beta-blocking therapy (control group). The postoperative requirement for positive inotropic agents between the two groups was compared. The clinical and operative characteristics of the two groups were similar. After surgery, 2% of patients in the study group required positive inotropic agents compared with 18% of those in the control group (P < 0.05). It is concluded that this difference resulted from an increase in density of beta 1-adrenergic receptors induced by beta-adrenergic blockade, and an increase in the level of catecholamines in the early postoperative period.

Incidence of vascular complications in intraaortic balloon counterpulsation is still high despite major refinements in catheter design and techniques. One hundred twenty-six patients in whom intraaortic balloon pumping was attempted were divided into two groups on the basis of insertion technique. Group 1 included 77 patients in whom the conventional percutaneous insertion was used. In group 2 (n = 45 patients), a sheathless insertion technique was used. The overall vascular complication rate was 19.6%, with the lower limb ischemia as the most common complication. The vascular complication rate was 25.9% in group 1 and 8.8% in group 2 (p < 0.01). Lower limb ischemia was noted in 17 patients in group 1 and 3 patients in group 2 (p < 0.01). These results suggest that sheathless insertion of the intraaortic balloon pump catheter can minimize vascular complications. This technique will be especially useful in patients with peripheral vascular disease, in whom the likelihood of vascular complications is high.

Among various pharmacological agents used to reduce bleeding after open-heart operations, high-dose aprotinin therapy seems most promising. However, its long-term effects are still obscure; there is almost always possibility of bypass graft occlusions produced by the hypercoagulable state induced by aprotinin in coronary bypass operations. Topical application of aprotinin into the pericardial cavity could prevent the adverse effects. Fifty patients were prospectively studied to evaluate the effects of topical aprotinin. One million KIU of aprotinin was poured into the pericardial cavity before closure of the sternotomy in group 1 (n = 25). Patients in group 2 (n = 25) served as controls. Total postoperative bleeding was significantly reduced in group 1 when compared with that of group 2 (722.7 +/- 230.8 versus 1,282.6 +/- 225.7 mL; p < 0.01). The use of banked donor blood products was significantly less in group 1 than in group 2 (0.33 +/- 0.67 versus 1.36 +/- 0.86 units; p < 0.01). These results show that topical use of aprotinin reduces post-operative blood loss and need for transfusion. It seems promising and warrants further studies to be done.

The positioning of the intra-aortic balloon catheter in the descending aorta is vital for successful balloon pumping. With transesophageal echocardiography, the catheter could be properly and rapidly positioned in the descending aorta.

The treatment results of 2 patients with prostatic abscess who underwent perineal percutaneous drainage under transrectal ultrasonographic guidance are described. Both patients were treated definitely and without complications. It is concluded that the use of transrectal ultrasound during the procedure increases the effectivity and safety of treatment.

Seventy one patients with a persistent ductus arteriosus were operated upon at the Cardiovascular Unit in Gülhane Military Medical Academy. The mean age of these cases was 24 years. Twenty five patients (35%) were asymptomatic. The average pulmonary artery systolic pressure was 50 +/- 22 mmHg. In the majority of the cases the ductus was ligated (91.5%), but 6 of the cases were treated by division (8.5%). Early and late complications or mortality were not encountered. In this study 71 cases are reviewed: the preoperative cardiac catheterization and the operative findings are studied in relation to the surgical procedures used. Ligation is a simple, quick and effective surgical treatment for persistent ductus arteriosus in adults.

A review of the studies on the etiology of habitual thumbsucking reveals either contradictory or inconclusive results. In this study carried out in Turkey, 50 thumbsuckers, 50 non-thumbsuckers, 250 school children and 312 'problem' children were investigated through interviews, questionnaires and other clinical techniques with their mothers. Among variables studied, were aspects of feeding, onset and incidence of thumbsucking, strength of the sucking drive, sex distribution, educational level and occupation of mothers, parental attitudes toward physical contact with children, mother-child relationships, and particular forms of falling asleep. It was found that thumbsucking was etiologically more related to ways of falling asleep than to other factors. An attempt was made to explain the social, psychological and physiological basis of the etiological significance of the falling asleep stage in habitual thumbsucking.

The release of lithium carbonate incorporated into polymethylmethacrylate, polyvinyl chloride, hydrogenated vegetable oil, and carbomer matrix tablets was studied in vitro. The formulation containing 10% carbomer showed a sustained-release profile comparable to that of a standard, commercially available, sustained-release preparation containing 400 mg lithium carbonate embedded in a composite material. In vivo the newly formulated and standard sustained-release lithium carbonate tablets were compared to an oral solution and conventional lithium carbonate tablets in 12 healthy subjects. These crossover studies showed that the sustained-release tablets produced a flatter serum concentration curve than the oral solution and conventional tablet, without loss of total bioavailability.