Preoperative balloon occlusion: “the intravascular ligature”

The resection of cerebral arteriovenous malformations may be difficult or very hazardous when access to the feeding arteries is limited by overlying large draining veins. Properative occlusion of feeding arteries can be performed using detachable flow-directed balloons.     

Increased glomerular filtration rate following mannitol administration in man.

In contrast to previous findings in normal man, we found that mannitol increased the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in seriously ill patients. The increase in GFR following hypertonic mannitol administration was greater than the proportional increase in cardiac output.     

Long-term results of 156 Mustard operations for simple transposition of the great vessels]

156 children with simple transposition of the great vessels have been operated on by Mustard's technique between 1-6-1967 and 31-12-1976, with an immediate overall mortality rate of 8%. In the longterm, the 9% of late deaths and more especially the complications are regrettable; complications were either of severe arrhythmia (almost 30%) leading to 2 late deaths and 7 pacemaker implantations, or venous obstruction relating to problems with the patch (25%). Despite the improved techniques and consequent reduction in surgical mortality and late complications, longterm prognosis is still unsure because of the unknown fate of the intra-atrial partition, and that of the "passive" rhythms which are so commonly found after this type of surgery.