Validation of esophageal pressure occlusion test after paralysis

Measurements of respiratory mechanics are frequently made in ventilated infants and children. Esophageal pressure measurements (P_es using a balloon on a catheter have been used to partition the respiratory mechanics into lung and chest wall components. Appropriate positioning of this balloon is crucial to obtain accurate estimates of pleural pressure. Traditionally, in spontaneously breathing subjects the balloon position is assessed with an occlusion test. In ventilated subjects, it is not always possible to perform an occlusion test prior to paralysis, and even if such a test is performed it may not be relevant under conditions of positive pressure ventilation. We have assessed a positive pressure occlusion test that is suitable for paralyzed subjects. By occluding the airway opening and applying gentle pressure to the abdomen or rib cage, positive swings in pressure can be measured by both P_es and airway opening pressure (P_ao). We compared traditional occlusion tests measured in 16 spontaneously breathing puppies to the positive pressure occlusion test performed after paralysis. In 2 pups we were unable to obtain a reasonable traditional occlusion test (>15% difference between P_es and P_ao) but we obtained 10 traditional occlusion tests in each of the remaining 14 pups (2.1–14 kg). In 11 of these animals Ape, was within 10% of P_ao. This compared well to positive pressure occlusion test using abdominal pressure performed after paralysis, where Apes was within 10% of ΔP_ao in 10 animals. In 9 of these pups occlusion tests were also performed by applying pressure on the rib cage, where ΔP_es was within 10% of ΔP_ao in 6 animals. These results suggest that it is possible to perform accurate occlusion tests in paralyzed subjects by abdominal or rib cage compression with the airway occluded. Pediatr Pulmonol. 1994; 17:56–62. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Probe™, a balloon wire: Initial experience

Coronary angioplasty is unsuccessful in <3–5% of cases because the balloon catheter fails to follow a guidewire that has traversed a lesion. Between June 1986 and August 1987, 31 lesions were unable to be crossed with at least two standard angioplasty catheters. Finally, a 2.0-mm-diameter Hartzler LPS (ACS) was utilized and successfully crossed and dilated 16 out of 31 lesions (52%). In the remaining 15 lesions, the Probe^TM (USCI) 2.0 mm diameter × 1.5 cm long balloon wire was able to cross the lesions in 13 (82%) and successfully dilated 12. In one case, lesion rigidity prevented the balloon from expanding at 14 atm. A right coronary artery lesion was attempted in 11 cases, and a left anterior descending and circumflex artery lesion in two patients each. No complications were encountered. In seven out of 12 successful Probe^TM cases, a larger balloon catheter was used to further dilate the artery. This new balloon wire has increased our success rate in severe stenoses and in tortuous vessels with severe distal lesions, in which presently available angioplasty equipment has failed.     

New approach to management of intraaortic balloon pumps in patients with peripheral vascular disease: Case reports of four patients requiring urgent IABP insertion

Four selected cases of emergent IABP insertion in PV patients are presented. After angiographic documentation of critical iliac stenosis, conservative peripheral angioplasty was performed prior to IABP insertion. No patient experienced a peripheral ischemic event associated with IABP use. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Combined mortality and morbidity of direct surgical treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm

Two hundred aneurysms of the abdominal aorta were treated surgically from 1980 to 1987 by the same surgeon. There were 187 men and 13 women whose mean age was 66.1 years. Nine patients were 80-years-old or more. Eighty-seven percent of patients had preoperative risk factors, 30% of which were coronary artery disease. The operative approach was through a transverse laparotomy in 188 patients compared to 11 midline incisions and one lumbotomy. An aortoaortic tube was inserted in 87 patients, a bifurcated prosthesis in 99, and a tube bypass in 14. Five patients (2.5%) died within the 30 day perioperative period. Death was due to colonic necrosis, right heart chamber thrombosis, renal failure after repeat operation for acute lower limb ischemia, and myocardial infarction associated with renal and respiratory failure. The morbidity rate was 15.7% (31 patients) and included seven neurologic accidents, four respiratory complications, five ischemic events of the lower limbs requiring reoperation and one amputation, four cardiac complications, two renal failures, one reversible colonic ischemia, one revision for incomplete hemostasis, one phlebitis, one sliding syndrome, and five minor infections or cutaneous complications. Mean duration of hospital stay was 10.9 days. These results confirm that direct operation on aortic aneurysms can be performed in patients from all age groups and even with associated diseases. A rapid, simple technique based on a transverse approach, minimal dissection and insertion of aortoaortic tubes, whenever feasible, appears to reduce combined mortality-morbidity.Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Societé de Chirurgie Vasculaire de Langue Française, May 20–21, 1988, La Grande Motte, France.     

Efficacy in intra-oesophageal acid suppression may decrease after 2-year continuous treatment with proton pump inhibitors

BACKGROUND: Long-term intra-oesophageal acid suppression with proton pump inhibitors represents a management option for Barrett's oesophagus and severe reflux oesophagitis, but its stability over time has not been adequately assessed. AIM: Our aim was to evaluate prospectively the efficacy of proton pump inhibitors in suppressing intra-oesophageal acidity after 2-year continuous treatment. METHODS: Forty-five patients with Barrett's oesophagus or severe reflux oesophagitis on a proton pump inhibitor regimen (once or twice daily) that normalised the total percentage acid exposure time were re-evaluated by means of 24-h oesophageal pH-monitoring after 2-year of continuous unmodified treatment. RESULTS: A significant rise in the total percentage acid exposure time was observed at 2-year follow-up (P=0.029), owing to an increased value in 27 (60%) cases (9 on a twice daily regimen), higher than normal in 10 of them (22% of the whole group) (3 on a twice daily regimen). In 18 patients (40%) the total percentage acid exposure time was stable or decreased. Heartburn remained efficiently suppressed in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of proton pump inhibitors in suppressing intra-oesophageal acidity during continuous treatment may decrease over time, up to abnormal levels of oesophageal acid exposure in a minority of cases. This may occur without heartburn recurrence and with both once and twice daily regimens.     

主动脉窦瘤破裂的外科治疗：附16例报告

低温体外循环下手术治疗主动窦瘤破裂１６例，采用右房切口１例，右室流出道切口１１例，窦瘤破入腔和主动脉根部双切口４例。单纯窦瘤破口修补２例；双头垫片针窦瘤基部与空间隔踬同并列间断褥式缝合修补３例；     

主动脉窦瘤破裂的外科治疗

报告３７例主动脉窦瘤破裂手术治疗结果。着重介绍手术方法，主张采用主动脉根部和窦瘤破入心腔的双切口，切除、修补窦瘤的同时矫正合并畸形。伴主动脉瓣膜垂致中度关闭不全者，主张行主动脉瓣替换术。术后早期死亡１例，余３５例随访６个月－１４年，心功能恢复良好。     

预防肝硬化上消化道出血的临床研究

目的　探讨普萘洛尔和低剂量兰索拉唑长期维持治疗对预防肝硬化门脉高压消化道出血的疗效。方法　1 1 9例肝硬化门脉高压患者随机分为 3组 :Ⅰ组 :给予口服普萘洛尔加上护肝治疗。Ⅱ组 :联合给予低剂量兰索拉唑和普萘洛尔。Ⅲ组 :仅给予护肝治疗。兰索拉唑维持服药 6个月 ,普萘洛尔及一般对症治疗维持 1年。观察治疗前后各组患者所伴发溃疡、门脉高压性胃病 (PHG)、急性胃黏膜病变 (AGML)情况 (发生率 ) ,各组消化道出血的复发率、门静脉直径 (PVD)、脾静脉直径 (SVD)的变化。结果　经 1年观察 ,结果显示 ,普萘洛尔组、联合治疗组、对照组出血的复发率分别为 1 5 0 %、2 2 %、48 5 % ,组Ⅰ、组Ⅱ复发率显著低于组Ⅲ ,同时 ,组Ⅰ与组Ⅱ间的差异有显著性意义。治疗可见组Ⅰ、组Ⅱ患者所伴发的溃疡、PHG、AGML明显改善 ,PVD、SVD缩小。结论　普萘洛尔组联合抑制酸维持治疗 ,可预防引起消化道出血多种病因 ,较单用普萘洛尔的疗效好     

单片机自动灌流系统设计及其医学应用

介绍一种用单片机构成的自动灌流控制系统。它以灌流压为控制指标，以ＬＤＢ－Ｍ电子蠕动泵作为执行机构，构成闭环控制系统，能实现用户设定的各种液流压曲线。系统内采用了ＥＥＰＲＯＭ存储器，可对用户设定的多达１０条灌流曲线进行长期保存。     

Ross procedure in an infant weighing 4.5 kg

A 6 month-old male infant (weight: 4.5 kg) with congenital aortic stenosis underwent aortic valve replacement with a pulmonary autograft (Ross procedure). The right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) was reconstructed with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-valved equine pericardial conduit. At the age of 5, re-RVOT reconstruction with an equine pericardial patch bearing a PTFE monocusp was required because of severe pulmonary stenosis resistant to 2 attempts of percutaneous transluminal pulmonary valvotomy. Currently, at the age of 8, the degree of aortic regurgitation is trivial and the pulmonary autograft is free of functional deterioration despite somatic growth.