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AIM: Standard laparoscopic splenic flexure mobilization is often hampered by redundant small bowel and usually necessitates additional ports. The retraction required runs the risk of inadvertent injury to the surrounding structures including the spleen. METHOD: We present a new technique that permits a safe, rapid and complete mobilization of the splenic flexure even for the more difficult patients. RESULTS: We have used it in 15 consecutive patients without mortality, re-operation or conversion to open surgery. CONCLUSION: The right lateral position for splenic flexure mobilization gives better exposure of the left upper quadrant allowing complete dissection of the splenic flexure from the tail of the pancreas facilitating mobilization even in more difficult cases.

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Clinical histories are reported for 2 patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) who experienced multiple relapses of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis, despite suppression of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) viremia and improvement in CD4+ T cell counts (to >400 cells/microL). CMV-specific CD4+ T cell immune reconstitution was measured directly, using cytokine flow cytometry, which revealed persistent deficits in CMV-specific CD4+ T cell responses in both patients. CMV-specific T cells constituted 0.14% and 0.05% of the total CD4+ T cell count in these patients, which is significantly lower than the percentages for 34 control subjects (0.6%-46%; CD4+ T cell count range, 7-1039 cells/microL; P=.019). Deficits in pathogen-specific immune responses may persist in some individuals, despite suppression of HIV-1 replication and substantial increases in circulating CD4+ T cells after HAART, and such deficits may be associated with significant morbidity from opportunistic infections.

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Despite the use of transvenous methods for extraction of infected leads, failed attempts may result in retained lead fragments. Retained lead fragments may be a focus of continued infection leading to sepsis. We present two patients in which conversion from cardiopulmonary bypass to hypothermic circulatory arrest allowed direct visualization, using venotomies in the superior vena cava and innominate vein to achieve complete removal of retained pacemaker lead fragments. Use of venotomies in the extracardiac venous system is a technical addition to prior descriptions of lead extraction using deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest.

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BACKGROUND: Current literature documents use of the radial artery (RA) for myocardial revascularization only as an alternative conduit in cases where the saphenous veins have been previously harvested or are unsuitable for use. Large-scale routine clinical use of the RA as the conduit of choice has not been reported. METHODS: This prospective study evaluated the harvest of the RA from 933 patients and the subsequent use of the conduit as a preferred coronary artery bypass graft second only to the left internal thoracic artery in 930 of these patients. RESULTS: Unilateral RA harvest was performed in 786 patients and 147 patients had bilateral RA harvest. A total of 1080 RAs were harvested; 214 (19.8%) originated from the dominant forearm. There was a mean of 3.30+/-0.93 grafts per patient of which 2.43+/-0.83 were arterial grafts. The mean number of RA grafts was 1.43+/-0.53. Operative mortality was 2.3% with none due to the RA graft(s). There was no ischemia nor motor dysfunction in the operated hands. Thirty-two (3.4%) patients experienced transient thenar dysesthesia that resolved in 1 day to 6 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that routine total or near total arterial myocardial revascularization may be achieved safely and effectively with the use of one or both RAs in conjunction with the internal thoracic artery.

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BACKGROUND: This investigation compared the incidence and the degree of atherosclerosis present in radial artery (RA) and internal thoracic artery segments remaining after coronary artery bypass grafting. METHODS: One hundred seventy specimens from 102 patients were histologically analyzed, including 106 RA specimens. RESULTS: The mean degree of pathology for the RA was 0.89 on a 0 (none) to 4 (lumen completely obliterated) scale; the mean grade of pathology for the internal thoracic artery was 0.30 (p < 0.001). Presence of diabetes, aortofemoral disease, femoral-popliteal disease, age, and male gender correlated with an increase in RA pathology. Flow in the in situ RA did not correlate with the degree of pathology. CONCLUSIONS: Study of the excess RA and internal thoracic artery segments remaining after coronary artery bypass grafting demonstrated that the RA had a higher degree of atherosclerosis than the internal thoracic artery at the time of harvest. Overall severity of disease in the RA was low. The long-term performance of RA grafts will determine whether this level of atherosclerotic disease has any clinical significance.

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A radial artery free graft was used to create a two-coronary artery system for a 15-month-old child with Bland-White-Garland syndrome. The anomalous left main coronary artery originated from the proximal right pulmonary artery.

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OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate the routine use of radial artery (RA) grafts in patients undergoing coronary artery revascularization. BACKGROUND: Previous long-term studies have documented poor patency of saphenous vein grafts compared with internal thoracic artery (ITA) grafts. METHODS: We performed a prospective review of 175 of 249 consecutive patients. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients had bilateral RAs harvested. Mean number (+/- SD) of grafts/patient was 3.27 +/- 0.93, with 2.76 +/- 0.97 arterial grafts; a mean of 1.53 +/- 0.68 grafts were performed with the RA. The operative mortality rate was 1.6%. No deaths were related to RA grafts, and there were no RA harvest site hematomas or infections. Transient dysesthesia 1 day to 4 weeks in duration occurred in the distribution of the lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve in six extremities (2.6%). Elective cardiac catheterization in 60 patients at 12 weeks postoperatively demonstrated a 95.7% patency rate. CONCLUSIONS: Because of potential benefit of long-term patency associated with arterial grafts, minimal morbidity and mortality associated with use of the RA and excellent short-term patency rates, we cautiously recommend use of one or both RAs as additional conduits to be used concomitantly with the ITA for arterial revascularization of the coronary arteries.

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UNLABELLED: Despite a revival of interest in using the radial artery as an alternative conduit for myocardial revascularization, little angiographic documentation of early postoperative results has been presented, particularly in North America. Accordingly, 60 of 150 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass with radial arteries from November 1993 to July 1995 have had postoperative cardiac catheterization at our institution. The patency rate of the radial artery grafts was 95.7% (90 of 94 grafts patent) with an average internal diameter of 2.51 mm. Four radial artery grafts showed diffuse narrowing. The patency rate of the internal thoracic artery grafts was 100% with an average internal diameter of 2.25 mm. Three of 62 grafts demonstrated diffuse narrowing. Two of 24 (7.7%) saphenous vein grafts were occluded; the average internal diameter was 3.23 mm. The internal thoracic artery, the radial artery, and saphenous vein grafts were, respectively, 7.5%, 19.5%, and 53.3% larger than the anastomosed native coronary arteries. Graft-dependent flow was found in 81.1% of the radial artery grafts. CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrate that the short-term patency rate of radial artery grafts is excellent.

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The postoperative fluid retention found in some patients after the Cox maze procedure has been attributed to surgically induced loss of atrial natriuretic peptide. We postulated that exogenous atrial natriuretic peptide could reverse this antidiuresis. A rat model was used to investigate this hypothesis. In group I, the sham group, the atrial appendages were left intact and the animals were then subjected to a fluid challenge equivalent to 1% of the animal's body weight. In group II, after biatrial appendectomy, the animals were subjected to a fluid challenge similar to that in group I. Animals in group III underwent the same protocol as that for group II plus intravenous administration of atriopeptin III at varying concentrations. Urine output and plasma atrial natriuretic peptide levels were significantly decreased after biatrial appendectomies (p < or = 0.01). Urine output returned to control levels after biatrial appendectomies with low-dose atrial natriuretic peptide infusion (0.5 pmol/min = 25.5 pg/min), although circulating atrial natriuretic peptide levels were lower. Urine output and plasma atrial natriuretic peptide levels increased with atrial natriuretic peptide infusions between 0.5 and 50 pmol/min. Heart rate and mean blood pressure did not vary significantly with atrial natriuretic peptide infusions. Thus atrial natriuretic peptide can be used effectively in low doses to induce a diuresis after biatrial appendectomies. Atrial natriuretic peptide may have clinical application after the Cox maze procedure.

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The radial artery was proposed and then abandoned as a coronary artery bypass graft in the 1970s. Development of new pharmacologic antispasmodic agents and minimally traumatic harvesting techniques has led to a revival of the use of the radial artery in coronary artery bypass procedures. Unlike the saphenous vein in the lower extremities, the radial artery in the volar forearm is not a subcutaneous structure. Safe harvest of the artery requires an understanding of volar forearm anatomy. Based on review of anatomy, cadaver dissection, and clinical experience with 40 patients, we have developed a technique for radial artery harvest. The volar forearm is divided into three zones: the proximal zone, the middle zone, and the distal zone. In each zone, important anatomic landmarks are identified. Our harvesting technique has resulted in minimal postoperative morbidity and no postoperative ischemic complications. Although the pedicled internal thoracic artery graft remains the primary arterial conduit for myocardial revascularization, the radial artery is an excellent additional bypass conduit.

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Outcomes of 282 patients referred to the arrhythmia service at Montefiore Medical Center for sustained ventricular tachycardia (n = 214) or ventricular fibrillation (n = 68) associated with coronary artery disease were analyzed retrospectively. All patients underwent serial drug trials by electrophysiologic testing and Holter monitoring. Sixty-eight patients who did not respond to drug therapy were treated with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD group), and 214 patients were treated with other methods guided by electrophysiologic testing and Holter monitoring (non-ICD group). The non-ICD group included 49 patients who responded to drug therapy as judged by electrophysiologic testing, as well as patients who did not respond and were not treated with defibrillator therapy for various reasons. Ten patients died in the hospital (2 patients in the ICD group, 8 in the non-ICD group). Actuarial survival rates free of total cardiac death at 1, 2, and 3 years were, respectively, 94%, 87%, and 85% in the ICD group, and 82%, 78%, and 73% in the non-ICD group (p = NS). Survival rates free of total death at 1, 2, and 3 years were 90%, 82%, and 76% in the ICD group, and 82%, 76%, and 70% in the non-ICD group, respectively (p = NS). Survival rates free of total cardiac and total deaths of 49 patients treated with an effective regimen determined by electrophysiologic testing were not significantly different from those of the ICD group. This retrospective study suggests that outcomes of patients treated with ICDs may not be dramatically different from those of patients treated with other methods guided primarily by electrophysiologic testing.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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Wound healing of sternal incisions and midline or paramedian abdominal incisions was studied at 2 weeks postoperatively in three groups of dogs. Group 1, 10 dogs, had harvesting of bilateral internal thoracic arteries, superior epigastric arteries, and inferior epigastric arteries. Group 2, 5 dogs, had removal of the same arteries, but the superior and inferior epigastric arteries were harvested through paramedian rather than midline incisions. Group 3, 5 dogs, served as control and had median sternotomies and midline abdominal incisions only. All wounds healed without complication. Wound breaking strength of the skin of the chest incisions was significantly greater (p < 0.05) in the control group (group 3) (52.6 lb) compared with groups 1 (38.0 lb) and 2 (34.8 lb). Wound breaking strength of the skin of the abdominal incisions was significantly greater (p < 0.05) in group 2 (50.4 lb) when paramedian incisions were made compared with group 1 (35.1 lb). Hydroxyproline content was similar for all groups and all incisions. We conclude that abdominal wound breaking strength is significantly greater when paramedian incisions are performed to harvest the inferior epigastric arteries. Harvesting bilateral internal thoracic, superior epigastric, and inferior epigastric arteries may lower sternal wound breaking strength.

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Color-flow Doppler ultrasound was used to assess the anatomic characteristics of the inferior epigastric artery (IEA) bilaterally in 20 nonatherosclerotic (group I; mean age, 28 years) and 20 atherosclerotic (group II; mean age, 57 years) subjects. Forty-nine percent of the IEAs were located laterally within the rectus sheath with 34% in a mid and 17% in a medial location. Seventeen percent had a large branch within 5 cm of the origin. Average length of the IEA was 10.7 +/- 3.2 cm. Average proximal and distal internal diameters were 3.0 +/- 0.45 and 1.9 +/- 0.35 mm, respectively. Neither length nor vessel diameter showed any correlation with age or body surface area. Sixty-two percent of the IEAs were greater than or equal to 9 cm in length and 1.5 mm in distal diameter. Stenosis of the vessel (more than 50% diameter) was noted at the proximal 1 cm segment in 20% of the IEAs in the atherosclerotic group but none of the IEAs in the nonatherosclerotic group. Beyond this proximal segment, there was freedom from atherosclerotic stenosis as demonstrated by the IEAs' similarity of length and diameter irrespective of age in these atherosclerotic and nonatherosclerotic populations.

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A 6-week-old male infant with a capillary hemangioma of the right atrioventricular groove adjacent to the right coronary artery and conduction system underwent successful resection with the aid of microneurosurgical instrumentation. The technical challenge was thought to be analogous to that encountered by microneurosurgeons in their dissection of brain tumors.

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An improved method of thoracoscopic implantable cardioverter defibrillators implantation is described. "Mailslot" thoracotomy is more expeditious than thoracoscopic implantation via multiple ports. If required for adequate defibrillation thresholds, subxiphoid, subdiaphragmatic implantation of a defibrillator patch may be performed.

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