Interactive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Aug 2007
The way the intra-aortic balloon catheter moves within the aorta as a possible mechanism of balloon associated morbidity.
This study set off to investigate which mode of weaning of an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) produces more aortic trauma. With the use of a perfusion pump, an intact porcine aorta with an IABP in situ, was studied. Angioscopic images of the interior of the aorta were obtained. ⋯ The aortic impact score at 0.5, 6 and 12 h during the experiments was: (1) When weaning by mode: a) 1:1 3.3+/-0.6, 4.0+/-1.0 and 4.3+/-0.6; b) 1:2 4.7+/-0.6, 6.7+/-0.6 and 7.0+/-0.0; c) 1:3 8.7+/-0.6, 11+/-1.0 and 11.7+/-0.6. (2) Weaning by augmentation: a) 75% 2.3+/-0.6, 2.7+/-0.6 and 3.0+/-0.0; b) 50% 1.3+/-0.6, 1.3+/-0.6 and 1.7+/-0.6. An increasing score was observed while weaning by mode (P<0.05). The 1:3 mode produces marked intimal disruption that worsens with time.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Aug 2007
ReviewSpinal cord stimulation for lower limb ischemic pain treatment.
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) was proposed many years ago for pain treatment but healing of ischemic ulcers opened a new treatment indication. The aim of this review was to assess the efficacy of SCS. ⋯ the endovascular approach reduced the number of patients unsuitable for revascularization, however, some patients cannot be treated by angioplasty or open surgery; moreover, some are unfit for surgery, and others have persistent distal ischemia and pain with a functioning revascularization. In these cases SCS (alone or associated with prostanoids) can be indicated on the basis of the more recent evidences. A trial period with external stimulator, associated with a microcirculatory evaluation, is currently utilized to select patients that can derive benefit from this treatment, reducing costs.