The Thoracic and cardiovascular surgeon
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Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · Feb 1994
Case ReportsFalse aneurysm of the ascending aorta with fistula to the right atrium. Noninvasive diagnosis by computed tomographic scan and two-dimensional echocardiography with successful repair.
A 57-year-old Japanese man presented with symptoms of congestive heart failure 9 years after aortic valve replacement. On auscultation, a continuous murmur was heard at the left lower sternal border. Chest radiograph showed moderate cardiomegaly and a widened upper mediastinum. ⋯ The fistula was closed with pledgeted sutures, and the ascending aorta was replaced with a collagen-coated double woven velour dacron graft. The patient recovered uneventfully. Computed tomographic scan and two-dimensional echocardiography are complementary techniques for reliable non-invasive assessment of the complexity of an aortic aneurysm.
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Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · Feb 1994
Comparative StudyContinuous thermodilution measurement of cardiac output: in-vitro and in-vivo evaluation.
The current study was designed to evaluate a method for continuous measurement of cardiac output. The system consists of a modified pulmonary artery catheter that uses the thermodilution principle for determination of cardiac output. The evaluation was performed in vitro and in vivo. ⋯ The results from this study suggest that the new continuous thermodilution measurement system for cardiac output provides accurate data in vitro and in vivo. Continuous monitoring of cardiac output adds a new dimension for evaluation of the patient's hemodynamic profile. Furthermore, significant volume load due to bolus thermodilution measurements can be avoided.