Journal of the American College of Cardiology
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Jan 1993
Multicenter Study Clinical TrialPercutaneous balloon pericardiotomy for the treatment of cardiac tamponade and large pericardial effusions: description of technique and report of the first 50 cases.
This study describes the technique, clinical characteristics and results of the first 50 patients undergoing percutaneous balloon pericardiotomy as part of a multicenter registry. ⋯ Percutaneous balloon pericardiotomy is successful in helping to manage large pericardial effusions, particularly in patients with a malignant condition. It may become the preferred treatment to avoid a more invasive procedure for patients with pericardial effusion and a limited life expectancy.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Jan 1993
Comparative StudyUsefulness of transesophageal echocardiography in identifying small left ventricular apical thrombus.
The aim of this study was to determine whether transesophageal echocardiography could clarify the nature of equivocal echodense structures in the left ventricular apical region frequently found on transthoracic echocardiography by directing the ultrasound beam from the left ventricular base to the apex and achieving better image quality. ⋯ 1) Transesophageal echocardiography is useful in identifying left ventricular apical thrombus in patients with unclear echogenic structures on transthoracic apical images; and 2) the high incidence of arterial embolism in patients with transesophageal echocardiographically detected left ventricular thrombus indicates the clinical importance of such thrombus.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Jan 1993
Transesophageal echocardiographically detected atherosclerotic aortic plaque is a marker for coronary artery disease.
The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that atherosclerotic plaque in the thoracic aorta detected by transesophageal echocardiography is a marker for coronary artery disease. ⋯ The detection of atherosclerotic plaque in the thoracic aorta by transesophageal echocardiography appears to be a marker for the identification of obstructive coronary artery disease and deserves further investigation.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Jan 1993
Syncope in advanced heart failure: high risk of sudden death regardless of origin of syncope.
The purpose of this study was to assess the importance of syncope as a warning sign for sudden death in advanced heart failure and to determine the relative importance of cardiac syncope and syncope from other causes. ⋯ Patients with advanced heart failure are at especially high risk for sudden death regardless of the etiology of syncope.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Jan 1993
Intracardiac echocardiography in humans using a small-sized (6F), low frequency (12.5 MHz) ultrasound catheter. Methods, imaging planes and clinical experience.
This study was designed to determine the clinical utility and feasibility of using 12.5-MHz ultrasound catheters for intracardiac echocardiography. ⋯ Intracardiac echocardiography with 12.5-MHz ultrasound catheters is safe and feasible; it also provides anatomic and physiologic information. This feasibility study provides a foundation for wider clinical use of intracardic echocardiography.