European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Mar 2006
Case ReportsSpontaneous tension hydropneumopericardium complicating serofibrinous pericarditis.
A hydropneumopericardium is a rare but critical condition, which is mostly ascribed to primary infiltrative lesions from adjacent organs, pericardial infections, or trauma. Although there have been reports about pyopneumopericardium, no case of spontaneous non-purulent hydropneumopericardium has been documented in literature. ⋯ Remarkably, no definite pathogenesis was identified despite surgical and laboratory investigations. The spontaneity and management of hydropneumopericardium are discussed.
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Paraplegia and paraparesis are major concerns in descending and thoracoabdominal aortic repair. A shorter period of spinal cord ischemia is preferred for protection. ⋯ Blood supply of intercostal arteries including the Adamkiewicz artery is resumed by perfusing the vascular tube in not more than 20 min. This technique has been applied in four patients, and there was neither paraplegia nor paraparesis.