The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Jan 1997
Preoperative and postoperative comparison of patients with univentricular and biventricular support with the thoratec ventricular assist device as a bridge to cardiac transplantation.
The goal of this study was to determine whether there are differences in populations of patients with heart failure who require univentricular or biventricular circulatory support. ⋯ Patients who received LVADs were less severely ill before the operation and consequently were more likely to survive after the operation. As the severity of illness increases, patients are more likely to require biventricular support.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Jan 1997
Efficacy of transcranial motor-evoked myogenic potentials to detect spinal cord ischemia during operations for thoracoabdominal aneurysms.
Motor-evoked myogenic potentials after transcranial electrical stimulation monitor the vulnerable motoneuronal system of the spinal cord. This study reports our initial experiences with motor-evoked potentials to assess the adequacy of spinal cord perfusion during operations for thoracoabdominal aneurysms. ⋯ During operations for thoracoabdominal aneurysms, monitoring of motor-evoked potentials is an effective technique to detect spinal cord ischemia within minutes. This modality can be used to guide the management of distal aortic perfusion techniques and may also help to identify segmental arteries that need to be reattached.