The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
-
J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Jan 1981
Modified Blalock-Taussig shunt. Use of subclavian artery orifice as flow regulator in prosthetic systemic-pulmonary artery shunts.
Between April, 1975, and December, 1979, 99 modified Blalock-Taussig shunts (MBTSs) were carried out at The Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street. The operation consists of interposing between the subclavian artery and the pulmonary artery a prosthesis of greater diameter than that of the subclavian artery. The first 13 operations were performed with a prosthesis of woven Dacron. ⋯ All these patients were operated upon in infancy, four of them in the neonatal period. Although a longer follow-up is necessary to assess the validity of these shunts, the early results are encouraging. We believe we can now recommend MBTS as an alternative when the classical Blalock-Taussig shunt is considered unsuitable.
-
A method is presented for the endoscopic intubation of malignant tumors of the trachea and main bronchi with a Souttar tube. This is appropriate when urgent relief of respiratory obstruction is necessary and when the tumor is unsuitable for resection. ⋯ The method failed in one patient. There were no operative deaths.
-
J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Nov 1980
Massive air embolism during cardiopulmonary bypass. Causes, prevention, and management.
Massive air embolism during cardiopulmonary bypass is a frightening complication requiring immediate response and carrying strong medicolegal implications. From July, 1971, to July, 1979, there were eight instances of massive air embolism during 3,620 cardiopulmonary bypass operations. Five such accidents from other institutions are included in this report. ⋯ Cerebral injury which resolved within a 2 month period occurred in three patients. The remainder had no neurologic sequelae. Nonfatal cerebral air injury may be associated with prolonged convalescence yet complete recovery, as compared to embolism from debris or clot, which offers a poorer prognosis.