Archives des maladies du coeur et des vaisseaux
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Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss · Dec 1995
Review[Supraventricular tachycardia with wide QRS complexes during Vaughan-Williams class I anti-arrhythmic treatment. Diagnostic and therapeutic implications].
The authors report 8 cases of regular tachycardia with wide QRS complexes during treatment with Vaughan-Williams class 1 antiarrhythmic drugs. These antiarrhythmics, prescribed to prevent atrial fibrillation (3 patients) and atrial flutter (5 patients), were flecainide in 4 cases, propafenone in 2 cases and cibenzoline and hydroquinidine respectively associated with digitoxine and propranolol. These wide complex tachycardias were regular atrial tachycardias with 1/1 conduction to the ventricle. ⋯ The recording of a wide QRS complex tachycardia in a patient on class 1 antiarrhythmic therapy for an atrial arrhythmia should alert the physician to 1/1 atrial tachycardia despite morphological electrocardiographic criteria of ventricular tachycardia. The 1/1 atrial tachycardia may be poorly tolerated and require emergency treatment. The preventive association of a drug which slows conduction through the atrioventricular node is not always effective.
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Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss · Dec 1995
Case Reports[Iatrogenic left coronaro-atrial fistula after mitral valve replacement: apropos of a case].
The authors report a case of an iatrogenic fistula between the left circumflex coronary artery and left atrium. The fistula was a complication of reoperation to replace a mitral valvuloplasty annulus by a mechanical hemi-disc prosthesis (Saint Jude Medical). Diagnosis was made by transoesophageal echocardiography and confirmed by coronary angiography. The patient underwent external ligature under cardio-pulmonary bypass.
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Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss · Nov 1995
[Cerebral protection by selective cerebral perfusion during surgery on the aortic arch].
The aim of this study was to evaluate the technique of cerebral protection by selective cerebral perfusion with moderate hypothermia during surgery of the transverse aortic arch. Twenty-three patients were operated for partial or total replacement of the transverse aortic arch between January 1987 and December 1993 by the technique of selective cerebral perfusion by bilateral carotid cannulation. There were 12 cases of aneurysm of the ascending aorta and/or transverse aortic arch, one aneurysm of the innominate artery and 10 Stanford type A aortic dissections. ⋯ The perioperative mortality was 13%; the causes of death were not neurological (3 haemorrhages). The neurological morbidity was 10% (one brachial monoparesis and one bulbar tetraparesis). This is therefore a useful technique of cerebral protection which avoids the complications of deep hypothermia with circulatory arrest and does not limit the time of aortic repair.
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Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss · Nov 1995
[Pulmonary embolectomy in pulmonary embolism: surgery and endoluminal techniques].
Since Trendelenburg's first attempts in 1908, the techniques of embolectomy have progressed considerably. The reference method remains embolectomy under cardiopulmonary bypass, the development of which has reduced the operative mortality to 30-40% instead of 60% when embolectomy was performed without cardiopulmonary bypass. ⋯ These procedures are difficult to initiate, little experimented in humans or still at the experimental stage in animals. Advances in the medical treatment of massive acute pulmonary embolism have reduced the indications of embolectomy which has become the exception reserved for the most seriously ill patients in whom the other methods are contraindicated or have failed.
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Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss · Nov 1995
Review[Indications of partial interruption of the inferior vena cava in pulmonary embolism].
Forty years after the first implantation of caval filters, there is still no indication for implantation validated by a controlled clinical trial. This fact may be explained by our poor understanding of the evolution of thromboembolic disease, especially in certain groups of patients. The absolute contra-indications to heparin therapy would seem to be a logical indication for a caval filter. ⋯ The implantation of a filter would seem to be justified in patients with chronic cor pulmonale after pulmonary embolectomy. The value of a temporary caval filter during thrombolysis has not been demonstrated; there are hopes that temporary filters "of long duration" will provide filtration of the vena cava during vulnerable periods. The results of the first controlled trial (PREPIC) are eagerly awaited and should rationalise the indications of inferior vena cava filters.