Heart, lung & circulation
-
Heart, lung & circulation · Jun 2009
Successful treatment of pulmonary mucormycosis in a renal transplant recipient with limited pulmonary reserve by combined medical and surgical therapy.
Mucormycosis is a rare opportunistic fungal infection in renal transplant recipients which is associated with exceedingly high mortality when inadequately treated. Risk factors for this infection include diabetes, neutropaenia and immunosuppression. ⋯ The patient was successfully treated with lobectomy and liposomal amphotericin B with preservation of pulmonary and allograft functions. Early recognition of this infection is warranted before dissemination, which carries a poor prognosis.
-
Heart, lung & circulation · Jun 2009
Case ReportsIdiopathic chylothorax and chylopericardium resistant to conservative and surgical management.
Simultaneous idiopathic collection of chyle in the pericardial and pleural cavities is a rare phenomenon and to our knowledge it has been reported twice before [Torrington KG, Youkey JR. Simultaneous Idiopathic chylothorax and chylopericardium. ⋯ Tex Heart Inst J 2006;33(2):249-53]. We report two cases of idiopathic pericardial and pleural effusions presenting cardiac tamponade resistant to conservative and surgical management.
-
Heart, lung & circulation · Apr 2009
Review Case ReportsSuccessful lobectomy for pulmonary arteriovenous malformation causing recurrent massive haemoptysis.
A 6-year-old child with pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (PAVM) of the lower lobe of left lung was successfully treated by left lower lobectomy and the case is reported for its rarity. The exact diagnosis is relatively easy to make by contrast echocardiography and pulmonary angiocardiography, provided the possibility is entertained. Because of recurrent episodes of massive haemoptysis from a single pulmonary lobe, surgical resection was deemed the best curative option to avoid further episodes and recurrence. Published reports detailing coil embolisation therapy for PAVMs are also discussed.
-
Heart, lung & circulation · Apr 2009
The role of the CSANZ in 'closing the gap': an Indigenous cardiologists perspective.
The definition of Indigenous health as a human rights issue has signaled a major change in ideology, which has the potential to unite governments, health organisations and the Indigenous community to achieve improved health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) people. Whilst much of the debate will focus on specific policies, programs and interventions, the greatest challenge lies in bridging the divide between mainstream and Indigenous definitions of health, wellbeing and identity. This article provides an Indigenous perspective on the role that the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand might play in bridging this divide so that we can 'close the gap' in life expectancy for ATSI people.
-
Heart, lung & circulation · Feb 2009
Clinical TrialChanges in tissue-Doppler echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular filling during NT-proBNP guided heart failure treatment titration: a pilot study.
Although brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and E/Ea are closely related in heart failure (HF) patients and may be helpful to guide HF therapy, the response of E/Ea to changes in BNP over several weeks of intensive HF treatment optimisation is unknown. This study was designed to investigate this relationship. ⋯ This pilot study demonstrates that the E/Ea decreases after NT-proBNP guided HF therapy. E/Ea may be a complementary target for HF therapy optimisation; this hypothesis should be further evaluated in larger scale randomised trials.