Chest
-
Unlike most pneumonias, the diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia is based solely on identifying organisms by stain, usually with methenamine-silver. Because of technical problems involved with adequate staining, control samples usually are done concurrent with tissue specimens to be examined. ⋯ We recently observed false-negative biopsy specimens in a case of P carinii pneumonia where the Pneumocystis organism failed to stain with methenamine-silver on several occasions, although fungal controls were positive. This report emphasizes the importance of using P carinii as a control whenever attempting to diagnose P carinii pneumonia.
-
Letter Case Reports
Unilateral diaphragmatic paralysis in association with Erb's palsy.
-
This study was undertaken to determine if the production of pulsatile flow by the intra-aortic balloon pump during cardiopulmonary bypass has any beneficial effect on coronary flow, regional myocardial flow, myocardial metabolism, and left ventricular function. Thirty-six conditioned dogs were subjected to one hour of total normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. They were divided into the following five groups: (1) controls, beating heart and femoral inflow; (2) balloon, beating heart, and femoral inflow; (3) balloon, beating heart, and aortic inflow; (4) control, fibrillating heart and femoral inflow; and (5) balloon, fibrillating heart, and femoral inflow. ⋯ This increase in flow may have been in part due to increased resistance to flow in the descending aorta by the balloon. No differences in flow were noted in the other groups, all of which were perfused via the femoral artery. No significant differences in myocardial metabolism or left ventricular contractility could be demonstrated between balloon-treated and control groups in these normal hearts.
-
Letter Case Reports
Fistula from coronary artery to pulmonary artery after blunt trauma to chest.