The Annals of thoracic surgery
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We report on a case of an 11-year-old asymptomatic child with aortico-left ventricular tunnel arising from the left aortic sinus. Preoperative transesophageal echocardiography showed a dilated aortic root with mild aortic valve incompetence and demonstrated the course of the tunnel, which originated from the left coronary sinus entering the outlet portion of the left ventricular outflow tract. ⋯ At 10-month follow-up the child is asymptomatic and receiving no oral medications. Control two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography shows trivial central aortic valve incompetence.
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An anomalous left brachiocephalic vein is an uncommon systemic venous anomaly, which usually has no clinical significance. We describe a case of tricuspid atresia with such an anomalous left brachiocephalic vein. The presence of this unusual venous anomaly had a number of implications in the surgical management of the tricuspid atresia.
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Purulent pericarditis caused by Candida species is rare and is associated with very high mortality. Immunosuppressed transplant patients are particularly susceptible to fungal infections. We report a case of Candida purulent constrictive pericarditis in an immunocompromised heart transplant patient who was treated successfully with antifungal agents, surgical drainage, and pericardiectomy.
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Brain injury remains a significant problem in patients undergoing cardiac surgery assisted by cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Autopsy brain specimens of patients after cardiac operations with CPB reveal numerous acellular lipid deposits (10 to 70 microm) in the microvasculature. We hypothesize that these small capillary and arterial dilatations result from a diffuse inflammatory response to CPB or from emboli delivered by the bypass circuit. This study was undertaken to determine which aspect of CPB is most clearly associated with these dilatations. ⋯ Blood aspirated from the surgical field and subsequently reinfused into dogs undergoing CPB produces a greater density of small capillary and arterial dilatations than CPB without cardiotomy suction, presumably because of lipid microembolization.
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Hemodilution is a prominent problem in cardiopulmonary bypass in a pediatric population. Ultrafiltration is a method used to reduce fluid volume and tissue edema and to increase hematocrit without the need for blood products. Modified ultrafiltration may offer advantages in comparison with conventional ultrafiltration. ⋯ Modified ultrafiltration can be performed safely in neonatal patients after cardiopulmonary bypass and offers advantages in comparison with conventional ultrafiltration.