[Atrial septal defect in adult: usefulness of surgical closure]

The atrial septal defect [ASD] is one of the most common congenital heart diseases in adults. The objective of our study is to determine the value of the surgical closure of ASD in adults. Between January 1990 and December 2006, 87 adult patients underwent surgical closure of ASD. The mean age is 28 years; eighty one patients [93%] were in NYHA class I or II. All patients were operated on with extra corporeal circulation. There were 10% post operative complications, no early or late death. Surgical closure of ASD in adults given good results and in spite of percutaneous procedures progress surgery keeps some specific indications

[Non penetrating cardiac trauma]

Traffic accidents are a very important leading cause of death in young adults in our country and the most cause of non penetrating cardiac trauma. Cardiac contusions represent the most common form of non penetrating cardiac trauma but a wide spectrum of cardiac injury ranging from, cardiac valve is not usually foremost in the minds of physicians dealing with acutely injured patients because initial screening is usually focused on other classic and common injuries. There is actually no controversies surrounding the fact that transoesophageal echocardiography is becoming the corner stone and the most useful modality of the evaluation of severe chest trauma with suspicion of cardiac injury. This paper describe the most important blunt cardiac injuries and emphasizes indirectly the need for early diagnosis that becomes an easy one, if the physician keeps in mind such a possibility in all traumatised patients. Another concern is to point out the importance of appropriate therapeutic approach that may significantly improve outcomes in patients with blunt cardiac trauma