Blood cardioplegia--a comparative clinical and laboratory study.

A prospective comparative study was undertaken to determine quality of myocardial preservation during open heart surgery by crystalloid and blood cardioplegic solutions. Total 55 consecutive patients were studied. Alternate patients received blood and crystalloid cardioplegia at random. Group I had 30 patients who received crystalloid cardioplegia, and group II, with 25 patients, received blood cardioplegia. The efficacy of two solutions was assessed by serum enzyme estimation of creatinine phosphokinase, M.B. fraction of creatinine phosphokinase and serum glutamate oxalate transferase (CPK, CPK-MB, SGOT), electron microscopic study of Left Ventricular biopsy and clinical assessment of post anoxic cardiac performance. Group II patients had lower serum enzyme levels, lesser microscopic myocardial damage, and better cardiac performance during immediate post-operative period, thus proving superiority of myocardial protection by blood cardioplegia.

Ascending aortic aneurysm with aortic valve incompetence--surgical management.

Aneurysm of ascending aorta with aortic valve incompetence is a formidable pathological entity having a relentless course. Etiological factors include syphilitic aortitis, dissection of aorta, Marfan's syndrome and similar conditions. With the advance in operative technique and extra corporeal circulation, now it is possible to treat these conditions by surgery. Surgical intervention includes replacement of entire ascending aorta along with aortic valve by an artificial valve conduit. Basically, two procedures are described, namely, the conventional method and Bentall's operation, both involving a great technique challenge. Our experience with both these techniques is being described in four consecutive cases in the last one year.

A clinical study of eye complications in leprosy.

A study was conducted to find out the incidence of ocular complications in leprosy. The ocular lesions were found in 6.6% of lepromatous leprosy and 1.6% in nonlepromatous leprosy. Out of 150 patients with eye lesions 74% were males and 80% belonged to lepromatous leprosy. The age group in all the patients varied from 3rd to 6th decade. Mean duration of leprosy ln lepromatous leprosy was 6.2 years. The important eye complication observed were lagophthalmos (8.1%), corneal ulcers (10%) and iridocyclitis (24%). The loss of eye-brows (76%) was found to be most frequent in this study followed by corneal lesion (62%). It is concluded that examination of eyes are essential in all types of leprosy.