[Long-term outcome of a patient with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy treated by alcohol septal transcoronary ablation]. / Suivi à long terme d'une patiente atteinte de cardiomyopathie obstructive traitée par alcoolisation septale.

We report here the long term follow-up of the first french case, at our knowledge, of alcohol septal transcoronary ablation in March 1998 in Clinique Ambroise Paré in an 76 year-old woman. This patient was in NYHA III-IV functional class and at control outflow gradient was 100 mmHg. She was prior treated with high dosis of beta-blockers then DDD-pacemaker with no effects on symptoms. The technique used was the one described by Sigwart and al., with injection of 3 cm3 of ethyl alcohol in the first septal branch, after checking decrease of gradient during occlusion of septal branche with balloon angioplasty. After alcohol ablation, the gradient decreased immediately to 15 mmHg and disappeared at long-term follow up. Three years and half after the procedure, no complication occurred, the patient remains asymptomatic and the control echocardiography shows interventricular septal reduction of thickness from 22 to 12 mm.

[Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the terminal abdominal aorta. Apropos of a case with a review of the literature]. / Angioplastie transluminale percutanée de l'aorte abdominale terminale. A propos d'une observation avec revue de la littérature.

The indications and results of peripheral arterial angioplasty have now been well defined. The application of this technique to lesions of the infra-renal abdominal aorta has not been particularly controversial up until now but very few cases have been reported in the literature. The authors report a new case using the technique of a double balloon inserted into the two femoral arteries. Apart from the advantages of angioplasty, this technique appears to avoid the risk of impotence inherent with aorto-iliac surgery. The use of Road-Mapping simplifies the problems of detection, position, and adaptation of the balloon and reduces the duration of the procedures.

[Iopromide 370 in coronaroventriculography, versus ioxaglate 320 mg/ml]. / Etude de l'iopromide 370 en coronaroventriculographie, versus ioxaglate 320 mgI/ml.

Twenty-four patients with angina were included in a prospective randomized trial, comparing a new non-ionic contrast medium--iopromide 370 mgI/ml--versus the ionic low osmolar contrast medium, ioxaglate 320 mgI/ml. Twelve received iopromide 370 and twelve ioxaglate 320 mgI/ml. The main topic of this study was general and cardiac safety. Cardiac safety was monitored by EKG and diastolic and systolic blood pressures. In spite of a bias--5 patients with iopromide 370 had myocardial infarction, versus one with ioxaglate 320--there were fewer adverse effects with iopromide 370. The population of only 24 failed to reveal a statistically significant difference, but the tendency was confirmed by the meta-analysis of this multicentric study.

[Aortic valvuloplasty in the elderly. Immediate and medium-term results]. / La valvuloplastie aortique du sujet âgé. Résultats immédiats et à moyen terme.

Between January 86 and February 88 we attempted percutaneous aortic valvuloplasty in 100 patients. 68 patients could be dilated with hemodynamic success: the aortic valve area increased from 0.52 +/- 0.17 cm2 to 0.78 +/- 0.27 cm2 (p less than 0.001). Cardiac output did not change significantly (4 +/- 1.1 l/mn). In the remaining 32 patients: 8 patients (8%) died in hospital and the morbidity rate was 11%: arterial injury (9), stroke (1) and major cardiac event (1). Sixty patients regarded as initial success were followed for 6 months: 3 patients (5%) died without cardiac events, functional improvement persisted in 41 patients (68%) and clinical failure was observed in 16 patients (27%): 4 patients died and in the remaining 12 patients, the recurrence of symptoms required medical treatment (5), surgery (5) or repeat percutaneous valvuloplasty (2). Echo-Doppler maximum aortic valve gradient was significantly less in improved patients (55 +/- 21 mmHg) than in deteriorated patients (78 +/- 36 mmHg) (p less than 0.02). One year after valvuloplasty: actuarial survival was 74 +/- 6%, clinical improvement was 53 +/- 7% and clinical recurrence was 41 +/- 7%. Thus percutaneous aortic valvuloplasty may be proposed only to non surgical patients.

[Cardiac transplantation at the University Hospital Center of Nantes. 2 years' experience]. / Transplantation cardiaque au CHU de Nantes. Deux ans d'expérience.

Between March, 1985 and April, 1987, 25 orthotopic heart transplantations were performed in 20 men and 5 women aged from 17 to 58 years (mean 42 years) on account of cardiomyopathy (n = 15), ischaemic heart disease (n = 6) or miscellaneous lesions (n = 4). The immunosuppressive treatment consisted of antilymphocyte serum and corticosteroids during 10 days; cyclosporine was introduced on the 7th day and continued thereafter in association with low-dose corticosteroid therapy. Endomyocardial biopsies were performed. Acute rejection, responsible for 2 deaths (one on the 10th day, the other in the 10th week), usually occurred within the first 3 months. Infections were frequent and often serious, resulting in one death in the 7th week. One out of patients had to be treated for arterial hypertension, and 3 patients presented with renal impairment (blood creatinine over 200 mumoles/l). The actuarial survival rate at 2 years is 84 p. 100. More than one-half of the patients have resumed social and occupational activities.

[The new LEM caval filter in the prevention of pulmonary embolism. Preliminary results of a French multicenter study]. / Le nouveau filtre cave LEM(1) préventif de l'embolie pulmonaire. Résultats préliminaires d'une étude multicentrique française.

Preliminary results are reported of a prospective multicenter trial of a new caval filter (LEM*) implanted by the percutaneous jugular route in 100 patients, 55 men and 45 women, mean age 67 +/- 13 years, to produce partial interruption of inferior vena cava (IVC). Of the 100 attempts to insert the LEM* filter, 2 failures to catheterize the jugular vessel were reported, 98 filters being placed in the IVC with 82 implantation considered adequate. Of the remaining 16 cases, the filter was inclined (7 cases) or incompletely open (9 cases) with total lack of success in 3 cases. Overall efficacy was obtained therefore in 95 cases. Follow up included 94 patients seen after one week, 63 after 3 months and 10 after 6 months: 3 embolic recurrences were noted (3.2%) of cases. None of the 8 deaths reported was related to the thromboembolic disease. Standard frontal abdominal radiographic images showed migration of filter in 13 cases (13.7%) not exceeding the height of a vertebral body: 9 were caudal and 4 proximal, the LEM* filter remaining within the IVC. Phlebocavography in 90 cases showed the IVC to be permeable in 84 cases (93.3%). Incomplete opening or inclination of filter had no effect on the course. These findings demonstrate that the advantages of the LEM* filter include: a percutaneous introduction allowing rapid, certain insertion, and a form studied for limitation of inclination and avoidance of perforation of the IVC.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Detection of myocarditis during the first year after discovery of a dilated cardiomyopathy by endomyocardial biopsy and gallium-67 myocardial scintigraphy: prospective multicentre French study of 91 patients.

The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency of inflammatory lesions in the myocardium of subjects with dilated cardiomyopathy and to determine if there was any correlation between the results of two methods of evaluation, one (endomyocardial biopsy) invasive and the other (gallium-67 scintigraphy) noninvasive. Of 115 subjects recruited in seven centres, 91 met the inclusion criteria (left ventricular dilatation greater than or equal to 100 ml m-2 and ejection fraction less than 55% with normal coronary arteriography) and had endomyocardial biopsy (mean five specimens) and Ga-67 myocardial scintigraphy after several days. Scanning was considered doubtful 19 times and positive 13 times. The histologic count of mononuclear cells in the myocardial interstitium in 20 fields was greater than 5 cells field-1 in only four cases. No correlation was found between the two methods. Subjectivity in the choice of the criterion of positivity of Ga-67 scintigraphy and difficulties in identifying lymphocytes upon pathological examination were the major problems encountered. Despite limitations, both techniques suggest that cellular infiltrates are minimal and quite infrequent in dilated cardiomyopathy.

[Lateral tracheal indentation or compression by the brachiocephalic arterial trunk in children]. / Empreinte ou compression trachéale latérale due au tronc artériel brachio-céphalique chez l'enfant.

Three cases of compression of the right wall of the trachea by buckling of the innominate artery in childhood are described. A coarctation of the thoracic aorta is associated in two cases, and a left cervical aortic arch in the third one. In one case, a severe tracheomalacia occurs following the surgical repair of the associated coarctation. This lateral indentation of the trachea is suggestive of right aortic arch but the absence of posterior oesophageal indentation excludes the diagnosis. Angiography is helpful and echography is unable to demonstrate the vascular origin of the tracheal compression. The authors analyse the correct diagnostic approach, emphasize the risk of tracheomalacia and the high rate of associated cardio-vascular malformations.

[Gamma-angiography in the diagnosis of akinesia and dyskinesia after myocardial infarction]. / Apport de la gamma-angiographie au diagnostic des akinésies et des dyskinésies après infarctus du myocarde.

A one year prospective double blind trial included all patients with myocardial infarction and clinical, electrocardiographic or radiographic signs of left ventricular aneurysm. All 36 patients underwent ventriculography and radionuclide angiocardiography in the same projections: right anterior oblique, antero-posterior, left anterior oblique and left lateral. The angiographic diagnosis of left ventricular aneurysm was based on the finding of a deformation of the ventricular contour persisting in diastole; 22 patients were classified as having a left ventricular aneurysm and the 14 others had akinesia alone. The radionuclide diagnosis of left ventricular dyskinesia was based on the finding of the following 3 criteria in at least one projection: crossing of the systolic and diastolic isocontours; over 4 p. 100 of LV pixels having a negative ejection fraction; the dephased infarcted region having a movement separate from that of the remaining healthy myocardium. None of the clinical criteria of inclusion allowed diagnosis of LV aneurysm when compared with the results of ventriculography. The results of radionuclide and conventional ventriculography correlated 100 p. 100 in the diagnosis of severe contractile abnormalities. When compared with ventriculography, radionuclide angiocardiography had a specificity of 95 p. 100 and a sensitivity of 86 p. 100 for the diagnosis of aneurysm. The only false negative was a non-surgical septal aneurysm. The multiplication of the incidences of examination increases the sensitivity of the results of radionuclide angiography.

[Coronary intramural ruptures caused by transluminal angioplasty. Incidence, significance and development controlled by coronary angiography]. / Les ruptures intramurales coronaires induites par l'angioplastie transluminale. Incidence, signification et évolution contrôlée par coronarographie.

The authors report their experience of coronary intimal rupture (CIR) observed at control angiography performed at the end of transluminal angioplasty in a series of 150 cases. This lesion was observed in 34 p. 100 of cases. Two subgroups were established according to the presence (Group I: 51 cases) or absence of CIR (Group II: 99 cases) in order to try and identify any predisposing factor. The following features were compared in each group: age, sex, number of risk factors, duration of the disease, its severity, the site and morphology of the lesions (calcification, length, excentric or concentric) on the artery dilated and the technique used (number of inflations, maximal pressure, guidable catheter). The only significant feature associated with CIR was the morphology of the stenosis. Intimal rupture was statistically more frequent when the stenosis was long, calcific and excentric (p less than 0.05). The excentric character was highly predictive of CIR +/- 0.02) and even of complicated CIR (p less than 0.01). The CIR was complicated in 10 cases (19.6 p. 100) with a higher incidence than in the rest of the population (p less than 0.05). These complications were immediate presenting as attacks of angina leading on to 4 myocardial infarctions (7.8 p. 100) but no deaths. The treatment consisted in an attempt to redilate the artery with effective angioplasty in 3 out of 4 cases. Medical therapy alone was sufficient in 2 cases and 4 patients underwent coronary bypass. There were no complications in cases of initially asymptomatic intimal rupture. The 6 months outcome was controlled by coronary angiography in 131 angioplasties.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Changes in left ventricular dP/dt during transluminal coronary angioplasty]. / Modifications de la dP/dt ventriculaire gauche au cours de l'angioplastie transluminale coronaire.

The authors studied changes of LV dP/dt during transcutaneous coronary angioplasty (TCA). The aim of the study was to detect the alterations of LV function during coronary occlusion and to evaluate the immediate effects of PCA on myocardial function. Six patients with incapacitating angina and isolated left anterior descending disease were successfully treated by TCA using Gruntzig's technique. The study protocol included several recording sequences per patient during the phases of balloon inflation at progressively increasing pressures from 2 to 10 hours. Each sequence comprised a recording under basal conditions and every 5 seconds during inflation (20 seconds) and deflation (45 seconds) of the following parameters: heart rate, aortic and LV pressures, positive and negative peaks of LV dP/dt, and the intracoronary pressure gradient at the beginning and the end of each sequence. The first part of the results based on 27 recorded sequences analysed the bad effects of myocardial ischaemia; coronary occlusion induced a significant fall (p less than 0.01) in the positive and negative peak dP/dt values and on elevation (p less than 0.01) in LV end diastolic pressure, without affecting LV systolic pressure or heart rate. These changes have the following characteristics: they are early, occurring within seconds of coronary occlusion; they affect LV contraction and relaxation simultaneously, but the effects are more marked on LV relaxation; the severity is proportional to the duration of occlusion; they are totally reversible; the disturbances of relaxation return to normal more quickly than those of contraction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Obstructive calcification of the descending thoracic aorta and suprarenal abdominal aorta. 2 cases]. / Maladie obstructive calcifiante de l'aorte thoracique descendante et de l'aorte abdominale sus-rénale. Deux observations.

Two cases of obstructive calcification of the aorta treated by surgery are reported. The disease is extremely rare, notably in the aortic segments involved in these two cases. Its clinical features were similar to those of coarctation. Intraluminal proliferative calcifications were present in the descending thoracic aorta of the first patient who underwent aortic resection with Dacron replacement prosthesis and in the suprarenal segment of the abdominal aorta of the second patient for whom an extra-anatomical bypass between the ascending aorta and the upper abdominal aorta was performed. The first patients remains with moderate arterial hypertension after 4 years; arterial pressure returned to normal in the second patient and is still normal after 15 months.

[Beneficial effects of coronary transluminal angioplasty on resting left ventricular systolic function]. / Effets bénéfiques de l'angioplastie transluminale coronaire sur la fonction systolique ventriculaire gauche de repos.

Resting left ventricular systolic function was studied by cardiac catheterisation before and 6 months after effective transluminal coronary angioplasty (TCA) to evaluate the myocardial effects of this procedure. The global left ventricular systolic function was assessed by measuring ventricular volumes, the ejection fraction, the mean velocity of circumferential fibre shortening (m VCF) and mean normalised systolic ejection rate (MNSER). The regional function was studied by dividing the left ventricle into 8 regions using the Stanford radial model and measuring the percentage shortening and velocity of circumferential fibre shortening (VCF). These parameters were obtained from selective left ventriculography filmed at 100 frames/second in the RAD plane. Left ventricular function was analysed from the whole of systolic ejection and then sequentially during each third of systole (early-mid-and end systole). The 10 patients studied had an average age of 45 years. Coronary angiography was performed for unstable angina (6 cases), stable angina (3 cases) and post-infarction angina (1 case). Except for 1 patient with associated LAD and right coronary disease they all had single vessel disease. TCA was performed on the LAD artery in 8 cases, on a dominant left circumflex artery in 1 case and on a right coronary artery in 1 case. The efficacy was demonstrated by angiographic reduction of the degree of stenosis (85 to 25 p. 100 immediately after TCA, and 30 p. 100 at control angiography at 6 months), and by a reduction of more than 40 p. 100 in the average transstenotic pressure gradient.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Diagnostic angiography of antero-apical ventricular aneurysms. Contribution of multiple projections. Apropos of 42 cases]. / Diagnostic angiographique des anévrysmes ventriculaires antéro-apicaux. Apport des incidences multiples. A propos de 42 cas.

The wide variety of definitions covering the term, left ventricular aneurysm, at the present time suggests the need for a radiological description based on pathological findings. The presence of the aneurysm on angiographic images is shown by a persistent left ventricular deformity during diastole causing a pocket separated from the contractile left ventricle by an annular constriction. A study of 42 cases of anterior apical ventricular aneurysms selected according to these criteria and investigated by multiple ventriculographic projections (LAO, RAO, anteroposterior and profile) demonstrated that the right anterior oblique projection alone is insufficient to ensure the diagnosis. An indirect sign suggestive of the diagnosis is a double outline due to the superimposition of aneurysmal and contractile zones. A complementary LAO projection, with or without a profile film, should be performed in order to confirm diagnosis and determine extent of lesion, this conditioning the result of surgery.

[Endomyocardial biopsy as a method of surveilling adriamycin cardiac toxicity. 28 biopsies in 26 patients]. / Place de la biopsie endomyocardique comme méthode de surveillance de la toxicité cardiaque de l'adriamycine. 28 biopsies chez 26 patients.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of endomyocardial biopsy in the surveillance of toxic, latent cardiomyopathy secondary to adriamycin (ADM) therapy, and to assess its value by comparison with non-invasive investigations such as echocardiography. Twenty six patients underwent endomyocardial biopsy and echocardiographic measurement of the fractional shortening of the left ventricular internal diameter after a total dose of 150 to 520 mg/m2 of ADM. Interstitial fibrosis was observed in 8 of the 20 interpretable cases on light microscopy (6 moderate, 2 severe). There were no cellular changes. Slight focal myofibril degeneration was observed in 8 cases, and vacuolisation corresponding to mild dilatation of the sarcoplasmic reticulum was observed in 9 cases out of the 22 technically interpretable cases on electron microscopy. In contrast to the findings of interstitial fibrosis, cellular degeneration correlated significantly with the total dose of ADM (p less than 0,01). We conclude that this histological study confirms the fact that myocardial changes are rare and slight with doses of less than 520 mg/m2 of ADM and that non-invasive techniques are adequate for follow-up until this dose is reached.

[Aortic stenosis in adults: contribution of catheterization to the study of associated lesions. Apropos of 137 cases]. / Le rétrécissement aortique de l'adulte: apport du cathétérisme pour l'étude des lésions associées. A propos de 137 cas.

The results of cardiac catheterisation in 137 cases of pure adult aortic stenosis considered to be isolated after non-invasive investigation (clinical examination, carotid pulse tracing, echocardiogramme) are reported. The authors analyse the reliability and risks of this examination to which they attribute a triple objective; evaluation of the severity of the AS, evaluation of LV and/or mitral valve dysfunction and the assessment of the coronary circulation in patients with angina or in all patients over 54 years of age or with coronary calcifications. The aortic valve was crossed in 89,8 p. 100 of patients. Coronary angiography was attempted in 128 cases (93,4 p. 100) and was successful in 110 cases (85,9 p. 100). The investigation was complicated by one death (0,73 p. 100) and one femoral artery thrombosis, and was complete in only 74 p. 100 of cases. The results showed the aortic stenosis to be isolated in only 84 cases (61,3 p. 100). In the other 53 cases (38,7 p. 100) there was unrecognised associated pathology: mitral valve disease was diagnosed in 14 cases (12,3 p. 100); significant coronary artery disease (greater than 50 p. 100 narrowing) was observed in 34 of the 110 patients in whom coronary angiography was successful (30,9 p. 100). In the last 5 cases, catheterisation showed: two ASDs, one partial abnormal pulmonary venous drainage, one fusiform aneurysm of the aortic isthmus, one abnormal origin of the left anterior descending artery in the right coronary sinus with a pre-pulmonary trajectory. The authors discuss the value of the various methods of preoperative assessment of AS. The relative reliability of the different non-invasive techniques is compared.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Treatment of a severe coronary artery spasm, refractory to complete denervation of the heart (autotransplantation)]. / Traitement d'un spasme artériel coronaire sévère, réfractaire par dénervation complète du coeur (autotransplantation).

The case reported is that of a 49 year old man with very severe Prinzmetal angina due to spasm of the left circumflex artery. Despite intensive medical treatment he continued to suffer frequent attacks with atrioventricular block. As plexectomy was not possible in this case, complete cardiac denervation was performed. After surgery, he had no further attacks and continuous ECG monitoring showed no ischemic phenomena. Nevertheless, a stress test was still able to induce spasm of the same artery which was painless but associated with ECG changes. Eighteen months postoperatively, resting angina recurred with positive stress tests giving painful attacks. Four hypotheses are discussed: 1) the local factor was very important, with a zone of hyperactivity on the left circumflex artery, 2) one of the mechanisms of coronary artery spasm could be the nervous stimulation of this zone, 3) this zone was insensitive to nervous stimulation after autotransplantation but remained sensitive to methylergometrine, 4) the recurrence of resting angina and painful symptoms on stress testing suggests the possibility of reinnervation of the heart, as has been shown after cardiac transplantation, the autonomic nervous system does not play the role generally attributed to it in the genesis of spasm.