Myocardial contrast echocardiography: reliable, safe, and efficacious myocardial perfusion assessment after intravenous injections of a new echocardiographic contrast agent.

Reliable and reproducible myocardial opacification after intravenous administration of echocardiographic contrast agents has remained elusive. This study was performed to determine whether a new agent, FS069, a suspension of perfluoropropane-filled albumin microspheres (3.6 microns average microbubble size, concentration 8 x 8(8)/ml), could achieve safe and successful myocardial opacification in open-chest dogs. Seventeen dogs (group 1, n = 7, group 2, n = 10) underwent two-dimensional echocardiography before, during, and after the administration of intravenous FS069. Safety was evaluated by measuring arterial and pulmonary artery pressures, heart rate, blood gases, systolic function, myocardial blood flow, and postmortem analysis of myocardial viability by triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride staining. Efficacy to detect changes in regional myocardial perfusion was assessed by injecting FS069 at baseline, after sequential coronary occlusions and reperfusion, and during intravenous vasodilators with and without coronary occlusions. Results were compared with radiolabeled microspheres. FS069 was found to be safe and effective. In the absence of coronary occlusions, uniform myocardial opacification was observed in all dogs. A perfusion defect was observed in all dogs during coronary occlusions. Background-subtracted peak contrast intensity in the myocardium correctly identified regional myocardial blood flow changes and showed a significant correlation with radiolabeled microspheres (r = 0.65, p = 0.0001).

Systolic excursion of the mitral annulus to assess septal function in paradoxic septal motion.

To determine whether mitral valve annulus displacement (MVAD) can be used to assess septal contractility in patients with paradoxical septal motion, we assessed four atrioventricular regions (septum, lateral wall, anterior wall, and inferior wall) by MVAD in 80 consecutive patients. The patients were divided into five groups: group 1 (control) (n = 20), normal left ventricular (LV) systolic function; group 2 (n = 15), paradoxical septal motion resulting from left bundle branch block (LBBB) and normal segmental and global LV systolic function; group 3 (n = 19), paradoxical septal motion as a result of cardiac surgery, and normal segmental and global LV systolic function; group 4 (n = 11), paradoxical septal motion resulting from LBBB, dilated cardiomyopathy, and severely depressed LV systolic function; group 5 (n = 15), septal hypokinesis with either normal or mildly depressed global LV systolic function. In groups 1, 2, and 3, 80% to 100% of patients had septal and other regional MVAD > or = 1.0 cm. The average MVAD in group 4 (dilated cardiomyopathy), was significantly decreased ( < or = 0.8 cm) in all four regions (p < 0.01 compared with groups 1, 2, and 3). In group 5 (septal hypokinesis), the septal MVAD was > or = 1.0 cm in only 13% of the patients (p < 0.025 compared with groups 1, 2, and 3). In conclusion, patients with paradoxical septal motion caused by LBBB or cardiac surgery have preserved septal contractility when evaluated by MVAD.

The effect of Hydron burn wound dressing on burned rat and rabbit ear wound healing.

The effect of Hydron burn wound dressing was evaluated using a standard Walker burned rat model (N = 156) and a rabbit ear wound model (N = 34). In both studies Hydron was administered only once in one group and changed twice weekly in another. Animals were predesignated as controls and for pathologic examination. Gross observations, including photographic documentation, and the pathologic analyses revealed no gross purulence or sepsis. No deaths occurred in the rabbit study. Of the 156 animals in the rat study only two died; a culture of the wounds revealed no sepsis. Statistical analyses revealed that in the rat study the once only application was significantly better at 7 days postburn than the twice weekly treatment and control groups. No significant differences among the treatment and control groups used in the rabbit study were revealed. The application of Hydron burn wound dressing did not adversely affect the wound healing.

The combined effect of a cutaneo-lymphatic fungus, Sporothrix schenckii and a lymphatic-dwelling nematode, Brugia Malayi.

Domestic cats were infected with third-stage Brugia malayi in such a way that the parasites were restricted to the regional lymphatics of one hind limb. Later, these cats were exposed on the same leg to the yeast phase of Sporothrix schenckii. Edema and fibrosis were more extensive in cats infected with both Brugia and Sporothrix than in cats with either of these organisms alone. Lesions tended to appear earlier, more consistently and progressed more rapidly in cats with dual infections than in Sporothrix controls. No septic lesions were seen in any Brugia controls. Dissemination of the organism was also greater in animals with dual infections than in those infected only with Sporothrix. On the basis of this study, it appears probable that in certain istances fungi, as well as bacteria, may play an important role in transforming a mild subclinical case of lymphatic filariasis into a serious medical problem and that a filarial infection may greatly exacerbate an existing Sporothrix infection.