Asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis and stroke in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass.

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to assess the natural history of carotid artery stenosis in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) at a Veterans Administration Medical Center. METHODS: Between January 1989 and August 1993, all patients undergoing CPB were offered preoperative carotid artery ultrasound screening as part of an investigative protocol. Patients were monitored in-hospital for the occurrence of perioperative neurologic deficit. RESULTS: A total of 582 patients underwent carotid artery ultrasound screening. Greater than 50% stenosis or occlusion of one or both internal carotid arteries was present in 130 patients (22%), with 80% or greater stenosis or occlusion of one or both arteries present in 70 patients (12%). In-hospital stroke or death occurred in 12 (2.1%) and 36 (6.2%) patients, respectively. Of the 12 strokes, five were global and seven were hemispheric in distribution. Of the five patients who had global events, none had evidence of carotid artery stenosis. However, of the seven patients who had hemispheric events, five had significant 50% or greater stenosis or occlusion of the internal carotid artery ipsilateral to the hemispheric stroke. Therefore the presence of carotid artery stenosis or occlusion was significantly associated with hemispheric stroke (no stenosis 0.34% vs stenosis 3.8%; p = 0.0072). Furthermore, the risk of hemispheric stroke in patients with unilateral 80% to 99% stenosis, bilateral 50% to 99% stenosis, or unilateral occlusion with contralateral 50% or greater stenosis was 5.3% (4 of 75). No strokes occurred in patients with unilateral 50% to 79% stenosis (n = 52). CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that carotid atherosclerosis is a risk factor for hemispheric stroke in patients undergoing CPB.

Intravenous infusion of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) in management of limb ischemia.

Twenty-three patients who had advanced arteriosclerotic disease of the lower extremities as manifested by rest pain, nonhealing ischemic ulcers, or impending gangrene and who were not candidates for direct arterial revascularization procedure underwent intravenous infusion of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1). Thirty-nine per cent of the patients showed subjective and/or objective improvement in the blood supply, and in 22 per cent (5 patients) amputation was avoided. Complications were minor and disappeared once the infusion was discontinued. PGE1 in prescribed dosages can be safely infused intravenously. Even though the results are not as encouraging as when PGE1 is given by the intra-arterial route, IV therapy improves the ischemic symptoms and avoids the necessity of amputation in some patients.

Perioperative stroke during carotid endarterectomy: the value of intraoperative angiography.

Stroke following carotid endarterectomy is ordinarily attributed to carotid occlusion without adequate shunting, to embolization of air, atheroma, or thrombus, or to the elevation of an intimal flap. In 146 carotid endarterectomies in which intraoperative arteriography was not used, we observed a mortality of 4.8% and an incidence of perioperative stroke of 6.8%. In a subsequent group of patients in which 137 endarterectomies were performed with 107 intraoperative arteriograms to assess the immediate post-surgical results, there was a mortality of 1.5% and an incidence of perioperative stroke of 3.6%. We attribute this difference, in part, to the revision of 12 internal carotid artery defects observed on the arteriograms. Intraoperative arteriography was easy to perform and without complication; however, we recommend that consideration be given to ultrasound as a potentially useful way in the future of assessing technical results.

The role of bronchoplastic procedures in the surgical management of benign and malignant pulmonary lesions.

Conservative pulmonary resection is appropriate for the majority of patients with endobronchial neoplasms of low-grade malignant potential in the proximal airways and for a small but significant number of patients with carcinoma. A portion of the bronchus is removed, with or without lobectomy, as a sleeve resection and a primary bronchial reanastomosis is performed to preserve ventilatory function. Bronchoplastic techniques can also be used to repair traumatic airway injuries and benign strictures. The present series of bronchoplastic procedures consists of 28 patients undergoing operation with pathological diagnoses of carcinoma in 20, adenoma in six, hamartoma in one, and a post-traumatic laceration in one. There were minimal morbidity and no deaths. From 1947 to 1981 a total of 565 bronchoplastic procedures have been reported in the literature. Of these, 504 were sleeve resections for carcinoma. The remaining 61 bronchoplastic procedures were for either excision of endobronchial adenomas or repair of airway injuries of strictures. It appears that bronchoplastic procedures are the ideal surgical therapy for benign endobronchial lesions, tumors of low-grade malignant potential, such as adenomas, and for repair of airway injuries. This approach is also applicable to a select group of patients with carcinoma of th lung, and long-term survival periods comparable to those achieved by pneumonectomy can be demonstrated.

Experience with the DeBakey-surgitool aortic prosthetic valve.

The DeBakey-Surgitool aortic valve differs from popular cloth-covered prostheses by having a bare metal cage and a pyrolytic carbon ball. This valve was implanted in 37 patients. There were 7 operative deaths (19%), none of which was related to the valve design. Thirty survivors have been followed up to five years with 12 late deaths. The single thromboembolic event resulted in the only valve-related death. One patient developed a periprosthetic leak and another has hemolytic anemia. The incidence of thromboembolism in small series (3%) is comparable to that with the cloth-covered valves. This and the absence of complications related to cloth wear are important considerations when selecting a prosthesis.

Incarcerated diaphragmatic hernia: report of an unusual case.

Traumatic diaphragmatic hernias, although quite common are frequently overlooked as a cause of intestinal obstruction. The hernia may produce significant symptoms acutely or manifest itself many years following the initial injury. A high index of suspicion is necessary to diagnose intestinal obstruction due to incarcerated diaphragmatic hernia. The operation should be performed through the transabdominal approach when hernia occurs acutely, and the transthoracic approach is recommended when herniorrhaphy is performed long after the time of injury. A case of incarcerated traumatic diaphragmatic hernia that occurred 19 years following a gunshot wound of the chest is reported. The intestinal obstruction was initially thought to be due to cancer of the splenic flexure of the colon.