[Compressive hemopericardium of the right atrium after cardiac surgery]. / Hémopéricarde compressif de l'oreillette droite après chirurgie cardiaque.

Between June 1983 and September 1984, 3 patients operated for mitral valve disease presented with acute right heart failure due to right atrial compression. Emergency echocardiography did not show pericardial separation around the ventricles but in the apical 4 chamber view severe right atrial compression by an extracardiac mass was observed. Emergency surgery was performed in all three cases to evacuate a localised haemopericardium despite the absence of pericardial fusion. These cases of acute right ventricular failure underline the importance of multiplying the number of echocardiographic views in order to detect localised pericardial effusion. The diagnosis should be made as soon as possible as clinical deterioration may be rapid despite effusions of small volume. The main differential diagnoses are right atrial thrombosis and acute postoperative pulmonary embolism. In these cases of localised tamponade, the clinical signs are the result of vena caval compression or extrinsic compression of the tricuspid orifice. The preferential localisation of the haemopericardium around the right atrium is difficult to explain. It is probably related to the low pressures in this region. The echocardiographic appearances of this condition have been established allowing reliable diagnosis.

Comparative evaluation of aortic valve replacement with Starr, Björk, and porcine valve prostheses.

Three groups of 100 consecutive patients with aortic valve disease who were operated on between 1974 and 1978 underwent long-term evaluation. There were 100 aortic valve replacements with porcine bioprosthetic valves (group I), 100 with Starr valves (group II), and 100 with Björk valves (group III). There were no significant differences in the preoperative clinical conditions of the patients in the three groups. Cumulative follow-up was 1688 patient-years. Incidence of valve-related death at 8 years was 4 +/- 2.3% in group I, 13 +/- 3.6% in group II, and 13 +/- 3.8% in group III (p less than .05). At 8 years 95 +/- 2.8% of the patients in group I were free of thromboembolism, compared with 81 +/- 4.8% of those in group II and 84 +/- 4.2% of those in group III (p less than .002). The actuarial risk of a reoperation at 8 years was 16 +/- 6% in group I, 5 +/- 2% in group II, and 2 +/- 1.6% in group III (p less than .025 group I vs group III). At 8 years 98 +/- 1.2% of the patients in group I were free of anticoagulant-related complications, compared with 88 +/- 3.8% of those in group II and 86 +/- 3.9% of those in group III (p less than .005). We conclude that at 8 years porcine bioprosthetic valves performed better than mechanical valves, taking into consideration thromboembolism, anticoagulant-related hemorrhage, and valve-related death.

[Reoperation on valve bioprostheses. Apropos of 64 cases]. / Réinterventions sur bioprothèses valvulaires. A propos de 64 cas.

Sixty-four patients with one or more bioprostheses were reoperated between 1970 and 1982. Reoperation was performed for degenerative lesions in cases (48%), for aseptic periprosthetic leaks in 18 cases (28%), for infectious lesions in 13 cases (21%) and for thrombosis in 2 cases (3%). Degenerative and infectious lesions were commoner in aortic bioprostheses whilst periprosthetic leaks were commoner in mitral bioprostheses. The average interval between operations was 38 months. This was shorter in patients reoperated for mechanical problems (6 months) than those with infections (28 months) or degenerative (5 years) complications. At reoperation 14 prostheses were reinserted and 50 were replaced. The global hospital mortality was 21% (14 deaths). The mortality was related to the surgical indication: mechanical lesions (11%), degenerative lesions (16%), infectious endocarditis (38%), thrombosis (100%). The mortality rate also varied with time (36% during the period 1970-1978 and 18% during the period 1979-1982). This improvement was related to two factors: the use of cardioplegic solutions for myocardial protection and earlier recognition of surgical indications before the onset of irreversible haemodynamic complications. When choosing a valvular prosthesis, the mortality of reoperation for degenerative changes is the only disadvantage of the bioprosthesis which is silent, rarely complicated by thromboembolism and which does not require anticoagulant therapy for life. The mortality has decreased with time and will continue to fall if the indications for reoperation are based on stethacoustic, electrical, radiological and echocardiographic criteria of valvular dysfunction and not on the presence of overt cardiac failure as is still often the case.

[Long-term outcome of bioprostheses]. / Devenir éloigné des bioprothèses.

The major advantage of cardiac bioprostheses, apart from the good haemodynamic performance of recent models, is that they are not thrombogenic, so that the patient does not have to follow a life-long anticoagulant treatment. However, their major disadvantage, in comparison with the mechanical prostheses, is that they deteriorate over time. This study defines the durability of bioprostheses over the first seven years and beyond seven years. During the first seven years, if we compare the risk of thromboembolic and haemorrhagic complications of anticoagulant treatment to the risks of tissue deterioration, there is a clear advantage in favour of the bioprostheses. However, this is only true in adults, as in patients under the age of 20, the bioprostheses deteriorate much more rapidly. Few statistics are available concerning the followup of bioprostheses beyond seven years. However, on the basis of these statistics, absence of deterioration was observed in 75% of cases at 9 years and in 65% of cases at 10 years. These figures demonstrate that the great majority, if not all, cases of bioprostheses implanted at the present time will not need to be changed before 8 to 15 years. These results justify the research currently underway in various centres to determine the cause of these deteriorations and to try to prevent them.

[Comparative evaluation of various methods of treatment of mitral valve diseases. Apropos of 4 series of 100 patients operated on using the Starr prosthesis, Bjork prosthesis, bioprosthesis and valve reconstruction]. / Evaluation comparative de différentes méthodes de traitement des valvulopathies mitrales. A propos de quatre séries de 100 malades opérés par prothèse de Starr, prothèse de Björk, bioprothèse et reconstruction valvulaire.

The results of 4 groups of 100 patients undergoing mitral valvuloplasty (group I), isolated mitral valve replacement by a bioprosthesis (group II), a Starr-Edwards prosthesis (group III) and a Björk prosthesis (group IV) between 1974 and 1977 were compared. The selection of patients for each group was identical and made according to strict criteria. The average age was between 47.1 +/- 12.5 years and 51.8 +/- 10.5 years according to the particular group; the average functional classification was 2.4 +/- 0.4 to 2.5 +/- 0.6; the average cardiothoracic ratio was 0.58 +/- 0.07. Most patients were in atrial fibrillation. Ninety-seven per cent of patients were followed-up by questionnaires. The results were expressed with respect to simple clinical events used in all previously reported series. The long-term mortality was identical in the 3 groups undergoing valve replacement (40 p. 100 at 7 years) but was much less in the group undergoing valvuloplasty (18 p. 100 at 7 years). The mortality rate due to valvular problems was significantly less in the valvuloplasty group (2 p. 100 at 7 years) than in the groups with mechanical prostheses (20 p. 100 at 7 years). Intermediate results were observed in the bioprosthetic group (9 p. 100 at 7 years). Thrombo-embolism was significantly less common in the groups undergoing valvuloplasty and bioprosthetic valve replacement (2 p. 100 and 6 p. 100 at 7 years) than in the group with Starr-Edwards and Björk prostheses (30 p. 100 and 32 p. 100 at 7 years).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Calcified aortic stenosis and coronary disease. Apropos of 115 surgically-treated cases]. / Rétrécissement aortique calcifié et coronaropathie. A propos de 115 opérés.

The authors studied 115 surgical cases of calcific aortic stenosis (AS) with coronary angiography. Between 1970 and 1981, 56 of these patients also had one or more aortocoronary bypass grafts (ACBG) (Group I). The other 59 cases, recruited from 1978 to 1981, comprise the control group who underwent isolated aortic valve replacement either with a normal coronary angiogram (Group II: 50 cases) or with such extensive coronary artery disease that ACBG was impossible (Group III: 9 cases). 93% of patients in Group I had preoperative angina compared to 80% in Group II and 78% in Group III. The incidence of previous myocardial infarction was 19%, 4% and 44% respectively. The number of main coronary arterial lesions per patient was 2 in Group I and 1.8 in Group III. In Group I, aortic valve replacement (AVR) was associated with a single aorto-coronary bypass in 70% of cases, a double bypass in 27% and a triple bypass in 3% of cases. The revascularisation ratio was 1.3 bypass per patient. The number of "complete" revascularisations rose from 56% (1970-1976) to 73% from 1977 to 1981. Overall hospital mortality per group (less than 1 month) was 16%, 4% and 0% respectively. The mortality rate in Group I fell from 31% (1970-1976) to 10% from 1977 to 1981. The perioperative rate of myocardial infarction in each group was 9%, 0% and 11% respectively. This figure fell considerably in Group I from 12.5% (1970-1976) to 7.5% from 1977 to 1981.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Percutaneous endoluminal angioplasty of the supra-aortic arterial trunks. Immediate and remote results]. / Angioplastie endoluminale percutanée des troncs artériels supra-aortiques. Résultats immédiats et à distance.

Twelve tight stenoses (9 of the subclavian artery, 1 of the axillary artery and 2 of the brachio-cephalic artery) were dilated with immediate satisfactory results in all cases. Only one complication (regressive lesion of the median nerve) was recorded. Eight patients were followed-up for a mean period of 13 months: all were symptom-free, and digital angiography by the intravenous route showed a stable image of patency. From a review of published dilatations of the subclavian artery it appeared that the method is 95% effective, that its mortality is nil and that no complication, notably embolism, has been reported. In view of the risks involved in surgical procedures and of the advantages of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, at least in theory, this technique seems to be a suitable alternative to surgery in stenoses of the subclavian arteries.

[Comparison of quantitative data from two-dimensional echocardiography and anatomical examination in mitral stenosis]. / Comparaison des données quantitatives de l'échocardiogramme bidimensionnel et de l'examen anatomique dans la sténose mitrale.

This prospective study was undertaken to assess the results of 2D echocardiography in the assessment of valvular and subvalvular lesions in mitral stenosis. The echocardiographic findings (E) were compared with peroperative and laboratory anatomical examination of the excised valve (A). The following criteria were compared: 1) planimetry of mitral valve surface area, 2) mobility of the anterior leaflet, assessed anatomically by the flexibility of the tissue, and echocardiographically by the amplitude of early diastolic excursion, 3) length of anterior and posterior leaflets, 4) presence of calcification, 5) length of the longest tendinae chordae, measured from the papillary muscle to the insertion of the valve, 6) thickness of the thickest tendinae chordae attached to each leaflet. Echocardiography was carried out preoperatively by two different operators without knowledge of the haemodynamic and later anatomical findings. The anatomical results were taken as reference. Mitral valve surface area measured by both methods was comparable (A = 0,96 +/- 0,28 cm2; E = 1,04 +/- 0,33 cm2, N = 17, t = NS) and a good correlation was found between the two measurements (r = 0,79; p less than 0,01). 2D echo assessed the loss of valvular mobility by limitation of early diastolic opening of the AML with a sensitivity of 71 p. 100 and a specificity of 70 p. 100. Measurement of valve length of the anterior (N = 14) and posterior leaflets (N = 15) may be difficult in the presence of severe calcification. The results of both measurements were comparable. AML, 25,2 +/- 1,9 mm (A) and 24,6 +/- 2,1 mm (E); PML, 13,9 +/- 1,9 mm (A) and 14,2 +/- 2,2 (E) correlated well, r = 0,71 and r = 0,71 respectively (p less than 0,01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

[Tricuspid reoperation in the surgery of rheumatic valve diseases. Apropos of 24 cases]. / Réintervention tricuspidienne dans la chirurgie des valvulopathies rhumatismales. A propos de 24 cas.

Twenty four patients were reoperated on the tricuspid valve alone between 1967 and 1981. The first operation had been performed for mitral valve disease and consisted of 23 mitral valve replacements and one commissurotomy associated with two aortic valve replacements. The surgical decision with regard to the tricuspid valve at the initial operation had been abstention (10 cases), tricuspid valvuloplasty (10 cases) and tricuspid valve replacement (4 cases). Reoperation on the tricuspid valve is rare (0,2 p. 100 of mitral valve operations, 1 p. 100 of mitro-tricuspid valve operations). The 24 cases were divided into 2 groups: --Group I, in which reoperation was indicated for curable tricuspid lesions: .4 reoperations for prosthetic valve dysfunction (4 mechanical prostheses were responsible for 3 thromboses and 1 perivalvular leak); .3 reoperations for failed valvuloplasty (2 Kay valvuloplasties and 1 Carpentier annuloplasty); .2 reoperations for aggravation of neglected functional lesions at the first operation and which were reoperated after 3,5 and 4,5 years, because of increased dilatation of the annulus; .5 reoperations for aggravation of organic lesions which had been neglected in 3 cases and treated by valvuloplasty in 2 cases. Five prosthetic valve replacements were carried out, on average 17 months after the first operation. --Group II, in which reoperation was unable to improve congestive heart failure; dilatation of the tricuspid annulus was only a consequence of the cardiac failure. The secondary tricuspid valve surgery (5 valvuloplasties, 5 annuloplasties) did not alter the extremely poor prognosis of these patients (5 hospital deaths, 3 postoperative deaths within 2 years).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Mitral insufficiency complicating idiopathic subvalvular aneurysm of the left ventricle. Apropos of 5 surgical cases]. / L'insuffisance mitrale compliquant les anévrysmes idiopathiques sous-valvulaires du ventricule gauche. A propos de 5 cas opérés.

The surgical team of Pr Ch. Dubost operated 5 cases of idiopathic subvalvular left ventricular aneurysm with associated mitral incompetence over a 6 year period (from 1976 to 1981). These 5 cases closely resemble Abraham's et al's classical description of "annular subvalvular left ventricular aneurysms". They occur in black Africans, often young adults (mean age of our five cases 31,8 years) in the absence of coronary artery disease. The common feature is the peculiar anatomical localisation of the aneurysm on the posterior or lateral wall of the left ventricle, which explains the common finding of mitral regurgitation. They are often calcified and thrombosed, the thrombosis tending to extend into the left heart chambers. This was the case in 3 of the reported cases. Mitral regurgitation was controlled in one case by closure of a fistula into the left atrium with a very good result, and in 2 cases by simple section-suture of the neck of the aneurysm with good results and a small residual mitral leak. In a fourth case (Case n degree 1) the mitral valve was normal, regurgitation being the result of an extensive thrombosis. The valve was replaced but, in the light of the following cases, it is possible that the valve might have been unnecessarily sacrificed. Despite their sometime vast size and the association with mitral regurgitation, these subvalvular idiopathic left ventricular aneurysms are reasonable surgical indications for the following three reasons: the neck is often narrow, enabling closure under satisfactory surgical conditions; the structure of the valve is normal which, in the majority of cases, means that it can be respected at surgery; the absence of coronary artery disease.