Atrial myxoma: report of 24 operations using the biatrial approach.

Between October 1978 and June 1993, 24 consecutive operations for atrial myxoma were performed on 23 patients at the Damascus University Cardiovascular Surgical Center, using the biatrial approach. Fifteen of the patients were female; ages ranged between 4 and 71 years. Nineteen patients had symptoms of left and 3 of right atrioventricular obstruction. One patient presented with a cerebrovascular accident, and another with recurrent emboli to the lower extremities. Ten patients had constitutional manifestations. Diagnosis was established preoperatively in all patients by echocardiography with or without angiocardiography. Twenty-one patients had left atrial myxoma, 1 of whom had a double lesion. Two patients had right atrial myxoma; in 1 of them it extended to the left atrium. This last patient had the only recurrence in the series, which was removed 7 years after the initial operation. All tumors were excised with a wide margin of full-thickness septum. Four patients had concomitant mitral valve reconstruction. There was no hospital mortality, and follow-up did not reveal any other complication related to the operation.

Surgical management of cardiac echinococcosis. Report of four cases.

Four patients with echinococcosis of the heart are presented. The diagnosis was suspected or established before operation by serology, echocardiography and cardiac catheterization. The sites affected were the right and left atria, left ventricular apex and interventricular septum. The right and left atrial cystic masses simulated atrial myxoma, with brain embolization from the latter. The cyst in the interventricular septum was discovered on routine echocardiography in a patient with disseminated hydatidosis. All patients successfully underwent excision of their cysts under temporary cardiopulmonary bypass, and are doing well up to 2 years and 8 months afterwards on medical therapy.

Pulmonic valvular stenosis: clinical-hemodynamic correlation and surgical results.

Sixty-six patients with pulmonic valvular stenosis were evaluated by cardiac catheterization and cine-angiography over the past four years in a recently established cardiovascular center in Syria. Patients were divided according to severity of pressure gradient across the pulmonic valve into three groups: Group I (25 patients) had gradients below 50 mm. Hg, Group II (14 patients) had gradients between 50 and 100 mm. Hg, and Group III (27 patients) had gradients exceeding 100 mm. Hg. Clinical symptoms and signs including dyspnea on exertion, palpitation, cyanosis, and characteristics of the murmur and the pulmonic second sound were correlated with severity and grouping along with electrocardiographic and radiographic findings. Valvulotomy was carried out in 23 patients (35%). Short term clinical results were excellent in 19 patients, but long term course of the non-operated and post-operative cases is yet to be established.

Hypoplasia of descending aorta as a rare cause of hypertension. A report of 5 cases.

Five cases of hypoplasia of the descending thoracic and/or abdominal aorta as a rare cause of hypertension are presented. Similarities and dissimilarities between this lesion and classical coarctation of the aorta are discussed. Management of the resulting hypertension is usually medical, as surgical therapy is extremely difficult due to the diffuse involvement of the entire aorta and its branches.

Effective management of the long q-t syndrome with amiodarone.

A patient with the familial syndrome of Q-T prolongation, ventricular arrhythmias, and syncope was effectively treated with amiodarone.