Reproducibility of assessment of left-ventricular function using intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography.

Reproducibility of results is an important point in assessing the utility of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography for evaluating changes in left-ventricular function. The purpose of the present study was to define the intra- and interobserver reproducibility of the qualitative assessment of left-ventricular regional wall motion and the quantitative assessment of global left-ventricular function. In addition, the interstudy reproducibility of two examinations was tested when the probe was displaced and replaced in the esophagus. A transesophageal short-axis view at the level of the papillary muscles was obtained in 86 patients undergoing cardiac surgery. In the 80 patients with adequate images, regional wall motion was visually graded and area ejection fraction was calculated by two observers and assessment was repeated by the same observer one day later. The same observer graded wall motion differently in only 5% (24/480) of segments. Grading by two observers differed in 9% (43/480) of segments. Assessment differed by one grade at the most and in not more than 2 out of 6 segments per patient. Repeated measurements of area ejection fraction (AEF) by the same observer correlated well (r = 0.97 before and r = 0.97 after cardiopulmonary bypass) with a mean percent difference of 6%. A similarly close correlation was found for measurements of two observers (r = 0.90 and r = 0.93, respectively) with a mean percent difference of 10% for area ejection fraction. The correlation for the first and second examination in the same patient by one observer was acceptable (r = 0.78 and r = 0.80, respectively) with a mean percent difference of 15% for area ejection fraction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[5-year follow-up after endarterectomy of carotid artery thrombosis]. / Fünf-Jahres-Verlauf nach Thrombendarteriektomie der A. carotis.

The long-term results of carotid endarterectomy were analysed in 119 patients, operated on between January 1979 and December 1980 (135 endarterectomies; preoperative data analysed retrospectively). 43 patients had been in stage I, 39 in stage IIa, 13 in stage IIb, 4 in stage III, and 20 in stage IV. Perioperative mortality was 0.8%, while hospital mortality was 2.5%. Transitory perioperative neurological deficits occurred in 4.2% of all patients, but no permanent ones. Five years postoperatively 44.5% had died, nearly half (43.4%) of cardiovascular disease. Cerebrovascular disease and tumour each caused 15% of deaths. During the five-year follow-up period 12% of all patients had had transitory ischaemic attacks; 16% had suffered a stroke (in 63% on the operated side). With a high prevalence of risk factors, only the quality of diabetic control (mortality rate of well controlled diabetes 38%, of poorly controlled 70%) and the risk factors heart failure and vascular occlusive disease had a significant influence on the mortality rate. But the mortality rate was significantly lowered with the use of platelet aggregation inhibitors (41.6% vs 72.7%).