Philosophy of psychiatry: theoretical advances and clinical implications.

Work at the intersection of philosophy and psychiatry has an extensive and influential history, and has received increased attention recently, with the emergence of professional associations and a growing literature. In this paper, we review key advances in work on philosophy and psychiatry, and their related clinical implications. First, in understanding and categorizing mental disorder, both naturalist and normativist considerations are now viewed as important - psychiatric constructs necessitate a consideration of both facts and values. At a conceptual level, this integrative view encourages moving away from strict scientism to soft naturalism, while in clinical practice this facilitates both evidence-based and values-based mental health care. Second, in considering the nature of psychiatric science, there is now increasing emphasis on a pluralist approach, including ontological, explanatory and value pluralism. Conceptually, a pluralist approach acknowledges the multi-level causal interactions that give rise to psychopathology, while clinically it emphasizes the importance of a broad range of "difference-makers", as well as a consideration of "lived experience" in both research and practice. Third, in considering a range of questions about the brain-mind, and how both somatic and psychic factors contribute to the development and maintenance of mental disorders, conceptual and empirical work on embodied cognition provides an increasingly valuable approach. Viewing the brain-mind as embodied, embedded and enactive offers a conceptual approach to the mind-body problem that facilitates the clinical integration of advances in both cognitive-affective neuroscience and phenomenological psychopathology.

The use of the mini-cardiopulmonary bypass circuit in robotic mitral valve surgery.

BACKGROUND: : Computer enabled robotic mitral valve repair cases have longer cross-clamp and perfusion times because of the more technically difficult procedure. To modify some of the well-documented side effects of standard cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), we used a new mini-circuit on three robotic mitral cases. METHODS: : Three patients having mitral valve repair (triangular resection of P2 and annuloplasty ring) using the daVinci Robot (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA) had circulatory support using a modified Resting Heart System (Medtronic, Inc., Fridley, MN), a vertically oriented space saving CPB configuration incorporating a high efficiency miniaturized oxygenator, centrifugal pump, shortened heparin coated tubing and an air evacuation system with a closed circuit. RESULTS: : All patients had successful mitral repair (echo = 0 to trace residual leakage) under a cross-clamp time of 161 ± 54 minutes and perfusion time of 229 ± 31 minutes. No blood was given during CPB and 0.7 ± 1.2 red cell units after the CPB run and 0.7 ± 1.2 units during the postoperative course. CONCLUSION: : Miniaturized bypass circuit reducing the level of necessary anticoagulation, hemodilation, and blood trauma can be used despite the increased perfusion time necessary for robotic mitral surgery.