AIM To see if: (i) a large vessel aortocaval vascular patch technique may bring about long-term graft survival after allogeneic uterine transplantation (UTn) in a rabbit model; and (ii) fertility can be achieved following natural mating post-allogeneic UTn. METHODS Allogeneic uterine cross transplantations were performed in New Zealand white rabbits using an aortocaval macrovascular patch har...

Adverse fetal heart rate (FHR) changes suggestive of fetal hypoxia are seen in patients with normal term pregnancies after initiation of epidural block for labour analgesia. It was our hypothesis that, in some parturients, these changes were a consequence of concealed aortocaval compression resulting in decreased uterine blood flow. We expected that the full lateral position compared with the w...

The treatment of carotid-cavernous fistulae with intravascular, detachable latex balloons has become an accepted method. However, the histologic changes associated with such balloon embolization in a high-flow fistula state have not been described. This study evaluated the microscopic findings in a series of 12 rats studied over a 3-month period using an aortocaval fistula model. Small latex ba...

Aortocaval fistula (ACF) is an unusual complication of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), involving less than 3-6% of all ruptured cases. The clinical presentation is often obscure, depending on the coexistence of retroperitoneal rupture and hemodynamic instability. Prompt preoperative diagnosis is essential in order to plan the operative approach and improve patient's outcome. We report...

A 45-year-old man presented with progressively increasing breathlessness, a dry cough, drenching night sweats, and significant weight loss. Physical examination identified enlarged lymph nodes in both sides of the neck and both supraclavicular fossae. A chest radiograph showed widening of the mediastinum, which a computed tomographic (CT) scan confirmed as being the result of lymph nodes of max...

In the November edition of this Journal, colleagues Calle et al. described a very interesting case of maternal mortality after cardiac arrest in a woman with situs inversus [1]. While their article mainly focusses on the wrongful delivery of shocks by the AED in this woman, possibly related to her situs inversus, I would like to address two other very important issues in the resuscitation of pr...

An 18-year-old woman was admitted to our clinic for advanced cardiac evaluation due to long-standing exercise induced dyspnea. Physical examination of the patient showed absence of pallor, clubbing, cyanosis or any manifestations of Marfan syndrome. All peripheral pulses were symmetrically palpable. No jugular distention was seen. Cardiac auscultation revealed a continuous murmur best heard at ...