The implantable programmable micropump is an interesting solution to treat chronic diseases such as diabetes with regular micro-injections of medicine. However, current applications of micropumps are limited by their rather expensive cost. The challenge is therefore to develop a low cost alternative by reducing the number of parts and by simplifying the assembly. As the pump and its tank will b...

OBJECTIVES Prosthetic heart valve obstruction (PHVO) is a potentially fatal complication of heart valve replacement with mechanical substitute mainly due to thrombosis. The purpose of this report is to present a single-center experience of 136 consecutive patients operated on between 1978 and 2001. METHODS The diagnosis of PHVO was mainly assessed by fluoroscopy and/or echocardiography. Throm...

of breathlessness for the past 5 years. On examination, the pulse rate was 90/min, regular with frequent ectopics, and BP was 90/50 mmHg. On cardiovascular examination, S1 and P2 were loud with mid diastolic murmur (MDM), pan systolic murmur (PSM) and early diastolic murmur (EDM) heard. Electrocardiography (ECG) showed normal sinus rhythm (NSM) with huge P wave. Echocardiography examination rev...

Seventy-four patients with single prosthetic valves (Björk-Shiley or Starr-Edwards) in the mitral or aortic position and 18 controls with rheumatic valvar heart disease were investigated for evidence of intravascular haemolysis. Serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was used as the most sensitive indicator of haemolysis. Raised concentrations were found in a third of 39 patients with Björk-Shiley p...

Phonocardiographic and pathological features of mitral porcine aortic heterograft valve failure are described in 1o patients with rheumatic valvular disease. Six had isolated mitralporcine aortic heterograft valve; 3 also had one in the aortic area; one had this in both mitral and tricuspid areas with an aortic ball valve prosthesis. Allpatients had systolic murmurs at the apex indicative of mi...

The first artificial heart valves to be used clinically were mechanical devices and the continuous research and development over the last 25 years led to the modern prostheses which offer simplicity and safety of implantation, haemodynamic efficiency, lower rates of thromboembolism and excellent durability. After the old Starr-Edwards ball-and-cage valve and the Björk-Shiley tilting-disk valve,...

Increased destruction of red blood cells follows the insertion of ball valves into the heart in most cases. Usually, hemolysis is slight, but in some patients uncompensated hemolytic anemia develops. To study the influence on hemolysis of the mechanical properties of the prostheses, the degree of erythrocyte destruction was evaluated in patients with Starr-Edwards aortic prostheses of different...