OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the efficiency and feasibility of dilatable bands in selected patients. METHODS Two types of dilatable handmade bands were retrospectively evaluated and divided into two groups: main pulmonary artery bands and bilateral branch pulmonary artery bands (hybrid stage I palliation). Stepwise balloon angioplasty (BA) was performed, increasing the diameter either to co...

The pathologic appearance of pulmonary arteries subjected to balloon dilation was studied in four subjects with stenosis of pulmonary arteries. Nine vessels were dilated. Successful dilation in seven vessels was accompanied by intimal disruption and tearing of the media. In one vessel, at the site of a previous surgical procedure, dilation could not be accomplished. Histologically, this vessel ...

Background. Previous studies regarding the mechanism by which balloon angioplasty increases luminal patency have generally used animal models or postmortem specimens from occasional fatal cases of angioplasty performed in human patients. In either case, conclusions regarding participatory mechanisms have relied exclusively on nonserial, postangioplasty histopathological examination. Methods and...

BACKGROUND Previous studies regarding the mechanism by which balloon angioplasty increases luminal patency have generally used animal models or postmortem specimens from occasional fatal cases of angioplasty performed in human patients. In either case, conclusions regarding participatory mechanisms have relied exclusively on nonserial, postangioplasty histopathological examination. METHODS AN...

Study Design A biomechanical and radiographic study using vertebral analogues. Objectives Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are widely used techniques to alleviate pain in fractures secondary to osteoporosis. However, cement leakage toward vital structures like the spinal cord can be a major source of morbidity and even mortality. We define safe cement injection as the volume of the cement injecte...

A 26-year-old woman attended the emergency department with severe vomiting and total anorexia for 1 week, which had caused severe hypokalemia (1.62mmol/L) and extracellular dehydration. Her only relevant history was insertion of a salinefilled BioEnterics intragastric balloon (BIB, Santa Barbara, California, USA) at another center 6 months previously for obesity (body mass index [BMI] 30.5kg/m2...

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether balloon dilatation of the aortic valve induces long-term macroscopic or histological changes or both to explain the restenosis process. DESIGN Prospective study of 39 consecutive patients. Sixteen later (mean (SD) 12 (10) months) required operation. This non-randomised subgroup was compared with 10 patients who had aortic valve replacement without prior dilata...

Objective: Intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) is a well-accepted and widely used mechanical circulatory support in cardiac surgical practice. We evaluated the vascular complications of IABP and risk factors associated with the development of these complications in patients undergoing myocardial revascularization. Methods: Between January 1994 and December 2000, a total of 911 patients undergoing ...

We present the first Rare Earth Elements (REE) concentration record determined in 294 sections of an Antarctic ice core (EPICA Dome C), covering a period from 2.9 to 33.7 kyr BP. REE allow a detailed quantitative evaluation of aeolian dust composition because of the large number of variables (i.e. 14 elements). REE concentrations match the particulate dust concentration profile over this period...