INTRODUCTION Oesophagectomy for cancer is associated to a significant morbidity and mortality. The superiority of transthoracic vs transhiatal is still a matter of controversy. The aim of this paper is to discuss the results of a series of patients submitted to either a transthoracic or a transhiatal according to the anatomic location regarding the carina. MATERIAL AND METHODS Retrospective a...

OBJECTIVES We compared the efficacy of a novel rectilinear biphasic waveform, consisting of a constant current first phase, with a damped sine wave monophasic waveform during transthoracic defibrillation. BACKGROUND Multiple studies have shown that for endocardial defibrillation, biphasic waveforms have a greater efficacy than monophasic waveforms. More recently, a 130-J truncated exponential...

BACKGROUND Transthoracic echocardiographic examinations in women with large breasts are technically demanding and can lead to suboptimal image quality, excessive scan time, and cause pain and discomfort to patients. OBJECTIVE Evaluate the effects of self-made breast sling used during transthoracic echocardiographic examination on scanning time, image quality, pain, and satisfaction in women w...

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations of transthoracic echocardiographic parameters with recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF) and/or stroke. BACKGROUND The Atrial Fibrillation Follow-up Investigation of Rhythm Management (AFFIRM) study, an evaluation of elderly patients with AF at risk for stroke, provided an opportunity to evaluate the implications of echocardiogr...

Cite this article: Lucas J, Canty DJ (2013) The Impact of Routine Focused Transthoracic Echocardiography Immediately before Renovascular Surgery in Patients with End Stage Renal Disease– A Brief Report. Int J Clin Anesthesiol 1(3): 1017. *Corresponding author Dr. Jennifer A Lucas, MBBS FANZCA, Consultant Anaesthetist, Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Monash Medical Centre, ...

nique (Table I). The differences of 2 mm Hg and 1 mm Hg in peak and mean gradients, respectively, were not considered to be of clinical significance. Subsequent cardiac catheterization performed 48 hours later confirmed a mean mitral prosthetic diastolic gradient of 13 mm Hg. The calculated mitral valve area was 0.7 cm2. The excised mitral valve prosthesis revealed extensively thickened and cal...

BACKGROUND The most important factor for improving out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation survival rates is early defibrillation. This can be achieved if small, lightweight, inexpensive automatic external defibrillators are widely disseminated. Because automatic external defibrillator size and cost are directly affected by defibrillation waveform shape and because of the favorable experience ...

OBJECTIVES This study aimed to assess the safety and feasibility of intraoperative device closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects (VSD) in young children guided by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). METHODS We enrolled 18 patients from our hospital to participate in the study from June 2011 to September 2011. A minimal inferior median incision was performed after full evaluati...

BACKGROUND Primary intracardiac tumours are rare, there are however several entities that can mimic tumours. Contrast echocardiography has been suggested to aid the differentiation of various suspected masses. We present a case where transthoracic echocardiography completely misdiagnosed a left atrial mass, partly due to use of echo contrast. CASE PRESENTATION An 80 year-old woman was referre...