Long-term follow-up of artificial valves in patients under 15 years old

Forty-nine artificial cardiac valves implanted in 44 patients less than 15 years old were reviewed. Out of 49 valves, 16 were mechanical and 33 were xenografts. Average follow-up was 2 years 5 months. Marked valvular stenosis developed in 11 out of the 33 xenografts, an incidence of 15% per patient-year. In patients with a xenograft valve, the incidence of sepsis was found to be 4% per patient-year and brain accidents, 4% per patient-year. In patients with mechanical valves, the incidence of stenosis was only 2% per patient-year and brain accidents, 2% per patient-year. There was no sepsis. From these follow-up results, mechanical valves seem to be superior to xenografts when used in patients less than 15 years old.

Pathology of the placenta and newborn pups with suspected intrauterine infection of canine herpesvirus

Pathologic and virologic investigations were done on the fetal placenta and on pup runts which were obtained from a bitch with a medical history of canine herpesvirus (CHV) infection. Macroscopically, the placenta was poorly developed. Small grayish white foci were observed in the placental labyrinth. Characteristic lesions of CHV infection were not prominent in the pups examined. Microscopically, however, focal degenerative and necrotizing lesions were observed in the placental labyrinth. Rarely, eosinophilic or basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies were in the trophoblastic cells in the necrotizing lesions. In the adrenal gland of one stillborn pup, focal necrosis and hemorrhages could be seen; these irregularities were essentially the same as those seen in the newborn pups with CHV infection. Focal interstitial pneumonia was also observed in some of the pups. The CHV organism was isolated from the kidney of one pup that survived for 22 days.

Effects of oral administration of positively charged insulin liposomes on alloxan diabetic rats: preliminary study

Insulin encapsulated in liposomes of various lipid compositions were prepared. The amount of insulin trapped in these liposomes increased in the order, negatively charged liposomes less than neutral liposomes less than positively charged liposomes. In positively charged liposomes, the amount of insulin trapped increased with increase in the amount of amphiphile stearylamine. Under the conditions tested, the highest insulin content (about 50%) was obtained with liposomes composed of phosphatidyl choline/cholesterol/stearylamine in a molar ratio of 7/2/2.25. These liposomes were stable on incubation for 3 hr at 37 degrees C in solutions of pepsin, trypsin, and pancreatin, and after these incubations, a considerable amount of insulin was still associated with the liposomes. However, the liposomes released almost all the insulin into the medium on treatment with bile. When the liposomes were administered orally to rats in the 3rd phase of acute alloxan diabetes, reduction of the blood glucose level was observed in 7 of 11 animals, the reduction persisted for several hours and was ranging from 30 to 75%. In alloxan diabetic rats showing hyperglycemia for 3 to 6 months, the liposomes also increased the glucose tolerance in half the animals tested.

Juvenile acinar atrophy of the pancreas of a dog

A dog with juvenile acinar atrophy of the pancreas had degranulation and loss of the acinar cells. Transitional features from normal to degranulation were seen. Electron microscopically, the atrophic pancreas mainly consisted of epithelial cells of duct system, islet cells and multivesicular cells.

Successful surgical management of a dissecting aneurysm of the ascending and transverse aorta with heart failure due to sudden, severe aortic valve insufficiency

A dissecting aneurysm of the ascending and transverse aorta with heart failure due to sudden severe arotic valve insufficiency in a 47-year-old man has been treated successfully. Vasodilator therapy was done preoperatively, and then hemodynamics was improved markedly. A selective perfusion technique by using separate pumps at pre-determined flow-rates with hypothermia was utilized. The replacement of both the aortic valve and the ascending and transverse aorta involving brachiocephalic artery with a prosthetic valve and expanded polytetra-fluoroethylene coated woven Dacron grafts was performed.