Primary cardiac paraganglioma. Case report and review of surgically treated cases

A 58 year old man with an infiltrating non-resectable left atrial paraganglioma was diagnosed by sternotomy and open biopsy. The patient remains symptom free 16 months after the operation. No evidence of an increase in the size of the tumour has been detected by echocardiography. The literature regarding surgically treated patients with cardiac paragangliomas is reviewed.

[The use of the Gott shunt in the surgical repair of a dissecting aneurysm of the descending thoracic aorta]

A 49-years-old man was operated on of a descending thoracic dissecting aneurysm by means of a heparin-less external Gott shunt. A review of spinal irrigation, neurological deficits postclamping of the descending thoracic aorta and methods of spinal preservation in aortic surgery are presented.

[Simultaneous coronary and carotid surgeries]

Two patients with severe coronary artery disease and significant stenosis of the left internal carotid artery were operated upon. A combined or simultaneous operation was performed in both, carotid endarterectomy plus coronary artery bypass surgery was performed. The patients are symptoms-free after the operation and with evidence of satisfactory reconstruction in the carotid and coronary arteries. A review of the topic simultaneous revascularization of the carotids and coronary arteries in presented.