The Role of Echocardiography in the Management of Patients Undergoing a Ventricular Assist Device Implantation and/or Transplantation

Heart transplantation (HTx) is a curative treatment for patients with advanced heart failure (HF); however, since transplant opportunities are severely limited due to donor shortage, the left ventricular assist device (LVAD) has become a standard therapy for patients awaiting HTx. The role of echocardiography as a primary imaging modality to monitor the allograft function in transplant recipients as well as to optimize LVAD settings in LVAD recipients has been expanding. The purpose of this review is to highlight the clinical role of echocardiography in the management of patients undergoing LVAD implantation and/or HTx. In particular, we overview (1) how to detect LVAD malfunction and device-associated complication in LVAD recipients and (2) echocardiographic assessments of cardiac allograft rejection in transplant recipients

O uso de dexmedetomidina na sedação de crises hipercianóticas em um recém-nascido com tetralogia de Fallot Sedation of hypercyanotic spells in a neonate with tetralogy of Fallot using dexmedetomidine

OBJETIVO: A sedação é um passo importante para aliviar e prevenir a recorrência de cianose no manejo de pacientes com crises hipercianóticas associadas à tetralogia de Fallot (T4F). Este relato de caso ilustra a eficácia da sedação induzida por dexmedetomidina no manejo de crises hipercianóticas em um recém-nascido com T4F. DESCRIÇÃO: Um paciente recém-nascido a termo de 8 dias de idade com T4F apresentava crises hipercianóticas, indicadas por quedas abruptas no nível de saturação arterial (SpO2), medido por um oxímetro de pulso, de 80% até 50%, quando o paciente ficava agitado ou irritável. Nós começamos a infusão contínua de dexmedetomidina em uma dosagem de 0,2 µg/kg/min sem injeção de ataque em bolus. Cerca de meia hora depois do início da infusão de dexmedetomidina, o paciente atingiu um nível aceitável de sedação, e sua freqüência cardíaca diminuiu aproximadamente 20 batidas por minuto. Não houve nenhuma depressão respiratória aparente ou mudança acentuada em sua pressão arterial. A SpO2 também continuou estável durante a infusão de dexmedetomidina. No dia seguinte à sua hospitalização, o paciente passou com sucesso por uma operação de anastomose de Blalock-Taussig. COMENTÁRIOS: A dexmedetomidina pode ser útil no manejo de crises hipercianóticas em pacientes pediátricos com T4F.<br>OBJECTIVE:Sedation is an important step in the management of patients with hypercyanotic spells associated with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) to ameliorate and prevent recurrence of cyanosis. This case report illustrates the effectiveness of dexmedetomidine-induced sedation in the management of hypercyanotic spells in a neonate with TOF. DESCRIPTION: An 8-day-old term newborn patient with TOF showed hypercyanotic spells, as indicated by an abrupt decrease in arterial saturation (SpO2) level measured by a pulse oximeter from 80% to as low as 50%, when the patient became irritable and agitated. We started continuous infusion of dexmedetomidine at a dose of 0.2 µg/kg/min without a loading bolus injection. About half an hour after commencement of dexmedetomidine infusion, the patient reached an acceptable level of sedation, together with a drop in heart rate by approximately 20 beats/min. There was no apparent respiratory depression or marked change in blood pressure. SpO2 was also stable during dexmedetomidine infusion. The patient underwent a successful Blalock-Taussig shunt operation on the next day of admission. COMMENTS: Dexmedetomidine may be useful for the management of hypercyanotic spells in pediatric patients with TOF

Sudden intestinal necrosis one month after acute aortic dissection

AbstractJ Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2001;122:199-20