Percutaneous Endoscopic Debridement and Washout of a Bilateral, Loculated, Hepatic Abscess: A Minimally Invasive Approach to a High-Risk Surgical Situation

AimsAiming to reduce the numbers of high risk autopsies, we use a minimally invasive approach. HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive coronial referrals, mainly intravenous drug abusers, have full autopsy only if external examination, toxicology and/or postmortem CT scan do not provide the cause of death. In this study, we review and validate this protocol.Methods and results62 HIV/HCV-positive subjects were investigated. All had external examination, 59 toxicology and 24 CT. In 42/62, this minimally invasive approach provided a cause of death. Invasive autopsy was required in 20/62, CT/toxicology being inconclusive, giving a potential rather than definite cause of death. Autopsy findings provided the cause of death in 6/20; in the remainder, a negative autopsy allowed more weight to be given to toxicological results previously regarded as inconclusive. In order to validate selection of cases for invasive autopsy using history, external examination and toxicology, a separate group of 57 non-infectious full autopsies were analysed. These were consecutive cases in which there was a history that suggested drug abuse. A review pathologist, provided only with clinical summary, external findings and toxicology, formulated a cause of death. This formulation was compared with the original cause of death, based on full autopsy. The review pathologist correctly identified a drug-related death or requirement for full autopsy in 56/57 cases. In one case, diagnosed as cocaine toxicity by the review pathologist, autopsy additionally revealed subarachnoid haemorrhage and Berry aneurysm.ConclusionsThese findings support the use of minimally invasive techniques in high risk autopsies, which result in a two-thirds reduction in full postmortems.

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Sutureless Aortic Valve Implantation through an Upper V-Type Ministernotomy: An Innovative Approach in High-Risk Patients

Innovations Technology and Techniques in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery ◽

10.1097/imi.0b013e31828d6b03 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 23-28 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Giovanni Concistrè ◽

Antonio Miceli ◽

Francesca Chiaramonti ◽

Pierandrea Farneti ◽

Stefano Bevilacqua ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Aortic Valve ◽

Minimally Invasive ◽

Minimally Invasive Approach ◽

Invasive Approach ◽

High Risk Patients ◽

Risk Patients ◽

The Mean ◽

Valve Implantation

Objective Aortic valve replacement in minimally invasive approach has shown to improve clinical outcomes even with a prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp (ACC) time. Sutureless aortic valve implantation may ideally shorten operative time. We describe our initial experience with the sutureless 3f Enable (Medtronic, Inc, ATS Medical, Minneapolis, MN USA) aortic bioprosthesis implanted in minimally invasive approach in high-risk patients. Methods Between May 2010 and May 2011, thirteen patients with severe aortic stenosis underwent aortic valve replacement with the 3f Enable bioprosthesis through an upper V-type ministernotomy interrupted at the second intercostal space. The mean ± SD age was 77 ± 3.9 years (range, 72–83 years), 10 patients were women, and the mean ± SD logistic EuroSCORE was 15% ± 13.5%. Echocardiography was performed preoperatively, at postoperative day 1, at discharge, and at follow-up. Clinical data, adverse events, and patient outcomes were recorded retrospectively. The median follow-up time was 4 months (interquartile range, 2–10 months). Results Most of the implanted valves were 21 mm in diameter (19–25 mm). The CPB and ACC times were 100.2 ± 25.3 and 66.4 ± 18.6 minutes. At short-term follow-up, the mean ± SD pressure gradient was 14 ± 4.9 mm Hg; one patient showed trivial paravalvular leakage. No patients died during hospital stay or at follow-up. Conclusions The 3f Enable sutureless bioprosthesis implanted in minimally invasive approach through an upper V-type ministernotomy is a feasible, safe, and reproducible procedure. Hemodynamic and clinical data are promising. This innovative approach might be considered as an alternative in high-risk patients. Reduction of CPB and ACC time is possible with increasing of experience and sutureless evolution of actual technology.

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