The use of biplane angiocardiography for the measurement of left ventricular volume in man

Ebstein’s anomaly is a rare congenital heart disorder occurring in 1 per 200 000 live births and accounting for 1% of all cases of congenital heart disease.2–6 This anomaly was described by Wilhelm Ebstein in 1866 in a report titled, “Concerning a very rare case of insufficiency of the tricuspid valve caused by a congenital malformation.” 7,8 The patient was a 19-year-old cyanotic man with dyspnea, palpitations, jugular venous distension, and cardiomegaly. 7,8 At autopsy, Ebstein described an enlarged and fenestrated anterior leaflet of the tricuspid valve. The posterior and septal leaflets were hypoplastic, thickened, and adherent to the right ventricle. There was also a thinned and dilated atrialized portion of the right ventricle, an enlarged right atrium, and a patent foramen

Ebstein’s Anomaly

The significance of late systolic murmurs

Psychological stress is thought to undermine host resistance to infection through neuroendocrine-mediated changes in immune competence. Associations between stress and infection have been modest in magnitude, however, suggesting individual variability in stress response. We therefore studied environmental stressors, psychobiologic reactivity to stress, and respiratory illness incidence in two studies of 236 preschool children. In Study 1, 137 3- to 5-year-old children from four childcare centers underwent a laboratory-based assessment of cardiovascular reactivity (changes in heart rate and mean arterial pressure) during a series of developmentally challenging tasks. Environmental stress was evaluated with two measures of stressors in the childcare setting. The incidence of respiratory illnesses was ascertained over 6 months using weekly respiratory tract examinations by a nurse. In Study 2, 99 5-year-old children were assessed for immune reactivity (changes in CD4+, CD8+, and CD19+ cell numbers, lymphocyte mitogenesis, and antibody response to pneumococcal vaccine) during the normative stressor of entering school. Blood for immune measures was sampled 1 week before and after kindergarten entry. Environmental stress was indexed with parent reports of family stressors, and a 12-week respiratory illness incidence was measured with biweekly, parent-completed symptom checklists. The two studies produced remarkably similar findings. Although environmental stress was not independently associated with respiratory illnesses in either study, the incidence of illness was related to an interaction between child care stress and mean arterial pressure reactivity (beta = .35, p < .05) in Study 1 and to an interaction between stressful life events and CD19+ reactivity (beta = .51, p < .05) in Study 2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Psychobiologic reactivity to stress and childhood respiratory illnesses: Results of two prospective studies.

A biplane cinefluorographic technic for measuring ventricular volume is described and its accuracy and limitations are assessed. Although rather complicated and time-consuming at present, the method permits construction of volume curves and estimation of stroke volume of the left ventricle for several successive contractions in the intact animal or man. This method may prove most useful for physiologic research and ultimately for diagnostic purposes.

Use of Biplane Cinefluorography for Measurement of Ventricular Volume

Carbon dioxide gas was injected a ) intravenously, b ) into the left heart, c ) into the peripheral end of the carotid artery. Resulting cardiovascular and respiratory changes were observed by cinefluorography and by measurements of pressure pulses in various locations. Blood and respiratory gas changes were also observed. All changes were minimal (seconds duration) when the gas was introduced on the right or left side of the circulation. Injection into the peripheral carotid produced no untoward effects. The gas gave good visualization of valves and great vessels. Body position was not an important factor in mortality and morbidity when carbon dioxide was the gas used for contrast visualization by a cinefluorography x-ray technique. Carbon dioxide is a safe contrast medium to use for in vivo study of intracardiac structures. The gas has been used successfully by intravenous injection in human cases.

with the technical assistance of Donna Donelan and Rosemary De Meo

In vivo visualization of intracardiac structures with gaseous carbon dioxide; cardiovascular-respiratory effects and associated changes in blood chemistry.

Intravenous carbon dioxide for intracardiac gas contrast in the roentgen diagnosis of pericardial effusion and thickening.

Ebstein's disease: report of the first case diagnosed during life.

Excerpt The injection of air into body cavities or tissues is a method that has been used for diagnostic purposes (e.g., perirenal insufflation, Rubin's test, etc.) and also for therapy (e.g., pneu...

Herbert M. Stauffer

Papers

In vivo visualization of intracardiac structures with gaseous carbon dioxide; cardiovascular-respiratory effects and associated changes in blood chemistry.

Intravenous carbon dioxide for intracardiac gas contrast in the roentgen diagnosis of pericardial effusion and thickening.

Ebstein's disease: report of the first case diagnosed during life.

The safety of intravascular carbon dioxide and its use for roentgenologic visualization of intracardiac structures.

Gas embolism; roentgenologic considerations, including the experimental use of carbon dioxide as an intracardiac contrast material.