Acute kidney injury is one of the most frequent and clinically important of all postoperative complications in cardiac surgery. It is estimated that almost half of subjects suffer from a deterioration of kidney function after a cardio-pulmonary by-pass. Renal insufficiency impacts upon the outcome in terms of an increase in postoperative morbidity and mortality, and a decrease in quality of lif...

The recent severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has highlighted the importance of pulmonary computed tomography (CT) for diagnosis and prognostic stratification this new viral pneumonia. 1370 lung CT scans (performed at time admission) consecutive patients hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 in Northern Italy during first epidemic wave were analyzed by a radiologica...

background: cardiovascular disease is an important non-obstetric cause of maternal and fetal /neonatal morbidity and mortality during pregnancy. for a pregnant woman with cardiac disease, the potential inability of the maternal cardiovascular system to contend with normal pregnancy-induced physiologic changes may produce deleterious effects on both mother and fetus. to determine the most freque...

This study was undertaken to determine the reflex cardiovascular and respiratory responses to discrete stimulation of pulmonary arterial baroreceptors using a preparation in which secondary modulation of responses from other reflexes was prevented. Dogs were anaesthetised with -chloralose, artificially ventilated, the chests widely opened and a cardiopulmonary bypass established. The main pulmo...

The phosphodiesterase inhibitor milrinone is usually preferred in patients with pulmonary hypertension and myocardial dysfunction after cardiopulmonary bypass. We investigated the effects of low-dose milrinone on pulmonary hypertension in the immediate pre- and postoperative period. Forty-seven patients were randomized to the control and milrinone groups. All patients had mean pulmonary artery ...

Centrifugal pumps are considered to be less destructive to blood elements (1) when compared to roller pumps. However, their large prime volumes render them unsuitable as arterial pumps in heart lung machine (HLM) circuitry for children. In November of 2014, the circuit at Arnold Palmer Hospital, a Biomedicus BP-50 with kinetic assist venous drainage (KAVD) and 1/4″ tubing was converted to a rol...

Abstract Background and Aims Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) may trigger organs damage, including kidney injury, due to a massive cytokine release. In this observational, prospective study, we have analyzed the possible impact of chronic treatment with ACE-Inhibitors (ACE-I) on inflammatory response renal function after CPB. Method Sixty-nine patients undergoing major cardiac surgery CPB were enro...

Objective: The management of infants and children with pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect, and multiple aorta pulmonary collateral arteries (PA/VSD/MAPCA) has proven to be challenging. Therapeutic approaches have included staged unifocalization, shunting, coiling of collateral vessels, and heart/lung transplantation. Results have been variable and frustrating. Hoping to take advantage...