Dominique Tessier

Induction of chronic cardiac insufficiency by arteriovenous fistula and doxorubicin administration.

Abstract  Objectives: Large animal experimental models of chronic heart failure (HF) permit repeated invasive assessment of cardiovascular function, and evaluation of new medical or surgical therapies. The existing models however fail to achieve stable and long‐term HF. The aim of this study was to create a simple and stable chronic model of HF in goat, using both arteriovenous fistula and weekly intravenous doxorubicin injections. Methods: After a preliminary experiment on four goats receiving weekly 1 to 2 mg/kg of doxorubicin, six adult female goats, having had an arteriovenous fistula without signs or symptoms of heart failure, received weekly two different dosages of doxorubicin for 13 weeks : group A (n = 3) received 0.5 mg/kg and group B (n = 3) received 1 mg/kg. After a three‐month period without medication, both groups received again 1 mg/kg for four weeks. Cardiac function was assessed by repeated electrocardiographic and echocardiographic examinations. Results: Four goats died during the medication period (one in group A, three in group B). During the period without medication a stable ventricular hypocontractility with left ventricular dilation was observed. Left ventricular dysfunction was more pronounced in group B, and was associated with clinical symptoms of HF. Conclusions: Arteriovenous fistula alone did not produce HF. Its association with doxorubicin injections provides a simple and stable chronic model of HF. This association allows reduction of the required doxorubicin dose and toxicity in animals and in the environment. Depending of the dose of doxorubicin, it is possible to obtain a model of heart dilatation and ventricular hypokinesia with or without clinical symptoms of HF, with a different mortality. (J Card Surg 2003; 18:307‐311)

Les malformations congénitales de la valve tricuspide chez les carnivores domestiques: étude rétrospective de 50 cas

Es wird eine retrospektive Studie von 14 Katzen und 36 Hunden mit Missbildungen der rechten atrioventrikularen Herzklappe (RAVM), entweder in Form einer Dysplasie (n = 38) oder als Ebstein-Anomalie (n = 12) vorgestellt. Der Vergleich mit einer grossen Referenzpopulation von 85 250 Tieren gestattete eine epidemiologische Auswertung der RAVM, die zeigte, dass der Labrador, Boxer und die Chartreux-Katze ein 35-, 7- und 11-fach hoheres Risiko hatten, an obigen Herzerkrankungen zu leiden, als andere Rassen ohne Geschlechtspradisposition. In 93% der Falle ergab die Auskultation ein Herzgerausch, dessen Intensitat mit der echographisch ermittelten Klappenerkrankung nicht signifikant korreliert war. Die echokardiographische Untersuchung bestatigte den haufig beobachteten Zusammenhang zwischen RAVM und anderen kongenitalen Anomalien, insbesondere eine Mitralis-Dysplasie sowie in 84% und 20% der Falle von Trikuspidalisdysplasie bzw. Ebstein-Anomalie. Auch muss erwahnt werden, dass die Prognose von RAVM durch Vorhof...

Proposed Standardization of the Two-Dimensional Echocardiographic Examination in Snakes

ABSTRACT The ultrasound examination is a diagnostic tool of choice for ante mortem evaluation of heart diseases. Specific anatomical features of the ophidian heart such as mobility in the coelomic cavity, a single ventricular cavity, a tubular sinus venosus opening into the right atrium, and the presence of three arterial trunks, have direct consequences on the echocardiographic examination. We propose a standardization of the two-dimensional echocardiography in snakes including materials, methods, and transducer positions, approaches and cross-sections based on the approach used for humans or other companion carnivorous mammals. This should improve the veterinarians knowledge of ophidian heart diseases and thus contribute to the development of cardiology in reptiles.

Particularités de l´examen échocardiographique chez les ophidiens

Resume L’echocardiographie chez les ophidiens comporte un certain nombre de specificites, directement liees aux particularites anatomiques et physiologiques du systeme cardiovasculaire de ces animaux: presence de deux aortes (au lieu d’une seule chez les mammiferes), d’un seul ventricule (et non de deux), de deux veines caves crâniales (et non d’une), ou encore existence d’une cavite supplementaire tubulaire denommee sinus veineux et s’abouchant dans l’atrium droit au niveau de l’orifice sino-atrial. L’examen ultrasonore par abord ventral et intercostal offre une bonne visualisation de ces differentes structures en grand axe et petit axe. L’objectif principal de cette technique est l’etablissement du diagnostic ante-mortem de cardiopathies diverses, endocardites et myocardites notamment. Mots cles: echocardiographie, doppler, cœur, ophidien, reptile Specific features of echocardiographic examination in ophidians Echocardiography in ophidians shows several particularities, directly due to the anatomical features of their cardiovascular system:two aortic arches (instead of one in mammals), one single ventricle (instead of two), two cranial venae cavae (instead of one), and also one supplementary tubular cavity called sinus venosus, which proceeds into the right atrium at the sino-atrial opening. Ultrasound examination using a ventral and an intercostal approach allows a good visualisation of these cardiac structures in short and long axis.The main purpose of this technique is to establish the ante-mortem diagnosis of heart diseases, such as endocarditis and myocarditis.

Echocardiographic findings in a dog with vegetative bacterial endocarditis (Case report).

Definitive diagnosis of mitral and aortic valvular endocarditis in a dog was based on echocardiograpic findings and was then confirmed by positive blood culture. Abdominal ultrasound examination revealed a renal abcess. This case illustrates that echocardiography associated with abdominal ultrasound has become an essential tool for the diagnosis of bacterial endocarditis and for the detection of sequela or initial source of bacteriemia, while waiting for blood culture results. A short review of echocardiographic and Doppler abnormalities associated with bacterial endocarditis is presented.

Propositions de standardisation de l'examen échocardiographique bidimensionnel chez les ophidiens

Echocardiography is a diagnostic tool of choice for ante mortem evaluation of heart diseases. The specific anatomical features of the snake’s heart (mobility within the coelomic cavity, single ventric ular cavity, tubular sinus venosus opening into the right atrium, and presence of three arterial trunks) have direct consequences on echocardiographic examination, its usable projections (ventral and right and left lateral), and the visualised structures. Echocardiography is still rarely used in snakes. In this article, we suggest a standardisation of two-dimensional echocardiography in snakes (technique, trans ducer position, cutting planes), in the same way as it is done in man and carnivores, to improve the veterinarian’s knowledge of heart diseases in snakes, and thereby contribute to the development of cardiology in exotic animals. SUMMARY