Guglielmo M. Actis Dato

Too large resection of pectus excavatum in young patients: A reason to worry?

We read with great interest the report by Dr Haller regarding the repair of chest deformity as pectus excavatum (PE) at an early age [1], and we desire to contribute to this subject our experience. In a recent review of our patients, operated on for PE with one surgical technique (Fig 1 ) during a long period (1958 to 1991), we found results worthy of consideration regarding the indications and the correct timing for operation [2]. The patient population features and clinical operative and postoperative conditions are reported in Table 1 .

A simple method to correct aortic tube graft kinking without cardiopulmonary by-pass and aortic clamping

A method for correcting the tube kinking after ascending aortic replacement for acute dissection is described. Its main advantage is the no need for cardiopulmonary by-pass (CPB) and aortic clamping to solve the problem.

A Review of Evolutionary and Cyclical Changes in the Surgical Approach to Aortic Valve Disease

INTRODUCTION Aortic valve surgery is no exception to the general rule that history is a cycle in many fields. This manuscript aims to assist readers in transitioning from past to present and on into the future within the field of aortic valve surgery. METHODS The existing literature has been examined, including old and modern articles published on pubmed, old articles non visible on pubmed, old and recent books on the history of medicine, looking for similarities and repetitions in techniques and surgical approaches to the aortic valve in the past and the current times. RESULTS Steps of evolution included a blind approach, plasty procedures under direct visualization of the valve without the aid of cardiopulmonary bypass, prosthetic valve replacements via sternotomies with cardiopulmonary bypass, minimally-invasive access routes, trans-catheter aortic valve implants (TAVI), suture-less prostheses, mini-thoracotomies incorporating suture-less prostheses, and finally, totally-endoscopic aortic valve replacements. CONCLUSION After the advent of CPB and several decades of open-heart surgery with full sternotomies, the minimally-invasive approach has re-emerged. Supported by a commitment to smaller incisions and shorter bypass times, the concept is now being aggressively developed. The cycling of science, including the field of aortic valve surgery, means that ingenious theories and concepts that have fallen by the wayside can be brought back and explored again with current tools and enhanced knowledge.

Surgical stabilization of the flail chest

DOI:€10.1016/0003-4975(92)91421-5 Ann Thorac Surg 1992;54:397-398 Raoul Borioni, Renzo Ciani, Guglielmo M. Actis Dato and Raffaele Garofalo Surgical stabilization of the flail chest http://ats.ctsnetjournals.org located on the World Wide Web at: The online version of this article, along with updated information and services, is