Thomas C. Moore

Congenital and Experimentally Produced Pericardial Defects

Congenital defects of the pericardium hare been reported only rarely in man and eve less often in animals. Only one human case recognized before death lls been described. Because of these considerations and because pericar<lial resection may eventually prose necessary in order to provides autogenous tissue for certain cardioplastic procedures, it is considered appropriate to review the literature, to present one human and three canine instances of pericardial detects and to describe some observations upon experimentally produced defects of the pericardium.

Experimental Creation of Atrial Septal Defects, with Some Notes on the Production of a Right to Left Atrial Shunt

* From the Department of Surgery, the Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana. Aided by a contract between the Office of Naval Research, the United States Navy, and Indiana University, and a grant from the James Whitcomb Riley Memorial Association. The recent contributions of Blalock, Brock, Crafoord, Gross, Potts and others toward the correction of congenital anomalies of the heart and great vessels have stimulated efforts to bring other cardiac malformations within the scope of more effective surgical relief. Congenital defects in the interatrial septum have long been recognized as one of the commoner of the cardiac anomalies which may become symptomatic. For this reason, considerable investigation in the past few years has been directed toward their experimental production and closure.

Vomiting during pregnancy due to midgut volvulus with duodenal obstruction.

Abstract An interesting case of severe vomiting with dehydration and weight loss due to midgut volvulus with duodenal obstruction during pregnancy is reported. The patient was an 18-year-old primipara in the third month of pregnancy. She had experienced symptoms which were similar, but much less severe, for many years. The obstruction occurred at the level of the third portion of the duodenum and was produced by the torsion and tightening of the overlying superior mesenteric vessels. These vessels were the only support for an other-wise unattached small intestine. Complete and continuing relief of the patients symptoms was achieved by operative by-pass of the area of obstruction by means of a duodenojejunostomy. The episode of obstruction and its operative management did not influence the normal course and termination of the pregnancy. The importance of an awareness of the possible occurrence of intestinal volvulus during pregnancy is emphasized.