The effects of two 8 week programmes of reconditioning in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients were studied. Forty one subjects (mean+/-SD) 644.5) yrs; forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) 1.09+/-0.16 L; 40.6+/-6.2% predicted were randomly assigned either to supervised training on a treadmill, 4 days x week(-1) (group S; n=21) or walking 3 or 4 km in 1 h 4 days x week(-1), self-monitored with a pedometer, with weekly visits to encourage adherence (group SM; n=20). Patients were evaluated with the chronic respiratory diseases questionnaire (CRQ) and two exercise tests on a treadmill: incremental (IT) and constant (CT), above lactic threshold or 70% of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2, max) with arterial blood lactate determinations. Estimated mean work rate of training was 69+/-27 W and 25+/-5 W respectively for groups S and SM. Both types of training produced similar changes in the four dimensions of the CRQ. In group S reconditioning yielded significant (p<0.05) increases in VO2, max and increases in duration, with decreased lactate accumulation, ventilation, CO2 output (VCO2), heart rate (HR) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at the end of CT. They also adopted a deeper slower pattern of breathing during exercise. The SM group showed significant (p<0.05) increases in duration, lower HR and DBP at the end of CT. Significantly (p<0.05) different effects between S and SM programmes were changes in VO2, max 100+/-101 mL x min(-1) versus 5+/-101 mL x min(-1)), duration of the CT (8.1+/-4.4 min versus 3.9+/-4.7 min), VCO2 (-94+/-153 mL x min(-1) versus 48+/-252 mL x min(-1)), lactate accumulation (-1.3+/-2.2 mmol x L(-1) versus 0+/-1.2 mmol x L(-1) and respiratory rate at the end of CT (4.3+/-3.4 min(-1) versus -1+/-4.2 min(-1)). Supervised, intense training yields physiological improvements in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients not induced by self-monitored training. The self-monitored, less intense training, increases submaximal exercise endurance, although to a lesser degree.

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The management of apical ventricular septal defects continues to be challenging because of the difficulty in achieving a complete closure without a left apical ventriculotomy. In this study, we present our innovative technique of closing multiple and/or large muscular apical ventricular septal defects through a right atriotomy. We operated three patients with multiple apical muscular trabecular ventricular septal defects ("Swiss cheese") using a technique that involved exclusion of the right ventricular apex. Their ages ranged between 2 months and 13 years. The VSDs were approached through right atriotomy. The trans right atrial approach using a 5-0 polypropylene purse-string suture or a two-patch procedure is a novel method of closing large apical ventricular septal defects. It was found to be effective with no persistent residual defects and did not have the disadvantages of a ventriculotomy.

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Muscular ventricular septal defects still require complex surgical procedures for their repair. We have used a hybrid approach for closure of these ventricular septal defects in patients needing open-heart surgery. It consists of the deployment of a ventricular septal occluder, as used in transcatheter procedures inside the defect under direct vision after cardiopulmonary bypass establishment. Through this paper, we report a case to illustrate a new and simple technique to avoid one of the most dramatic complications after this procedure: the migration of the closure device.

We report a case of a patient who presented with aortic stenosis and a borderline left ventricle during foetal life. A balloon aortic valve valvuloplasty was performed in uterus, and in the postnatal period for relief of the left ventricular outflow tract obstruction followed by a Ross-Konno procedure with fibroelastosis resection. These successful interventions allowed left ventricular growth and the conversion to a biventricular circulation after a single-stage surgery.

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