Aim: Increasing number of patients with congenital cardiac disease reaching adulthood face both medical and surgical difficulties. In order to identify perioperative risk factors and benefit from surgey, we have retrospectively analysed and compared the early and midterm results of surgical correction of congenital intracardiac defects in adult and pediatric age patients. Methods: Seventy-seven patients which had been operated for congenital intracardiac defects in our clinic between December 1999 and January 2004 were divided into two groups on the basis of ages. Group 1 contains 33 pts over 18 years of age (mean, 28 ± 6 years, range 18-49) and Group 2 contains 44 pts under 16 years of age (mean, 6.7 ± 3.2 years, range 2-15). Group 1 and 2 include complete surgical corrections of 15 pts (2 and13, respectively) with TOF, 26 pts (5 and 21) with VSD, 22 patients (17 and 5) with secundum ASD, 3 pts (3 and 0) with PPVR, 3 pts (1 and 2) with primum ASD, 6 pts (4 and 2) with PS, 1 pt with subvalvular aortic dyscrete membran (0 and 1) and 1 pt (1 and 0) with Ebstein’s anomaly. Results: There were only one hospital deaths (1.3%) in group 1, in patient with Ebstein’s anomaly. The mean follow-up period were 23 months for group 1 and 19 months for group 2. Atrioventricular rhythm disturbances are the most seen complication which were seen at early postoperative period in both of groups. AV complete block was seen in 3 pts with TOF (20%, 1 and 2) and 3 patients with VSD (11%, 1 and 2) in group 1 and 2, respectively. Echocardiography has shown mild/moderate pulmonary insufficiency in 3 pts with TOF (20%, 1 and 2), mild residual septal defect in 3 pts with VSD (11%, 1 and 2) and 2 pts with TOF (13%, 0 and 2 )in which reoperation has not been reguired.. Complete surgical cure without any complications was achieved in all of patients of both groups with all types of ASD and PS. In the latest follow-up, 28 pts (87%) and 36 pts (83%) were in NYHA functional class I in group 1 and 2, respectively. Conclusions: The early and midterm results of our limited series showed that the overall survival and benefit of the complete surgical repair such as significant functional improvement at this age are quite acceptable as well as pediatric population.

In this study beta–2 microglobulin (β2µ) compared was with lactat dehydrogenase (LDH), serum albumin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in Hodgkin’s disease. Thirty four patients (20 M, 14 F) and 19 (10 M, 9 F) healthy controls were enrolled in this study. In the group of Hodgkin’s disease (HD) before and after treatment (two times) and in the control group one time β2µ , LDH, ESR, serum albumin were assayed and compared. Mean age of the HD group was 35.0 ± 14.7 and mean age of the control group was 36.6 ± 10.0. Fifteen cases (%44.2) of the HD group were in early stage (stage I-II) and 19 cases (%55.8) were in advanced stage (stage III-IV ). In the HD group, mean serum LDH level before treatment (500.6 ± 235.3) was significantly higher compared to post treatment (262.0 ± 92.7 ) and control groups (299.3 ± 93.2 ) (p<0.001, p=0.001 respectively). In the HD group mean serum β2μ level before treatment (9.3 ± 9.9 ) was significantly higher compared to the post treatment (2.2 ± 1.5 ) and the control groups (1.3 ± 0.2 ) (p<0.001, p=0.001 respectively). Mean serum albumin level before treatment (3.3 ± 0.7) was significantly lower than the post treatment (3.9 ± 0.3 ) and the control groups (4.2 ± 0.3 ) (p<0.001, p<0.001respectively). Mean serum ESR level before treatment (51.6 ± 19.7) was significantly elvated compared to the post treatment (24.2 ± 11.8) and control groups (6.3 ± 3.6), (p<0.001, p=0.001 respectively). It is shown that serum β2μ level may be take place among these parameters as at least effective as others factors for reflecting tumor activity.

Aim: Wound infections are serious complications of cardiovascular surgery. An analysis of risk factors for postoperative wound infection can lead to more effective preventive measures. The aim of our study was to report postoperative wound infections in cardiovascular surgery patients. Methods: Between January 2000 and April 2004, 649 consecutive patients underwent cardiovascular surgery in our hospital. The patients were evaluated retrospectively Results: Postoperative wound infection developed in 6 patients (0,9%). Four of them had superficial wound infections and the remaining two patients had mediastinitis. Conclusion: We believe that with strict adherence to perioperative aseptic technique, careful attention to hemostasis, meticulous surgical technique, and avoidance of bone-wax and excessive electro cotery use is, a very low incidence of wound infection important in achieving.

Aim: In this study we aimed to investigate the effects of vitamin E, N-acetyl cystein, penicillin-G and etheric oil extract of Urtica dioica L. fruits on the gastrointestinal system and liver of the phalloidin administered rats. Method: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups (n=10). All the groups (except group I) received a single dose of phalloidin (0.9 mg/kg) at the begining of the study. Group I (control group) and group II (phalloidin group) received isotonic saline solution (0.2 mL), group III vitamin E (40 mg/kg), group IV N-acetyl cystein (100 mg/kg), group V penicillin-G (400.000 U) and group VI etheric oil extract of Urtica dioica L. fruits (0.5 mL/kg) during the study. The blood and tissue samples were collected from all the study groups at the 4th and the 7th days of the study. The samples were examined biochemically and histopathologically. Results: There was no histopathological findings. On the 4th day of the study, group II had significantly higher levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), group IV had significantly lower levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), groups II, III and IV had significantly higher levels of serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels, while group VI had significantly higher levels of serum total bilirubin when compared to the control group. On the 7th day of the study no significant difference were evident in the serum ALT and total bilirubin levels. In addition, serum AST levels were lower in all groups while ALP levels were significantly higher when compared to the control group. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that parenterally administered phalloidin led to a mild degree of hepatotoxicity. It was shown that vitamin E, N-acetyl cystein, penicillin-G and etheric oil extract of Urtica dioica L. fruits may prevent the hepatotoxicity in the early stage of the phalloidin administration.

Although the snake bites have mostly good prognosis, the life-threatening complications may occur rarely. Hereby we present two different cases of the snake bite who underwent Dissieminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) associated with other systemic complications such as acute pancreatitis, acute renal failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Massive enduration, edema and hematoma resulted in compartment syndrome and local tissue necrosis in the involved limbs. Local treatments such as early debridment, wound care and fasciotomy associated with specific treatments for the systemic complications were applied. Both cases recovered unevenfully. In conclusion, life-threatening systemic complications should be considered, although they occur rarely in the cases of snake bite.

Acute epidural hematoma usually performes at epidural area as bleeding a. menengia media or its branches, result of a cranium trauma . Its origin is rarely venosus, like especially venosus sinüs hemorrhage. Acute epidural hematoma was occured in postoperative at the second day in the patient who is operated because of a left middle cerebral arterie aneurysm, mentioned in this study. The patients bleeding and coagulation factors were normally evoluated. Because of the acute epidural hematoma, the patient was operated again and seen that the reason of the acute epidural hematoma was the hemorrhage of the underskin tissue. As the result of this, epidural hematoma can become under skin tissue if the hemostase is made insufficiently after the hemostatic clips for the scalp hemostase are taken out, or after the operation, if the patient is found hipertansive.

Trisomy 13 occurs with a frequency of about 1 in 10,000 livebirth. The lifespan of babies affected by this chromosome abnormality is shortened. Associated symptoms and findings may vary in range and severity from case to case. However, many affected newborns have abnormalities of skull and facial region; cardiac, renal, gastric malformations; and/or other physical abnormalities. A rare case report of newborn with multiple malformations associated at trisomy 13 is presented.

Listeria monocytogenes is an uncommon infection agent in our country. However, in some groups, including neonates, pregnant women, elderly persons, immunosupressed transplant recipients, and others with impaired cell-mediated immunity, it is an important cause of life-threatening infections. It can lead to various clinical pictures such as meningitis and neonatal infection. Ampicillin, Penicillin G, and Gentamicin may be given lonely or in combination . Its course may be fatal in elderly persons or immunosupressed patients, whereas prognosis is generally benign in patients not having predisposing factors. In this article, it was reviewed clinical pictures caused by Listeria monocytogenes, its diagnosis, and treatment features in the light of literature.