For better visualization of the left main coronary artery, a new technique involving transection of the main pulmonary artery is described. With this new method it was possible to perform endarterectomy of the left main coronary artery in 35 patients from February 1981 to July 1987. The endarterectomy incision was closed with a pericardial or venous patch. We had no mortality, and 91% are free from angina at a mean follow-up of 31 months. Angiographic evaluation was performed in 19 patients revealing good patency of the left main artery. This procedure is safe, and we recommend it in isolated left main coronary artery stenosis without distal involvement and with good left ventricular function.

No abstract

A study to determine the reliability of a recently described test, the faecal human haemoglobin test (FHH), specific for human blood, In the detection of colorectal neoplasia, is reported. All of nineteen patients with proven cancers studied were shown to have detectable blood in the stools. Three of five patients with polyps in this series also had detectable blood in the stools by this test. Although three of nineteen control subjects had posltive tests, two of these were subsequently found to have bleeding sites, and the third was normal on follow up some weeks later. The findings are discussed in relation to the Hemoccult I1 (H-0) test results obtained In these subjects, and the implications for the posslble future role for this test in screening for colorectal neoplasia.

No abstract

During the last few years, reports have appeared claiming that lufenuron diminished or even cured dermatophyte infections in cats and dogs. As these observations have a rather anecdotal character leading to some ambiguity in the literature, it was decided to test lufenuron in a generally accepted animal model for dermatomycotic infection. The test was carried out in guinea pigs artificially infected with Microsporum canis on scarified dorsal skin and orally treated with lufenuron (Programä). The efficacy of up to five doses of 80 mg/kg was assessed 7 and 14 days after the start of treatment. All animals failed to show any improvement in skin lesions as compared to the vehicle-only treated animals. Clinical symptoms taken into account were scaling, crust formation, erythema, and exudation. Neither the number of treatments (one or five) nor the dose range (40 or 80 mg/ kg) made any difference. Itraconazole, tested earlier under identical circumstances, resulted in a clear and consistent improvement at day 7 of the infection at a dose of 15 mg/kg, given either in one dose or spread over several days. The absence of antimycotic activity of lufenuron in this established animal model constitutes a significant element in the discussion on the antifungal potency of lufenuron and supports the fact that there is, as yet, no evidence that benzoylphenyl urea derivative compounds have an effect on chitin synthesis in fungi.