A dedicated stitch to allow early safe mobilization avoiding drain-induced heart injury

Abstract Placement of a mediastinal drain is a routine procedure following heart surgery. Postoperative bed rest is often imposed due to the fear of potential risk of drain displacement and cardiac injury. We developed an encapsulating stitch as a feasible, effective and low-cost technique, which does not require advanced surgical skills for placement. This simple, novel approach compartmentalizes the drain allowing for safe early mobilization following cardiac surgery.

Off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery in selected patients is superior to the conventional approach for patients with severely depressed left ventricular function

OBJECTIVES: Patients with coronary artery disease and left ventricular dysfunction have high mortality when kept in clinical treatment. Coronary artery bypass grafting can improve survival and the quality of life. Recently, revascularization without cardiopulmonary bypass has been presented as a viable alternative. The aim of this study is to compare patients with left ventricular ejection fractions of less than 20 percent who underwent coronary artery bypass graft with or without cardiopulmonary bypass. METHODS: From January 2001 to December 2005, 217 nonrandomized, consecutive, and nonselected patients with an ejection fraction less than or equal to 20 percent underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery with (112) or without (off-pump) (105) the use of cardiopulmonary bypass. We studied demographic, operative, and postoperative data. RESULTS: There were no demographic differences between groups. The outcome variables showed similar graft numbers in both groups. Mortality was 12.5 percent in the cardiopulmonary bypass group and 3.8 percent in the off-pump group. Postoperative complications were statistically different (cardiopulmonary bypass versus off-pump): total length of hospital stay (days)-11.3 vs. 7.2, length of ICU stay (days)-3.7 vs. 2.1, pulmonary complications-10.7 percent vs. 2.8 percent, intubation time (hours)-22 vs. 10, postoperative bleeding (mL)-654 vs. 440, acute renal failure-8.9 percent vs. 1.9 percent and left-ventricle ejection fraction before discharge-22 percent vs. 29 percent. CONCLUSION: Coronary artery bypass grafting without cardiopulmonary bypass in selected patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction is valid and safe and promotes less mortality and morbidity compared with conventional operations.