Five-Year Follow-Up After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in Patients with Severe Aortic Stenosis and Concomitant Coronary Artery Disease: A Single-Center Experience

ABSTRACT Introduction: There is no consensus on the impact of coronary artery disease in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation. Therefore, the objective of this study was, in a single-center setting, to evaluate the five-year outcome of transcatheter aortic valve implantation patients with or without coronary artery disease. Methods: All transcatheter aortic valve implantation patients between 2009 and 2019 were included and grouped according to the presence or absence of coronary artery disease. The primary endpoint, five-year all-cause mortality, was evaluated using Cox regression adjusted for age, sex, procedure years, and comorbidities. Comorbidities interacting with coronary artery disease were evaluated with interaction tests. In-hospital complications was the secondary endpoint. Results: In total, 176 patients had aortic stenosis and concomitant coronary artery disease, while 170 patients had aortic stenosis only. Mean follow-up was 2.2±1.6 years. There was no difference in the adjusted five-year all-cause mortality between transcatheter aortic valve implantation patients with and without coronary artery disease (hazard ratio 1.00, 95% confidence interval 0.59-1.70, P=0.99). In coronary artery disease patients, impaired renal function, peripheral arterial disease, or ejection fraction < 50% showed a significant interaction effect with higher five-year all-cause mortality. No significant differences in complications between the groups were found. Conclusion: Five-year mortality did not differ between transcatheter aortic valve implantation patients with or without coronary artery disease. However, in patients with coronary artery disease and impaired renal function, peripheral arterial disease, or ejection fraction < 50%, we found significantly higher five-year all-cause mortality.

Caregiver burden, family adaptation, partnership, growth, affection, and resolve, anxiety levels, and perceived social support in relatives of patients with open heart surgery

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between caregiver burden, family adaptation, partnership, growth, affection, and resolve score, anxiety levels, and the perceived social support of the relatives of patients who had open heart surgery. METHODS: Volunteers among the relatives of patients who had open heart surgery in our cardiovascular surgery clinic and were followed up in the first 3 months were included in the study. The cardiovascular surgeons recorded the sociodemographic data of the relatives of the patients and directed them to a psychiatry clinic for further evaluation. The caregiver burden scale, family adaptation, partnership, growth, affection, and resolve scale, anxiety level scale, and perceived social support scale were applied to the relatives of the patients who participated in the study. RESULTS: Within the scope of the study, a total of 51 individuals, 29.4% (n=15) men and 70.6% (n=36) women, were included in the evaluation. The participants' ages ranged from 32 to 68 years, with an average age of 48 years. There was a statistically significant relationship between the caregiving burden scale score and the scale scores other than age (p<0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in terms of caregiving burden scale score, working status, physical and psychological problems, changes in home life, and changes in family relationships (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The fact that the need for security and intimacy is related to anxiety and depression can be interpreted as the caregiving problems of the relatives of the patients who think that their patients are safe and feel closer to the intensive care personnel will decrease. Their depression and anxiety levels will also decrease.

Learning Curve for Using Endoscopic Saphenous Vein Harvesting in Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveTo investigate the application of endoscopy in obtaining the great saphenous vein （GSV） during coronary artery bypass grafting （CABG） and explore the learning curve， with a particular focus on common challenges encountered during the learning process and their impact on early clinical outcomes. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data from 83 patients who underwent off-pump CABG with endoscopic GSV harvesting at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from July 2013 to April 2014. Patients were categorized into four groups based on the chronological order of their hospitalization： Group A （novice group， n=20）， Group B （proficient group， n=20）， Group C （progressive group， n=20）， and Group D （mature group， n=23）. Differences in perioperative and midterm follow-up outcomes among the groups were analyzed to determine the learning curve period. ResultsThe study population had a mean age of （60.22±8.06） years and a mean body weight of （69.77±11.66） kg. Comorbidities included hypertension （24 cases）， diabetes （26 cases）， and subacute cerebral infarction （14 cases）. The novice group exhibited significantly shorter GSV length-to-harvest time ratio relative to the other three groups （P<0.001） and a significantly higher incidence of main vein damage （P=0.006）. However， there was no statistically significant difference in graft patency at the 1-year follow-up. ConclusionThorough and reliable technical training in endoscopic GSV harvesting is essential to minimize vascular injury caused by novice operators. Approximately 20 cases of hands-on experience and a careful self-analysis of procedural challenges are likely required to achieve proficiency in GSV harvesting.

Clinical application and strategy of total-arterial coronary artery bypass grafting / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Since the advent of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), the selection of bypass conduits has always been one of the most controversial topics in this field. Arterial conduits have received extensive attention due to their excellent biological features and high patency. In recent years, the application of arterial grafting and total arterial grafting in China keeps increasing in recent years, but there is still a gap compared to the Europe and America. Previous clinical studies have indicated the benefits of the total arterial grafting in terms of patency and long-term outcomes, but the advantage of multiple arterial grafting over other procedures is still in need to be confirmed with high-quality randomized controlled trials. This article reviews the clinical application and strategy of total-arterial CABG, aiming to provide objective reference for future clinical research and application.

Blood group as a novel predictor of postoperative atrial fibrillation after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to reveal whether there was a possible relationship between the blood group and postoperative atrial fibrillation after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. METHODS: Between January 2020 and January 2022, 452 patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting surgery consisted of the research population. Patients were divided into two groups based on the occurrence of new-onset atrial fibrillation from the time of operation until discharge. Group 1 (atrial fibrillation group) had 122 patients, whereas group 2 (non-atrial fibrillation group) contained 350 patients. Patients' baseline clinical characteristics and operative and postoperative data were recorded and then compared between the groups. Moreover, a multivariate logistic regression analysis was also conducted to identify the predictors of postoperative atrial fibrillation. RESULTS: Non-O blood groups were substantially more common in the atrial fibrillation group than in the non-atrial fibrillation group. Patient age differences between the atrial fibrillation and non-atrial fibrillation groups were statistically significant, and patients in the atrial fibrillation group were detected to be older. Mean left atrial diameter, rates of obesity and prior percutaneous coronary intervention history, and perioperative intraaortic balloon pump requirement were significantly greater in the atrial fibrillation group than in the non-atrial fibrillation group. According to logistic regression analysis, blood group, age, left atrial diameter, obesity, and prior percutaneous coronary intervention were identified as predictors of postoperative atrial fibrillation. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated for the first time in the literature that ABO blood type was a novel and significant predictor of new-onset atrial fibrillation after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery : A Narrative Review

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) Surgery is considered the standard treatment for revascularization in Coronary Artery Disease. The Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (OPCAB) which evades the use of Cardiopulmonary Bypass (CPB) became a popular CABG procedure, due to the adverse effect of CPB. Hypothetically, OPCAB may improve the rates of perioperative Myocardial Injury, Neurocognitive Impairment, Stroke and Mortality. However, some studies showed no superior outcomes for OPCAB compared to on-pump CABG. This study aims to evaluate the short-term and long-term outcomes of OPCAB versus On-Pump CABG. The results showed that OPCAB is probably a safe procedure for patients, especially for those with high-risk conditions. OPCAB procedure showed superior short-term outcomes in terms of Myocardial Infarction, Systemic Inflammatory Response, Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction, Renal Failure, Stroke, Pulmonary Complication, Postoperative Transfusion, Hospital stay length and infection than On-pump CABG. However, regarding long-term outcomes, Off-Pump CABG had a higher rate of incomplete revascularization and repeat revascularization and a higher risk of long-term mortality as well as lower graft patency. Furthermore, the result showed that the higher experience of the surgeons in OPCAB improves the outcome of the Surgery.

Multi-vessel Disease Percutaneous Coronary Intervention versus Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background: Revascularization of the coronary arteries is associated with better short term and long term prognosis in patients having multivessel coronary artery disease (MV-CAD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, whether revascularization using coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using drug eluting stents (DES) is better remains unknown. Objectives: To compare the outcomes of revascularization by multi-vessel PCI using DES versus revascularization by CABG in patients with CKD having multivessel CAD, regarding in-hospital and one-year major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of the data of a group of patients having CKD with eGFR less than 60 ml/min with multivessel CAD who underwent revascularization by PCI or revascularization by CABG and were compared as regards in-hospital and one-year MAACE. Results: A total of 565 patients were reviewed in this study, 230 patients had multivessel PCI using DES while 335 patients had CABG. Comparing both revascularization groups regarding in-hospital MACCE, patients who had mutli-vessel PCI had significantly lower in-hospital mortality, cerebrovascular events (stroke/TIA) and lower total MACCE than patients who had CABG (P-value = 0.03 & 0.01 & 0.04 respectively). When comparing both revascularization groups regarding one-year MACCE, patients who had mutli-vessel PCI had significantly lower cerebrovascular events and total MACCE than those patients who had CABG (P-value = 0.02 & 0.03 respectively). Conclusion: This is a retrospective study to determine which strategy is better for revascularization of CKD patients having multivessel CAD; we can conclude that multi-vessel PCI using DES for CKD patients and multivessel CAD had advantages over CABG regarding in-hospital and one-year cerebrovascular accidents (TIA/stroke) and regarding total MACCE. Larger randomized controlled trials are required to confirm our findings.

Comparison of adverse events after on-pump and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with COPD / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the difference of adverse events in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who underwent on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (ONCABG) and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG).Methods:The clinical data of COPD patients undergoing CABG surgery admitted to Beijing Anzhen Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University from January 2021 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. According to whether they received cardiopulmonary bypass or not, they were divided into ONCABG group (64 cases) and OPCABG group (154 cases). The preoperative and postoperative clinical data were analyzed. The whole group was divided into 4 subgroups (ON1、ON2、OP1、OP2) according to whether receiving cardiopulmonary bypass or not and FEV160% as the cut-off point, to investigate the difference of postoperative adverse events.Results:A total of 218 patients were included, ranging in age from 45 to 76 years old, with a mean age of (63.81±7.72) years, including 149 males (68.35%). There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative adverse events between the ONCABG and OPCABG groups ( P>0.05). In subgroup analysis, the incidence of postoperative pulmonary infection (72.73% vs. 45.65%, P<0.05) and postoperative atrial fibrillation (59.09% vs. 32.61%, P<0.05) was higher in ON1 (FEV1≤60% ONCABG, 22 cases) group than in OP1 (FEV1≤60% OPCABG, 46 cases) group. Conclusion:The incidence of postoperative pulmonary infection and atrial fibrillation in COPD patients with FEV1≤60% was higher in ONCABG than in OPCABG.

Clinical study of aspirin combined with atorvastatin in the prevention of new onset atrial fibrillation after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

Objective:To explore the clinical value of aspirin combined with atorvastatin in the prevention of new onset atrial fibrillation after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG).Methods:208 patients with coronary artery bypass grafting in our hospital from June 2019 to June 2021 were selected as the research subjects and divided by a random number table method into groups. The control group (104 cases) was treated with aspirin before operation, and the observation group (104 cases) was treated with aspirin and atorvastatin before operation. ECG monitoring was carried out continuously for 7 days of patients in the two groups, and the occurrence and duration of AF were recorded. The clinical therapeutic efficacy, incidence and adverse reactions of AF, left atrial diameter and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level were observed before and after treatment.Results:The incidence of AF in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group, the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). There was no statistical significant difference in the starting time of AF between the two groups after operation ( P>0.05). The duration of AF in the observation group was better than that in the control group, the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Before treatment, there was no statistical significant difference in left atrial diameter and hs-CRP level between the two groups ( P>0.05). After treatment, the left atrial diameter in the observation group returned to that before treatment, and there was no statistical significant difference in the same group ( P>0.05). The left atrial diameter in the control group was higher than that before treatment, and there was statistical significant difference in the same group ( P<0.05). The level of hs-CRP was lower than that in the control group, the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). There were no adverse reactions in both groups. Conclusion:Aspirin combined with atorvastatin has a significant effect in preventing new onset AF after OPCABG. It can reduce the incidence of postoperative AF, shorten the duration of AF, effectively control the inner diameter of left atrium, reduce the degree of postoperative inflammatory reaction, and has no adverse effects. It is worthy of clinical application.

Single-center usage of right internal mammary artery in coronary artery bypass grafting / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

Objective:To report the use of right internal mammary artery (RIMA) in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in our center, summarize the purpose and configuration of RIMA graft in CABG.Methods:All clinical data of coronary artery bypass grafting patients in our center performed in the past 6 years were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Those patients were divided into RIMA group and non-RIMA group according to the use of RIMA. Propensity score matching had been performed before these data was compared. Surgical technique of use of RIMA was summarized.Results:1 537 CABG had been performed from January 1st, 2016 to October 31st, 2021 in our center. Of which, 128 cases were allocated to RIMA group. After propensity score matching having been performed, there was no difference in baseline data between the RIMA group and the non-RIMA group (128 cases), and the RIMA group had more grafts and arterial grafts than the non-RIMA group. The postoperative drainage volume in the RIMA group was more than that of the non-RIMA group. However, there was no statistical significance in difference of transfusion between two groups. Also, there was no difference in postoperative mechanical ventilation time, ICU time and length of stay postoperatively. The postoperative complications were similar between two groups. Postoperative patency rate of the RIMA graft was as high as 95.2%. The target vessels of RIMA included left anterior descending branch (45 cases), diagonal branch (19 cases), intermediate branch (12 cases). obtuse marginal or circumflex branch (16 cases), posterior descending branch (5 cases) and right coronary trunk (18 cases). 41 RIMA used as free grafts, 87 used as in situ grafts, of which 19 RIMA need lengthened by other graft vessels.Conclusion:The patency rate of RIMA graft is high and the application of RIMA do not increase the surgical risk significantly. However, there are versatile contour of RIMA grafts. It can be used as artery graft in selected patients.

Early efficacy of water sac blocking versus Heartstring for proximal anastomosis during off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

Objective:To compare the early effect of water sac blocking and Heartstring for proximal anastomosis of the calcific ascending aorta.Methods:The data of 400 consecutive patients undergoing elective off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting(OPCABG) in Beijing Anzhen Hospital from January 2022 to June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. 46 patients with calcific ascending aorta including 40 males and 6 females, with the age ranged from 53 to 73 years and an average of(65.2±5.1) years, who were revealed by preoperative chest CT scan and intraoperative palpation. According to the method of proximal anastomosis, the patients were divided into 2 groups: water sac blocking group(n=19) and Heartstring group(n=27). The effect of preventing postoperative stroke was compared by counting the incidence of postoperative stroke. The efficacy of the 2 methods was compared by detecting the flow and pulsatility fraction of the saphenous vein trunk during surgery, observing the dynamic changes of the electrocardiogram and cTnI level within 48h after the surgery, and reviewing the coronary CTA 3 months after discharge.Results:There was no perioperative death, and all the patients were discharged 4-13 days postoperatively. No adverse events such as stroke and malignant ventricular arrhythmia occurred during perioperative period. 1 patient in each group developed low cardiac output syndrome postoperatively, and both improved after IABP placement. 1 patient in Heartstring group developed acute inferior myocardial infarction, which was improved after IABP placement. Coronary CTA 3 months after operation showed that there was no proximal anastomotic stenosis in both groups.Conclusion:There is no significant difference between the 2 proximal anastomosis methods in preventing stroke after OPCABG in patients with ascending aortic calcification. Compared with Heartstring, water sac blocking does not increase the risk of proximal anastomotic stenosis. In addition, water sac blocking does not require expensive consumables, which is especially suitable for patients with limited funds and can be generalized.

Multiple Giant Coronary Artery Aneurysms with Coronary-Pulmonary Artery Fistula / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

Giant coronary artery aneurysms are relatively rare and are usually associated with Kawasaki disease, atherosclerosis, congenital disease, or trauma. Although a coronary-pulmonary artery fistula is a known complication, clear guidelines for treatment of this condition remain unavailable. We report a case of multiple giant coronary artery aneurysms associated with a coronary-pulmonary artery fistula in a patient who underwent fistulotomy, aneurysmectomy, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery. A 66-year-old woman was initially evaluated by her primary care physician following right breast cancer surgery. She denied any specific symptoms; however, she was referred to our hospital for evaluation of an abnormal shadow detected on chest radiography. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) performed at our hospital revealed multiple giant coronary artery aneurysms(approximately 45 mm in size), as well as right and left coronary-pulmonary artery fistulas. We performed simultaneous aneurysmectomy, fistula resection, and coronary artery bypass grafting for management of the giant coronary artery aneurysms concomitant with coronary-pulmonary artery fistulas. Threedimensional CT was useful for accurate imaging of the location of the coronary artery aneurysms, fistula vessels, and the left anterior descending, and left circumflex arteries. It is essential to accurately delineate the boundary between the aneurysms and healthy coronary arteries and fistula vessels, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery should be performed if necessary. We report a rare case of the aforementioned clinical condition, together with a literature review.

Prediction of new atrial fibrillation after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting based on preoperative heart rate variability: A retrospective study / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To study the relationship between preoperative heart rate variability (HRV) and postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB). Methods    A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 290 patients who were admitted to the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command from May to September 2020 and received OPCAB. There were 217 males and 73 females aged 36-80 years. According to the incidence of POAF, the patients were divided into two groups: a non-atrial fibrillation group (208 patients) and an atrial fibrillation group (82 patients). The time domain and frequency domain factors of mean HRV 7 days before operation were calculated: standard deviation of all normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN), root mean square of successive differences, percentage difference between adjacent normal-to-normal intervals that were greater than 50 ms, low frequency power (LF), high frequency power (HF), LF/HF. Results    The HRV value of patients without POAF was significantly lower than that of patients with POAF (P<0.05). The median SDNN of the two groups were 78.90 ms and 91.55 ms, respectively. Age (OR=3.630, 95%CI 2.015-6.542, P<0.001), left atrial diameter (OR=1.074, 95%CI 1.000-1.155, P=0.046), and SDNN (OR=1.017, 95%CI 1.002-1.032, P=0.024) were independently associated with the risk of POPAF after OPCAB. Conclusion     SDNN may be an independent predictor of POAF after OPCAB.

Relationship between myocardial viability and early application of intra-aortic balloon pump after coronary artery bypass grafting / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To explore the relationship between myocardial viability in patients with coronary artery disease who underwent elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and early application of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) after coronary revascularization, and to provide relevant clinical reference for the pre-implantation of 16G single-lumen catheter in the femoral artery of high-risk patients to facilitate the addition of IABP after operation. Methods    This retrospective study included 521 patients (414 males and 107 females, aged 62.50±8.82 years) who underwent positron emission tomography (PET)-computed tomography (CT) perfusion-metabolism imaging prior to CABG surgery in our institution from December 2015 to August 2020. The myocardial viability information and left ventricular functional parameters were measured, including the proportion of non-viable myocardium (perfusion-metabolic imaging match), hibernating myocardium (perfusion-metabolic imaging mismatch) and dysfunctional myocardium (non-viable+viable myocardium), left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular end-diastolic volume and left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV). The patients were divided into an IABP group and a non-IABP group  according to whether they received IABP treatment after revascularization. The clinical data were reviewed and compared to explore significant impact factors between the two groups. And the multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the correlation between preoperative myocardial viability and early use of IABP after CABG. Results    In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the amount of non-viable, dysfunctional myocardium and LVESV value were identified as the independent predictors for the probability of IABP use in the initial postoperative period. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that 9.5% non-viable myocardium, 19.5% dysfunctional myocardium, and LVESV of 114.5 mL were the optimal cutoff for predicting early IABP implantation during CABG. Conclusion    The myocardial survival status displayed by preoperative PET-CT myocardial perfusion-metabolism imaging can predict the possibility of applying IABP in CABG perioperative period. In addition to routine pre-anesthesia assessment, anesthesiologists can conduct risk stratification assessment for patients with CABG according to the results of preoperative myocardial viability imaging, which is of great significance to ensure the perioperative safety of high-risk patients with CABG.

Study of preventing venous graft restenosis by local application of simvastatin and mechanical preconditioning / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To investigate the effect of simvastatin and mechanical pretreatment on intimal hyperplasia of venous graft and its mechanism. Methods    Twelve New Zealand rabbits were selected and randomly divided into 4 groups: a blank control group, a simvastatin topical treatment group, a mechanical precondition group and a combined group (n=3 in each group). Ultrasound was used to evaluate the changes of graft wall and blood flow velocity in the graft, and pathological section was used to evaluate the intimal hyperplasia. Human umbilical cord endodermal cells were cultured in vitro. A simvastatin group and a solvent control group were set to detect YAP phosphorylation, downstream target gene expression and cell proliferation. Results    Vascular ultrasound showed that except the simvastatin topical treatment group, the flow velocity in vein grafts in the other three groups significantly increased 21 days after surgery compared with 7 days after surgery (P<0.01). Pathological sections showed that the thickness of new intima in the simvastatin topical treatment group, mechanical precondition group, combined group and blank control group were 45.56±4.11 μm, 201.28±16.71 μm, 143.57±7.82 μm, 249.45±13.33 μm, respectively, and there were statistical differences compared with the blank control group (P<0.05). In vitro results showed that compared with the solvent control group, cell death was observed in high concentration simvastatin (5 mmol/L) group, cell proliferation was inhibited in low concentration simvastatin (2.5 mmol/L) group (P<0.05), the expression of YAP protein in the simvastatin group was unchanged, but the expression of phosphorylated YAP protein significantly increased (P<0.05), and the expression of downstream target gene ccn1 was down-regulated (P<0.001). Conclusion    Intravascular local application of simvastatin and mechanical preconditioning alone or in combination can inhibit intimal hyperplasia of venous graft. High concentration of simvastatin has cytotoxicity, while low concentration of simvastatin has inhibitory effect on cell proliferation. Simvastatin can inhibit the formation of new intima by inhibiting the entry of YAP into the nucleus and reducing the transcription of cell proliferation-related target gene ccn1.

A Case of Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Following High-Dose Dexamethasone Therapy in a Patient with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

Man in his 70s, who had suffered from idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), was admitted to our hospital with chest pain at rest. Coronary angiography revealed obstruction of the right coronary artery and triple vessel disease. Because a bleeding tendency was expected during coronary artery bypass grafting, we performed percutaneous coronary intervention to the culprit lesion first, and then intravenous immunoglobulin and high dose dexamethasone were tried. His platelet count rose from 49,000 to 103,000/mm3, so we performed coronary artery bypass grafting. The patient had no postoperative hemorrhagic complications. We believe that high dose dexamethasone therapy is useful for patients with ITP who need surgery immediately.

A Case of Intraoperative Iatrogenic Aortic Dissection during Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

A 70-year-old woman diagnosed with angina pectoris was scheduled to undergo off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) using the left internal thoracic artery and the saphenous vein (SVG). We performed a proximal anastomosis of the SVG to the ascending aorta using a clampless proximal anastomotic device. When this device was removed from the ascending aorta after completion of the SVG proximal anastomosis, we noticed the extensive appearance of an ascending aortic adventitial hematoma. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed a flap in the ascending aorta, which was diagnosed as an iatrogenic aortic dissection. The decision was made to immediately perform an additional aortic replacement. There was an intimal tear consistent with the device insertion site, which was identified as the site for the development of aortic dissection. After performing an ascending aortic replacement, coronary artery bypass grafting was performed. Her postoperative course was uneventful, and enhanced CT on postoperative day 12 showed aortic dissection up to the level of the abdominal aorta, but the false lumen was completely thrombosed. Iatrogenic aortic dissection caused by proximal anastomotic device during OPCAB is a very rare but serious complication, and early intraoperative diagnosis and prompt additional surgical treatment were considered necessary to save the patient's life.

Risk factors for acute kidney injury after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting: A systematic review and meta-analysis / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To analyze the risk factors for acute kidney injury (AKI) after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG). Methods     The PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Wanfang data, CBM, VIP, CNKI were searched by computer for researches on risk factors associated with the development of AKI after OPCABG from the inception to March 2022. The meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to evaluate the quality of included studies. Results    A total of 18 researches were included, involving 9 risk factors. The NOS score of all included studies was≥6 points. Meta-analysis results showed that age [OR=1.03, 95%CI (1.01, 1.06), P=0.020], body mass index (BMI) [OR=1.10, 95%CI (1.05, 1.15), P<0.001], history of hypertension [OR=1.45, 95%CI (1.27, 1.66), P<0.001], history of diabetes [OR=1.50, 95%CI (1.33, 1.70), P<0.001], preoperative serum creatinine level [OR=2.05, 95%CI (1.27, 3.32), P=0.003], low left ventricular ejection fraction [OR=4.51, 95%CI (1.39, 14.65), P=0.010], preoperative coronary angiography within a short period of time [OR=2.10, 95%CI (1.52, 2.91), P<0.001], perioperative implantation of intra-aortic balloon pump [OR=3.42, 95%CI (2.26, 5.16),  P<0.001], perioperative blood transfusion [OR=2.00, 95%CI (1.51, 2.65), P<0.001] were risk factors for AKI after OPCABG. Conclusion    Age, BMI, history of hypertension, history of diabetes, preoperative serum creatinine level, low left ventricular ejection fraction, preoperative coronary angiography within a short period of time, perioperative implantation of intra-aortic balloon pump, perioperative blood transfusion are risk factors for AKI after OPCABG. Medical staff should focus on monitoring the above risk factors and early identifying, in order to prevent or delay the onset of postoperative AKI and promote early recovery of patients.

The relationship between miR-3187-5p and postoperative atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting: A prospective cohort study / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective     To investigate the relationship between miR-3187-5p in peripheral blood and pericardial drainage after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF). Methods     Patients who underwent CABG in the Heart Center of Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital from March to May 2022 were enrolled. Peripheral blood and pericardial drainage were collected at 0 h after surgery (immediate time for patients to return to ICU from operating room) to detect miR-3187-5p, and perioperative confounding factors were also collected. The miR-3187-5p was measured by quantitative real-time PCR and its regulated target genes were analyzed by bioinformatics. Results     A total of 15 patients were enrolled, including 9 males and 6 females with an average age of 65.6±8.2 years. The incidence rate of POAF was 40.0%. miR-3187-5p in pericardial drainage at 0 h after surgery was an independent predictor for POAF. A total of 1 642 target genes of miR-3187-5p were predicted. GO function enrichment analysis and KEGG signal pathway enrichment analysis showed that target genes of miR-3187-5p were enriched in TGF-β, MAPK, Wnt and other classical collagen metabolic signal pathways, which might activate collagen metabolism by negatively regulating SMAD6 and other inhibitors of the pathways. Conclusion     This study is the first to find that miR-3187-5p in pericardial drainage at 0 h  after surgery is a potential, novel, and predictive factor for POAF, which may be related to the regulation of myocardial fibrosis signal pathways like TGF-β, MAPK and Wnt pathways, promoting the early collagen metabolism imbalance after CABG, increasing the collagen deposition in the atrium, and then promoting the early structural reconstruction after CABG and leading to the occurrence of POAF. The result provides a research basis for the accurate prediction and prevention of clinical POAF.

Risk factors and perioperative outcomes of prolonged mechanical ventilation after coronary artery bypass grafting in elderly patients / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective     To investigate the clinical characteristics, risk factors and perioperative outcome of prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) in elderly patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods     The data of elderly patients receiving CABG in the Nanjing First Hospital from January 2013 to June 2019 were collected. All patients were divided into a control group and a PMV group according to whether ventilation time≥24 h. The clinical characteristics and risk factors of PMV were compared between the two groups. Variables were 1∶1 balanced through propensity score matching (PSM) and perioperative outcomes of two groups was analyzed. Results     Finally 956 patients were collected, including 187 in the PMV group and 769 in the control group. There were 586 males and 370 females aged 70-94 (74.3±3.5) years. Compared with the control group, the PMV group had higher rates of smoking,  preoperative renal impairment, intraoperative blood transfusion and intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) implantation, worse cardiac function, lower glomerular filtration rate and ejection fraction, larger left atrial diameter, longer cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic cross-clamping time (P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in other clinical data between the two groups (P>0.05). Binary multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that females, smoking, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, left ventricular ejection fraction≤56.0%, cardiopulmonary bypass time>106.0 min, IABP implantation and intraoperative blood transfusion were independent risk factors for PMV in elderly patients. After PSM, there were 146 patients in the control group and the PMV group, respectively. The PMV group had longer ICU stay and length of hospital stay and more drainage volume compared with the control group (all P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in perioperative mortality or other complications between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion    There are a lot of factors associated with PMV of the elderly patients undergoing on-pump CABG. In order to establish a complete and formal PMV prediction model, clinicians can make a further step of assessment according to perioperative elements, and improve the prognosis of such patients.