The role of transapical cannulation in the operative management of acute aortic dissection.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate the usefulness of transapical cannulation as the routine cannulation site in patients with acute aortic dissection and to compare it with other cannulation methods. METHODS: Between January 2010 and December 2013, emergency surgery was performed in 111 consecutive patients with acute type A aortic dissection. Patients were divided into two groups: transapical cannulation group and other cannulation sites group (including femoral and axillary artery cannulation). Pre-, intra- and postoperative data were compared between these two groups of patients. RESULTS: Transapical cannulation was the most frequent cannulation site (78 patients, 70.3%), the femoral artery was selected in 24 patients (21.6%) and the axillary artery in 9 patients (8.1%). The mortality rate in the transapical group was 16.7% and 18.2% when other cannulation sites were chosen (p=0.85). No difference in postoperative stroke rate (6.4% vs 9.1%, p=0.62, transapical vs other cannulation sites group, respectively), myocardial infarction (6.4% vs 6.1%, p=0.94) and postoperative acute renal insufficiency incidence (9% vs 6.1%, p=0.61) was found. CONCLUSIONS: Routine transapical cannulation in patients with acute type A aortic dissection is a fast and safe way to establish cardiopulmonary bypass. There is no difference in major operative outcomes after transapical cannulation when compared to the other cannulation sites.

[Cardiac neoplasms: results of the surgical treatment between 2000. and 2008].

INTRODUCTION: The goal of this study was to show early and midterm results of surgical treatment of cardiac neoplasma. METHODS: Between 2000. and 2008., sixty-seven patients with a cardiac tumor or a subdiaphragmatic neoplasma with right atrial extension were operated in our institution. In 22 patients (32.8%), not only a simple extirpation of neoplasma, but an additional surgical procedure was done. RESULTS: A patient reoperated for a recurence of biatrial myxoma died early after operation (1.5% mortality rate). During follow-up period of 3.3 years, two patients (3.4%) out of 58 that were contacted died because of the neoplasma (Methastasis of adenocarcinoma, Carcinoma renis). CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment of cardic tumors resulted in low early mortality and an excellent survival rate after a follow-up period of 3.3 years.

[Rare case of quadricuspid aortic valve].

Quadricuspid aortic valve is rare congenital anomaly. There are only 197 cases published in literature so far. That includes clinical and autopsy reports. This congenital anomaly occurs more often in pulmonary valve but function stays normal in 10 of lies. On the other side, in aortic position valve is malfunctioning in 50% of cases. Valve regurgitation is more likely to occur than stenosis In this kind of malformation, valves are prone to early dysfunction and endocarditis due to different valve architecture and unequal distribution of mechanical stress along valve cusps. Aortic valve replacement is indicated in younger population of these patients. This is a case report of rare congenital anomaly of big blood vessels--aortic valve with four cusps. This anomaly produced significant aortic regurgitation so this patient was indicated for aortic valve replacement.

[Cardiac surgery in patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT II)].

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) might be life-threatening in patients undergoing open heart surgery, due to thromboembolic events, thrombocytopenia and bleeding. If cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is necessary, anticoagulation therapy will be based on usage of danaparoid or direct thrombin inhibitors. Female patient was switched from per oral anticoagulant therapy to low molecular heparin therapy preparing for reredo mitral valve replacement due to endocarditis and artificial valve thrombosis. In next 10 days, thrombocytopenia was obvious (Tr 302,000 mm3 to 11,000 mm3) , and diagnoses of HIT were done. Anticoagulant therapy was continued with danaparoid, 750 IU/12 h sc. During the surgery, reredo mitral valve replacement and aortocoronary bypass on anterior descending coronary artery, blood salvage technique with rhirudin (intravenous bolus 0.4 mg/kg, in CPB prajming solution 0.4 mg/kg and continuous infusion during CPB 0.15 mg/kg/h) during cardiopulmonary bypass was used. Active coagulation time and +++ were monitored, without any sign of micro thrombosis in circuit. Postoperatively, per oral anticoagulation therapy was initiated with prolonged postoperative treatment due to basic disease, endocarditis. Patient was discharged from hospital on 21st postoperative day without any complication.

Coronary-coronary bypass to reconstruct coronary artery bed following removal of a guidewire entrapped in a stent.

Cardiac surgeons are treating an increasing number of patients after different sorts of complications occurring during various percutaneous procedures. Wire entrapment has been described in the literature and numerous maneuvers have been developed to solve this complication. If they fail, surgical management is absolutely indicated. In such cases the operation can be very demanding. After hardware removal the artery quality is usually unsatisfactory and endarterectomy with adjacent revascularization is mandatory. We report a case in which we used a termino-terminal interposition of the greater saphenous vein to restore a disintegrated part of the coronary artery.

Comparison of valve annuloplasty and replacement for ischemic mitral valve incompetence.

OBJECTIVE: Mitral incompetence is a chronic sequela of myocardial infarction. It is caused by apical displacement and tethering of the mitral valve leaflets after myocardial infarction, resulting in incomplete coaptation. The consensus is for mitral valve surgery in the presence of significant ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR). Previously, the only option was mitral valve replacement (MVR) with a mechanical or tissue valve. The suboptimal results obtained prompted the development of several methods of mitral valve repair. Today, the most commonly used repair is undersized annuloplasty. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective nonrandomized study of all patients who underwent operation for coronary artery disease and IMR between 2000 and 2006. The surgeon chose the surgical method used for the mitral valve procedure. The most commonly used procedures were restrictive mitral valve annuloplasty (MVP) and MVR with a mechanical prosthesis. We collected all pertinent preoperative, intraoperative, and early-postoperative data. We followed up with phone interviews of the patients and their relatives and with complete clinical and echocardiography examinations. RESULTS: We carried out operations on 138 patients during the study period (MVR, 52 patients; MVP, 86 patients). The 2 groups had comparable demographic data and risk factors. The 2 groups were significantly different with respect to mean (+/-SD) New York Heart Association (NYHA) class (MVP, 2.72 +/- 0.62; MVR, 2.48 +/- 0.70; P < .01) and ejection fraction (MVP, 29.01% +/- 11.00%; MVR, 35.87% +/- 11.00%; P

[Alternative arterial cannulation site in acute aortic dissections].

INTRODUCTION: Acute aortic dissection is an urgent surgical disease. Often, due to hemodynamic instability, that is an indication for emergent surgical intervention. Majority of surgeons uses Femoral or Axillary artery as arterial inflow site forextracorporal circulation. Both approaches have disadvantages that potentially may cause devastating complications. Some of them have been described in literature such as inadequate flow on heart-lung machine, retrograde dissection and malperfusion syndrome. AIM OF STUDY: Aim of study is to show, that by using transventricular cannulation we are eliminating all technical problems and lowering peroperative morbidity and mortality. METHOD: Between 1996-2006 at Institute for Cardiovascular Disease "Dedinje" 107 patients were operated for acute ascending aortic dissection Femoral artery was used for arterial cannulation in 91 patients. Last 16 patients were operated by using transventricular approach to establish extracorporeal circulation. We used retrograde cerebral perfusion in 21 cases at the beginning of our experience. RESULTS: In group of patients where transapical cannulation was used, no neurological incidents were noticed. We didn't have any other problems related to extracorporeal circulation or placement of arterial cannula. Is this series we had only one death case. Patient passed away on eight postoperative day due to multiorgan insufficiency. CONCLUSION: Transapical cannulation is very simple and safe method for quick establishment of extracorporeal circulation. It always gives patient sufficient antegrade, physiological flow on heart-lung machine. This is the way to minimize possibility of malperfusion syndrome and to significantly diminish risk of neurological complication. By using this method all negative effects of other cannulation sites will be avoided.

[Retrohepatic veins of the posterior section of the right hepatic lobe--terminology and surgical significance].

Three main hepatic veins: right, middle and left are constant, but there is a variable number of retrohepatic vessels called accessory or minor hepatic veins. The most important of them are veins reffered to as middle right hepatic vein (MRHV) draining segment VII and inferior right hepatic vein (IRHV) draining segment VI. The incidence of large MRHV and IRHV reaching or exceeding a caliber of 5mm, their arrangement in the liver and drainage territories were investigated in our collection of 142 injection-corrosion specimens of the liver. In 1/5 of the cases with large IRHV this vein drains small part of segment VI, sometimes its insignificant marginal part so it couldn't be used for segment VI preservation when it is necessary. A precise knowledge of the vein anatomy of right posterior sector of the liver and its vein drainage territories is very important during complex dissections of the retrohepatic areas, resections and preservation liver parenchima.

Transaortic double valve replacement in difficult mitral valve exposure.

Adequate open exposure of the mitral valve is necessary to accomplish reconstruction or replacement of the diseased mitral valve apparatus. The technique employed by most cardiac surgeons for mitral valve access involves median sternotomy and vertical left atriotomy posterior to the interatrial sulcus. However, certain conditions can somethimes make this approach very difficult. Different approaches are discussed with particular emphasis on our case in which the transaortic double valve replacement have been performed.

The radial artery for coronary artery bypass grafting.

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is the standard surgical procedure for the treatment of advanced coronary artery disease. CABG surgery has been demonstrated to improve symptoms and, in specific subgroups of patients, to prolong life. Despite its success, the long-term outcome of coronary bypass surgery is strongly influenced by the fate of the vascular conduits used. Previous long-term studies have shown unsatisfactory patency of saphenous vein grafts used for myocardial revascularisation, compared with internal mammary artery grafts. Recently, the use of radial artery for CABG has enjoyed a revival, on the basis of the belief that it will help improving long-term results of coronary operations. The recent reports of encouraging mid-term and long-term patency rates of the radial artery, supports its continued use as a bypass conduit. In this paper, we review the current knowledge about the radial artery as a bypass graft, with special emphasis on the clinical results.

Foley catheter and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest to control bleeding in redo cardiac surgery.

Two cases with catastrophic hemorrhage in redo cardiac surgery are described. In the first one tearing of right ventricle with uncontrolled bleeding occurred during sternal reentry. In the second one, tearing of the right atria occurred while the patient was on cardiopulmonary bypass. In both cases we were able to control bleeding using Foley catheter, which enabled us to proceed to deep hypothermic circulatory arrest to repair heart chambers (due to dense adhesions it was impossible to manage it in any other way). We have found this combined technique to be extremely useful tool to control catastrophic hemorrhage during redo cardiac surgery.

[Replacement of the aortic root by composite-graft valve: Bentall procedure and its modifications]. / Zamena aortnog korena kompozitnim graftom sa mehanickom valvulom: Bentall-ova operacija i njene modifikacije.

Replacement of the aortic root by composite-graft valve is the most frequently used procedure for surgical treatment of dilation of aortic annulus, sinuses of Valsalva and tubular part of ascending aorta. Crucial part of the surgical procedure is the reestablishment of the coronary flow with one of the following methods: classic, Cabrol and so-called "button" technique. We have retrospectively evaluated 116 consecutive patients with aortic root replacement by composite-graft valve in a period from January 1996 to February 2002. We have applied several techniques for the restoration of coronary flow. Thirty-five patients (30%) underwent concomitant cardiac procedure, most frequently aorto-coronary bypass, whereas 7 patients had REDO operation. Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest was applied in 64 patients (55%) with acute dissection of the aorta or in cases of aortic arch resection. Classic Bentall procedure was performed in 4 patients, "button" technique in 97 patients and Cabrol (Cabrol II or modified) in 15. Total in-hospital mortality was 8.6% (10 patients). Perioperative complications occurred in 32 cases (27.5%), including early re-thoracotomy for excessive bleeding in 5 patients (4.3%). With the use of modern principles of aortic surgery, complex reconstructions of aortic root by composite-graft valve can be done with relatively low morbidity and mortality.

[Surgical revascularization of the myocardium]. / Hirurska revaskularizacija miokarda.

It has been 45 years ago when Longmire (1958.) used internal thoracic artery (ITA) for the first time in coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). In this review, we are presenting novel surgical approaches in CABG surgery. We have also been summarized the best of knowledge, up to date, regarding histology, pharmacology and pathophysiology of conduits (VSM, ITA and alternative venous and arterial grafts) which have been used in CABG surgery, as well as factors influence on its short and long-term patency.

[Combined use of internal mammary and right gastroepiploic arteries in myocardial revascularization with and without extracorporeal circulation]. / Kombinovana primena unutrasnje mamarne i desne gastroepiploicne arterije u revaskularizaciji miokarda sa i bez primene vantelesnog krvotoka.

Use of arterial grafts represent the new approach in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery these days. This article represents our experience in use of two or more arterial grafts in combination (internal mammary artery--IMA and right gastroepiploic artery--RGEA). Between March 2000 February 2002, 10 patients underwent CABG with exclusive use of left or both IMAs and RGEA, with or without extracorporal circulation (ECC). In the group without ECC fast truck anesthesia was used. Post CABG catheterization was performed in three patients. There were no 30 day mortality or morbidity. Post CABG catheterization in two patients showed excellent graft patency. One patient continued to have chest pain and after the catheterization we found ostial narrowing of the celiac trunck which was successfully dilated. One of participants had abdominal hernia repair. Our opinion is that use of arterial grafts in CABG surgery has much lower risk, excellent patency and good long term prognosis.

The effects of levcromakalim and pinacidil on the human internal mammary artery.

The present study was undertaken to examine the effects of pinacidil and levcromakalim, two potassium, channel openers, on human internal mammary artery (HIMA) obtained from patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery, and to clarify the contribution of different K+ channel subtypes in pinacidil and levcromakalim action in this blood vessel. Pinacidil and levcromakalim induced a concentration-dependent relaxation of the precontracted arterial segments (pEC50 = 5.77 +/- 0.05 and 6.89 +/- 0.03, respectively), 4-Aminopyridine (3 mM), a non-selective blocker of K+ channels, induced significant shifts to the right of the concentration-response curves for pinacidil and levcromakalim. Tetraethylammonium (6 mM), charybdotoxin (0.4 microM) and apamin (0.1 microM), blockers of Ca(2+)-sensitive K+ channels, had no effect on the pinacidil- and levcromakalim-evoked relaxation. Glibenclamide (0.1-10 microM), a selective blocker of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive K+ channels, competitively antagonized the response to levcromakalim (pKB = 7.92 +/- 0.07). In contrast, glibenclamide, in significantly higher concentrations (3-30 microM), non-competitively antagonized the response to pinacidil. High concentrations of pinacidil (> 10 microM) relaxed arterial rings bathed by a medium containing 100 mM K+ with maximum response 83 +/- 6%. Under the same conditions, the maximum levcromakalim-induced relaxation on HIMA was almost abolished (15 +/- 2%). It is concluded that pinacidil and levcromakalim do not relax the HIMA through the same subtype of K+ channel. ATP-sensitive K+ channels are probably involved in levcromakalim- but not in a pinacidil-induced relaxation in the HIMA. In addition, in pinacidil-induced relaxation of the HIMA, K+ channel-independent mechanisms seem to be involved.

Aortic arch operation: current treatment and results.

Between January 13, 1987, and December 31, 1993, 227 patients were treated surgically for aortic disease involving the transverse aortic arch. Forty-eight patients (21.14%) had acute aortic dissection (group A), 69 (30.40%) had chronic dissection (group B), and 110 (48.46%) had nondissecting fusiform or saccular aneurysms (group C). The replacement of the transverse arch involved 194 graft replacements, 27 elephant trunk procedures, and 6 patch graft repairs. Concomitantly, 22 patients had aortic valve resuspension, 18 patients had composite valve graft insertions, and 75 had separate aortic valve replacement. The frequency of prior cardiac operation was 20.83% (10 patients) in group A, 69.57% (48 patients) in group B, and 15.45% (17 patients) in group C. Profound hypothermic circulatory arrest was used in all patients during their transverse arch procedures. The mean circulatory arrest times (in minutes) were 29.18 +/- 1.39, 36.62 +/- 1.91, and 29.25 +/- 1.46 for groups A, B, and C, respectively. Retrograde cerebral perfusion through the superior vena cava cannula was used in 111 (48.9%) patients during the circulatory arrest period. In-hospital mortality was 6.17% (14 deaths). Long-term follow-up was 100% complete. There were 20 late deaths, with a long-term mortality rate of 9.26% (20/216).

[Femoro-popliteal bypass in situ]. / Femoro-poplitealni baj-pas "in situ".

The authors present early and late results of femoro-popliteal/crural reconstruction where "in situ" technic is used. Of 35 patients 10 had the third stage of occlusive disease by Fontain, and 25 were in the fourth stage. Therefore the reconstruction consisted of "limb salvage procedure". The aim of the study was to present the possibilities of this technique in cases with ischaemic extremities and poor "run off". The early potency of prosthesis within the first month was 97% (34 patients) and late (after one year) 91% (32 patients). In three patients, in early postoperative stage, AV fistulas were found and successfully surgically treated. AV fistulas were caused by non-ligated branches of the saphenous vein. Thus, a conclusion was drawn that intraoperative control angiography vas of great importance. Better potency of prosthesis, when compared to the quality of saphenous vein graft and when used "in situ", over the classical method was achieved thanks to the following facts: no damage of the intima caused by hydrostatic dilatation; possible use of a vein whose diameter is less than 4 mm; no damage of adventitia (vasa vasorum) due to the slower degenerative process of the vein wall; impossible graft torsion; low compliance level between the graft and the small artery, and small artery caused by the conic shape of graft.

[Femoro-axillary bypass in the treatment of subclavian steal syndrome]. / Femoro-aksilarni bajpas u lecenju supklavija-stil-sindroma.

Extra-anatomic bypass is a nonanatomic procedure of vascular graft from the donor to the recipient artery. The subclavian or axillary artery is very often used for the revascularization of the lower limbs (axillary-femoral bypass). The usage of the femoral artery for the arm or cerebral revascularization is seldom. The authors describe 74-year old woman with femoral-axillary bypass. The bypass was due to subclavian steel syndrome (cerebral and arm vascular insufficiency). Desobstruction and patch angioplasty of the subclavian artery or aorto-subclavian bypass after, transthoracic approach were a contraindication because of the patients advanced age and subcompensated cardiomyopathy. The authors made no typical extraanatomyc bypasses between branches of the aortic arch (carotidosubclavian, or subclavian-subclavian bypass) because of changes on these arteries (occlusion of the left common carotid artery and stenosis of the innominate artery). This is the reason why the femoroaxillary reconstruction was the only possibility of the cerebral and arm revascularization. The Doppler sonographic and angiographic control examination gave good early, and late results. This case is the confirmation of the good use of this unusual method in surgery of subclavian steel syndrome.