A comparison of consecutive off-pump versus conventional coronary artery bypass.

BACKGROUND: Coronary revascularization on the beating heart is an attractive alternative to conventional coronary artery bypass grafts (CCABG), but remains controversial. Our study compares the outcomes of consecutive patients undergoing off-pump CABG (OPCABG) with a group of similar patients undergoing consecutive CCABG. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 268 patients who underwent elective CABG between July 1998 and July 1999 at St. Michael's Medical Center yielded 134 consecutive patients who underwent OPCABG and 134 consecutive patients who had CCABG. Patients' medical charts were reviewed for age, preoperative risk factors, operative findings, postoperative complications, and length of stay (LOS). RESULTS: The two cohorts were well matched, with similar ages (66.4 +/- 11.2 for OPCABG vs. 65.8 +/- 10 for CCABG, p = 0.66) and preoperative ejection fractions (EF) (44 +/- 13 vs. 44 +/- 12, p = 0.85). There were no hospital mortalities, and there were five conversions to cardiopulmonary bypass. The OPCABG group had a significantly shorter ICU and postoperative LOS. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggests that a fair number of patients are potential candidates for OPCABG, the only contraindications being technical limitations or the surgeon's comfort level. Six- to twelve-month follow-up indicates that OPCABG can be performed safely with a decrease in LOS, and should be part of the surgeon's armamentarium.

Hemothorax in type I neurofibromatosis.

We report a case of life-threatening hemothorax caused by rupture of a left thyrocervical trunk aneurysm and arteriovenous fistula in a patient with type I neurofibromatosis. This lesion was treated with endovascular coil embolization.

Prognostic factors in severe accidental hypothermia: experience from the Mt. Hood tragedy.

The May 1986 Mt. Hood climbing disaster presented Portland area hospitals the opportunity to initiate a trial of extracorporeal rewarming using cardiopulmonary bypass in ten severely hypothermic patients (two survivors). The data from this experience as well as others previously reported can yield prognostic indicators of survival in cases of accidental hypothermia. These are demonstrated to include: the presence of underlying medical illness, duration of cold exposure, initial core temperature, mental status, the presence of spontaneous respirations, presenting cardiac rate and rhythm, and arterial oxygen tension. Profound hyperkalemia and markedly elevated serum ammonia levels indicate cell lysis; significant hypofibrinogenemia suggests intravascular thrombosis and each laboratory marker predicts a dire outcome. The treatment of choice for severe accidental hypothermia is felt to be rapid core rewarming on cardiopulmonary bypass.

Use of sutureless intraluminal aortic prostheses in traumatic rupture of the aorta.

Despite wide acceptance of use of sutureless intraluminal prosthetic grafts in surgical management of acute and chronic aortic dissection, their use in traumatic aortic rupture appears not to have been specifically addressed. This report describes the use of intraluminal prostheses in two cases of aortic disruption due to blunt trauma. Aortic cross-clamp times were 21 and 28 minutes, respectively. Both patients have recovered without sequelae from their aortic injuries. Although not all traumatic aortic disruptions are suitable for repair with intraluminal prostheses, the ease and safety with which this device may be employed recommends consideration of their use in appropriate cases of traumatic rupture of the aorta.

The predisposition to infection following hemorrhagic shock.

Subsequent life threatening gram-negative infection in patients successfully resuscitated from hemorrhagic shock is becoming increasingly common. Following hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation, Sprague-Dawley rats were given Escherichia coli intraperitoneally to simulate the clinical setting in which peritoneal contamination and hypovolemic shock occur concurrently. A sublethal dosage of bacteria resulted in a 100 per cent mortality. This suggests that hemorrhagic shock, even when treated promptly and effectively, predisposes to infection.

The pathophysiology of smoke inhalation injury.

The consequences of near-lethal smoke inhalation in dogs were studied for a 72-hour period following injury. Progressive hypoxemia and decrease in compliance developed. Severe respiratory distress and frank pulmonary edema were not encountered. Respiratory insufficiecy was related more to alterations in ventilation perfusion ratios than to alveolar destruction. These data were related to clinical observations made by others. No deterioration of lung function was seen with crystalloid overload imposed upon smoke inhalation. The presence of bacterial infection in dogs surviving beyond 24 hours appears pathogenically significant.

Sepsis, resuscitated hemorrhagic shock and "shock lung:" An experimental correlation.

Dogs were submitted to hermorrhagic shock, resuscitated shock and resuscitated shock plus a pulmonary bacterial insult. Pulmonary familure was absent in dogs submitted only to shock or to shock and its resuscitation. The addition of usually sub-lethal amounts of micro-organisms to the shock-resuscitated lung caused rapid death from pulmonary failure. Pulmonary failure was demonstrated by increased lung weight, hypoxemia, decreased compliance and a hemorrhagic destruction of lung tissue. These findings strongly support recent concepts of an infective genesis of "shock lung" in man.