Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement: late conversion to full sternotomy doubles operative time.

In this descriptive prospective study, we evaluate the outcomes of surgery in 98 patients who were scheduled to undergo minimally invasive aortic valve replacement. These patients were compared with a group of 50 patients who underwent scheduled aortic valve replacement through a full sternotomy. The 30-day mortality rate for the 98 patients was zero, although 14 of the 98 mini-sternotomies had to be converted to complete sternotomies intraoperatively due to technical problems. Such conversion doubled the operative time over that of the planned full sternotomies. In the group of patients whose operations were completed as mini-sternotomies, 4 died later of noncardiac causes. The aortic cross-clamp and perfusion times were significantly different across all groups (P < 0.001), with the intended full-sternotomy group having the shortest times. In conclusion, the mini-aortic valve replacement is an excellent operation in selected patients, but its true advantages over conventional aortic valve replacement (other than a smaller scar) await evaluation by means of randomized clinical trial. The "extended mini-aortic valve replacement" operation, on the other hand, is a risky procedure that should be avoided by better preoperative evaluation of patients. In any event, the decision to extend a mini-sternotomy to a full sternotomy should be made early in the course of operation, before cardiopulmonary bypass is instituted.

TachoSil surgical patch versus conventional haemostatic fleece material for control of bleeding in cardiovascular surgery: a randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Prolonged bleeding during cardiovascular surgery presents a risk for the patient and increases the time and cost of surgery. TachoSil is a ready-to-use haemostatic agent that consists of an equine collagen patch coated with human fibrinogen and thrombin. This trial evaluated the efficacy and safety (< or =30 days post-surgery) of TachoSil surgical patch compared with standard haemostatic fleece for the control of bleeding in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery. METHODS: Patients scheduled for elective surgery on the heart, ascending aorta or aortic arch requiring cardiopulmonary bypass were eligible for this open-label multicentre trial. After primary haemostatic measures, patients were randomised to TachoSil or conventional haemostatic fleece if an area of persisting haemorrhage was identified (target area). After the application of trial treatment, haemostasis was evaluated at 3 min (primary endpoint). If haemostasis was not achieved, trial treatment was re-applied and haemostasis assessed at 6 min (secondary endpoint). RESULTS: A total of 120 patients were randomised and 119 received trial treatment (TachoSil, n=59; standard treatment, n=60). Twenty-six percent of patients were female and the mean age was 67 years (range: 23-86 years). Baseline characteristics were similar in both the groups. Bleeding occurred mainly from the aorta (56%), right ventricle (16%) or right atrium (13%), more often from a vessel (68%) than tissue (32%), and was assessed to be arterial in 74% of cases. TachoSil was significantly superior to standard haemostatic fleece in controlling bleeding after insufficient primary haemostasis, with 75% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.64-0.86) of the TachoSil group achieving haemostasis at 3 min compared with only 33% (95% CI: 0.21-0.45) of the standard treatment group (p<0.0001). This difference persisted at 6 min, with 95% of patients achieving haemostasis in the TachoSil group compared with 72% in the standard treatment group (p=0.0006). Three (5%) TachoSil patients compared with 17 (28%) standard treatment patients failed to achieve haemostasis at 6 min and received rescue treatment. TachoSil was well tolerated with adverse events generally similar in the two treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: TachoSil was significantly superior to standard haemostatic fleece material in obtaining effective and fast intra-operative haemostasis in cardiovascular surgical procedures. TachoSil was safe and well tolerated.

Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement reduces atelectasis in cardiac intensive care.

OBJECTIVE: Respiratory failure is a major complication after cardiac surgery. The purpose was to evaluate the impact of minimally invasive aortic valve replacement (mini AVR) on the occurrence of left lower lobe atelectasis (LLLA) in the cardiac intensive care unit (ICU). PATIENTS AND METHODS: 98 patients were scheduled to undergo mini AVR. 14 of these patients were converted to a full sternotomy due to technical problems. These patients were compared to a group of 50 patients having planned AVR through a full sternotomy. The incidence of LLLA was evaluated on the first postoperative chest X-ray in the cardiac ICU. RESULTS: In the group having completed mini AVR 20/84 (24%) had a partial LLLA while in the group having extension to a full sternotomy 9/14 (64%) had LLLA lobe (P<0.005). In the group of 50 patients who had AVR through a full sternotomy, 27 patients (54%) had LLLA in the ICU which is also significantly higher (P<0.008) than the percentage of atelectasis in the mini AVR group. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who had mini AVR had a significantly lower incidence of LLLA in the cardiac ICU than patients who had AVR through a full sternotomy.

Coronary artery bypass grafting within the first year after treatment of large acute myocardial infarctions with angioplasty or fibrinolysis.

OBJECTIVES: To calculate the incidence and analyse and outcome after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) within the first year after randomisation of 1,572 patients with acute myocardial infarctions with ST-segment elevation (STEMI) to either percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or fibrinolysis. DESIGN: The study includes 131 patients: 108 male and 23 female with a mean age 62 years. RESULTS: The total 30-day mortality after CABG was 4.6% (7.5% in the PCI group and 2.6% in the fibrinolysis group). The 30-day mortality was 9.8% after CABG within the first 30-days and 1.3% after CABG within 31-365 days. The patients who were operated early had a reduced EF to 43% as compared to 50% in patients who were not operated or patients having CABG after 30-days (p=0.002). CONCLUSION: CABG was performed within the first year after STEMI in 10% of patients randomised to fibrinolysis and in 6.7% of patients randomised to PCI. Patients having CABG within the first 30-days after treatment of STEMI had an increased mortality of 9.8%.

An update on internal mammary artery grafting for coronary artery disease.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To describe recent results regarding the use of the internal mammary artery for coronary artery bypass grafting with emphasis on bilateral internal mammary artery grafting, patency, resistance to atherosclerosis, skeletonisation, composite arterial grafts, flow measurement, vasodilatation, and non-invasive imaging techniques. RECENT FINDINGS: Coronary artery bypass grafting plays an important part in coronary revascularisation and seems to be associated with a survival benefit in comparison with percutaneous coronary intervention. After 10 years, internal mammary arteries demonstrate better patency than vein grafts except when grafting moderately stenosed right coronary arteries. Bilateral internal mammary artery grafting increases survival further, but carries a higher risk of sternal complications. Skeletonisation may reduce this risk. The internal mammary arteries are used increasingly as composite arterial grafts and this technical solution should no longer be considered experimental. Perioperative flow measurement by the transit-time method is recommended while postoperative echocardiography represents an accurate method for evaluation of flow in internal mammary artery grafts. Multi-detector computed tomography allows for accurate assessment of all types of bypass conduits and native coronary arteries. At present, magnetic resonance imaging of internal mammary artery patency and flow is possible. SUMMARY: Newer studies confirm earlier data with respect to improved long-term survival when using internal mammary artery grafting, and this survival benefit is superior to percutaneous coronary intervention treatment. Bilateral internal mammary artery grafting improves survival further. Skeletonisation of the internal mammary artery provides extra length of grafts for complete arterial revascularisation. Non-invasive imaging techniques are increasingly sophisticated and may change the referral pattern for patients with coronary artery disease to either percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting.

Baseline flow in coronary bypass grafts.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study is to estimate the total blood flow in coronary artery bypass grafts. METHODS: In a 3-year period 102 patients having a standardized coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) anastomosed to the left anterior descending artery and a sequential vein grafted to the remaining diseased coronary arteries were included in the study, 21 females and 81 males. In females a mean of 3.9 anastomosis (range 2-5) were performed and in males a mean of 4.2 (range 2-6) were performed. Flow in the bypass grafts was measured with the transit-time method before termination of cardiopulmonary bypass. RESULTS: Females: LIMA 31 mL/min, vein graft 74 mL/min (26 mL/min per anastomosis), cumulated flow 105 mL/min. Males: LIMA 31 mL/min, vein graft 93 mL/min (29 mL/min per vein anastomosis), cumulated flow 124 mL/min. CONCLUSION: Conventional CABG may restore half of the normal resting coronary artery blood flow (250 mL/min).

Flow in coronary bypass conduits on-pump and off-pump.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to measure the blood flow in coronary artery bypass grafting conduits on-pump and off-pump and to estimate the total conduit flow. METHODS: In a 3.5-year period, 120 patients having coronary artery bypass grafting on-pump and 97 patients having coronary artery bypass grafting off-pump with the left internal mammary artery anastomosed to the left anterior descending artery and saphenous vein grafts to the remaining diseased coronary arteries were included in the study. Flow in the bypass conduits was measured with the transit-time method. RESULTS: In men the left internal mammary artery flow (mean +/- standard error of the mean) was 33.7 +/- 2.0 mL/min on-pump and 34.4 +/- 2.9 off-pump (p > 0.05). In women the left internal mammary artery flow was 29.4 +/- 3.0 mL/min on-pump and 22.8 +/- 1.9 mL/min off-pump (p > 0.05). In men the vein graft flow per anastomosis was 30.4 +/- 1.3 mL/min on-pump and 37.8 +/- 5.4 mL/min off-pump (p > 0.05). In women the vein graft flow per anastomosis was 28.0 +/- 2.9 mL/min on-pump and 23.2 +/- 2.9 mL/min off-pump (p > 0.05). Consistently in women, the mean conduit flows were numerically lower than in men. In patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting on-pump the total conduit flows (left internal mammary artery plus vein grafts) were 131.4 +/- 2.5 mL/min in men and 108.4 +/- 3.2 mL/min in women. CONCLUSIONS: There were no major differences in conduit flow on-pump versus off-pump. Conventional coronary artery bypass grafting on-pump may restore up to approximately half of the normal resting coronary artery blood flow (250 mL/min).

A comparison of coronary angioplasty with fibrinolytic therapy in acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: For the treatment of myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation, primary angioplasty is considered superior to fibrinolysis for patients who are admitted to hospitals with angioplasty facilities. Whether this benefit is maintained for patients who require transportation from a community hospital to a center where invasive treatment is available is uncertain. METHODS: We randomly assigned 1572 patients with acute myocardial infarction to treatment with angioplasty or accelerated treatment with intravenous alteplase; 1129 patients were enrolled at 24 referral hospitals and 443 patients at 5 invasive-treatment centers. The primary study end point was a composite of death, clinical evidence of reinfarction, or disabling stroke at 30 days. RESULTS: Among patients who underwent randomization at referral hospitals, the primary end point was reached in 8.5 percent of the patients in the angioplasty group, as compared with 14.2 percent of those in the fibrinolysis group (P=0.002). The results were similar among patients who were enrolled at invasive-treatment centers: 6.7 percent of the patients in the angioplasty group reached the primary end point, as compared with 12.3 percent in the fibrinolysis group (P=0.05). Among all patients, the better outcome after angioplasty was driven primarily by a reduction in the rate of reinfarction (1.6 percent in the angioplasty group vs. 6.3 percent in the fibrinolysis group, P<0.001); no significant differences were observed in the rate of death (6.6 percent vs. 7.8 percent, P=0.35) or the rate of stroke (1.1 percent vs. 2.0 percent, P=0.15). Ninety-six percent of patients were transferred from referral hospitals to an invasive-treatment center within two hours. CONCLUSIONS: A strategy for reperfusion involving the transfer of patients to an invasive-treatment center for primary angioplasty is superior to on-site fibrinolysis, provided that the transfer takes two hours or less.