Mitral Valve Replacement Using Carpentier-Edwards Pericardial Bioprosthesis in Patients With Rheumatic Heart Disease Aged Below 40 Years: 17-Year Results.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to evaluate patients aged less than 40 years implanted with tissue heart valves with respect to survival, thromboembolism, structural degeneration and quality of life. METHODS: Between January, 2000 and December, 2016, 132 patients (51 males) with rheumatic heart disease underwent mitral valve replacement using Carpentier-Edwards, perimount, pericardial bioprostheses. The patients' ages ranged between 12 and 39 years (mean±SD 30.12±5.51 years). RESULTS: The hospital and late mortality were 1.5% and 1.5% respectively. The total cumulative follow-up period was 1330.98 patient-years with a mean of 124.78±50.3 months (range, 1-204 months). The actuarial survival and actuarial event-free survival at 204 months was 96.9% (±0.01%) and 93.4%(±0.03%) respectively. There was one episode of thromboembolism (0.32 events per 100 patient years). Six (4.7%) patients underwent redo mitral valve replacement for severe bioprosthetic degeneration with stiffening and calcification using a Medtronic mechanical prosthesis (Medtronic Open Pivot, MN, USA). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that Carpentier-Edwards perimount pericardial prosthesis provides satisfactory clinical performance in a young population with a low risk of degeneration and other valve-related events.

Serial semi-invasive hemodynamic assessment following pericardiectomy for chronic constrictive pericarditis.

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to prospectively investigate the effects of pericardiectomy via median sternotomy on intra- and postoperative hemodynamics by a new semi-invasive device (Flotrac/VigileoTM monitor) using arterial pressure waveform analysis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty consecutive patients aged 15 to 55 years (mean+SD, 31.73 + 13.53 years), who had undergone total pericardiectomy via median sternotomy underwent serial hemodynamic evaluation. FlotracTM Sensor - derived stroke volume, stroke volume variation, systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI), cardiac index and right atrial pressure were measured just before and after pericardiectomy, at 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours and at discharge postoperatively. RESULTS: Majority of patients (73.33%) exhibited statistically significant reduction of right atrial pressure and SVRI along with improvement in cardiac index and oxygen delivery in the immediate and late postoperative period. However, the stroke volume and stroke volume variation did not increase proportionately on completion of surgery. Patients with low cardiac output syndrome exhibited persistently high central venous pressure with reduced cardiac index and echocardiographically abnormal diastolic filling characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that there is early normalization of hemodynamics following pericardiectomy via median sternotomy and the adequacy of pericardiectomy can be accurately assessed by the new semi-invasive arterial pressure waveform analysis device. Stroke volume variation is a non-predictor of fluid requirement during and after pericardiectomy.

Relationship of internal jugular venous oxygen saturation and perfusion flow rate in children and adults during normothermic and hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass.

INTRODUCTION: This study was designed to elucidate the trends in cerebral venous oxygen saturation in cyanotics and acyanotics undergoing normothermic and hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and its relationship to perfusion flow rates. METHODS: Five hundred and forty-eight patients (253 cyanotics) undergoing first surgical correction using CPB were included in this prospective study. One hundred and seventy-two patients underwent surgical correction under normothermic CPB (34-36 degrees C) - group I; 142 patients were operated under moderately hypothermic CPB - group II; and 234 patients were operated under deep hypothermic CPB - group III. The perfusion flow rates were adjusted to maintain the internal jugular venous oxygen saturation (IJVO2) between 70-80% in both cyanotics and non-cyanotics. RESULTS: The prevalence of preoperative cerebral venous desaturation was 17.4% and 5.1% in cyanotic and acyanotic groups, respectively. All patients undergoing hypothermic CPB had IJVO 2 >75% at the recommended perfusion flow rate. During surgery, 87.2% of group I patients undergoing normothermic CPB and 88.5% of group II and III patients undergoing hypothermic CPB had IJVO 2 <75% during re-warming and required an increased perfusion flow rate to maintain IJVO2 >75%. The cyanotics demonstrated a higher incidence of cerebral desaturation in all three groups. Patients aged <4 years had almost the same prevalence of cerebral desaturation compared to the older patients. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that patients undergoing normothermic CPB are at greater risk of cerebral desaturation. The cyanotics are at greater risk compared to acyanotics during normothermic CPB and during the re-warming phase of hypothermic CPB and require an individualised increased perfusion flow rate.