Urgent coronary artery bypass graft surgery supported by veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a report of two cases.

Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices, especially veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) devices, are increasingly used to shore complex cardiac procedures in high-risk patients. We are reporting two cases where patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) under support of VA-ECMO in the setting of cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction. The patients had different courses, but both survived the initial insult and were weaned successively from VA-ECMO. Our report indicates that VA-ECMO can be used instead of the cardiopulmonary bypass machine (CPB) to support the circulation during CABG surgery in patients with complex coronary anatomy and unstable haemodynamics. Future studies focusing on the long-term outcomes of such patients will probably help to establish the optimal management of this type of patients.

Chest radiography requirements for patients with asymptomatic COVID-19 undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery: Three case reports.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2, represents a major challenge to health care systems both globally and regionally, with many opting by cancelling elective surgeries. Cardiac operations in patients diagnosed with COVID-19 have been imperative due to their emergency nature, critical condition of patients awaiting cardiac surgery, and accumulated number of cardiac surgical interventions throughout the last months. CASE SUMMARY: Here we describe three COVID-19 positive cases who underwent coronary surgery, on an urgent basis. We did not experience worsening of the patients' clinical condition due to COVID-19 and therefore a routine post-operative chest X-ray (CXR) was not required. None of the health care providers attending the patients endured cross infection. Further trials would be needed in order to confirm these results. CONCLUSION: While the pandemic has adversely hit the health systems worldwide, cardiac surgical patients who concomitantly contracted COVID-19 may undergo a smooth post-operative course as a routine post-operative CXR may not be required.

Intensive care outcome of left main stem disease surgery: A single center three years' experience.

BACKGROUND: Left main coronary artery (LMCA) supplies more than 80% of the left ventricle, and significant disease of this artery carries a high mortality unless intervened surgically. However, the influence of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery on patients with LMCA disease on morbidity intensive care unit (ICU) outcomes needs to be explored. However, the impact of CABG surgery on the morbidity of the ICU population with LMCA disease is worth exploring. AIM: To determine whether LMCA disease is a definitive risk factor of prolonged ICU stay as a primary outcome and early morbidity within the ICU stay as secondary outcome. METHODS: Retrospective descriptive study with purposive sampling analyzing 399 patients who underwent isolated urgent or elective CABG. Patients were divided into 2 groups; those with LMCA disease as group 1 (75 patients) and those without LMCA disease as group 2 (324 patients). We correlated ICU outcome parameters including ICU length of stay, post-operative atrial fibrillation, acute kidney injury, re-exploration, perioperative myocardial infarction, post-operative bleeding in both groups. RESULTS: Patients with LMCA disease had a significantly higher prevalence of diabetes (43.3% vs 29%, P = 0.001). However, we did not find a statistically significant difference with regards to ICU stay, or other morbidity and mortality outcome measures. CONCLUSION: Post-operative performance of Patients with LMCA disease who underwent CABG were comparable to those without LMCA involvement. Diabetes was more prevalent in patients with LMCA disease. These findings may help in guiding decision making for future practice and stratifying the patients' care.

Acute kidney injury induces high-sensitivity troponin measurement changes after cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: The value of cardiac troponin as a risk assessment tool for cardiac disease in the setting of end-stage renal diseases (ESRD) is not equivalent to its value in those with normal renal function. This consideration had not been studied in settings of acute kidney injury (AKI). We aim to explore the diagnostic value of high sensitive troponin T (hsTnT) in the settings of cardiac surgery-induced AKI. METHODS: Single center observational retrospective study. Based on the AKI Network, patients divided into 2 groups, group I without AKI (259 patients) and group II with AKI (100 patients) where serial testing of hsTnT and creatine kinase (CK)-MB were followed in both groups. Patients with (ESRD) were excluded. RESULTS: The mean age in our study was 55.1 ± 10.2 years. High association of AKI (27.8%) was found in our patients. Both groups were matched regarding the age, gender, body mass index, the association of diabetes or hypertension, and Euro score. AKI group had significantly higher mortality 5% vs group I 1.1% (p = 0.03). The hsTnt showed a significant sustained rise in the AKI group as compared to the non-AKI group, however CK-MB changes were significant initially but not sustained. The AKI group was more associated with heart failure 17.9% vs 4.9% (p = 0.001); and post-operative atrial fibrillation, 12.4% vs 2.9% (p = 0.005). Lengths of ventilation, stays in ICU and in hospital were significantly higher in the AKI group. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike the CK-MB profile, the hsTnT showed significant changes between both groups all over the course denoting possible delayed clearance in patients with AKI.

Kinetics of Highly Sensitive Troponin T after Cardiac Surgery.

Perioperative myocardial infarction (PMI) confers a considerable risk in cardiac surgery settings; finding the ideal biomarker seems to be an ideal goal. Our aim was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of highly sensitive troponin T (hsTnT) in cardiac surgery settings and to define a diagnostic level for PMI diagnosis. This was a single-center prospective observational study analyzing data from all patients who underwent cardiac surgeries. The primary outcome was the diagnosis of PMI through a specific level. The secondary outcome measures were the lengths of mechanical ventilation (LOV), stay in the intensive care unit (LOSICU), and hospitalization. Based on the third universal definition of PMI, patients were divided into two groups: no PMI (Group I) and PMI (Group II). Data from 413 patients were analyzed. Nine patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of PMI, while 41 patients were identified with a 5-fold increase in their CK-MB (≥ 120 U/L). Using ROC analysis, a hsTnT level of 3,466 ng/L or above showed 90% sensitivity and 90% specificity for the diagnosis of PMI. Secondary outcome measures in patients with PMI were significantly prolonged. In conclusion, the hsTnT levels detected here paralleled those of CK-MB and a cut-off level of 3466 ng/L could be diagnostic of PMI.