Anesthesiological management and outcome of 100 ''beating heart'' coronary artery bypass grafting.

AIM: The aim of this paper is to describe the anesthesiological management and the outcome of beating heart revascularization. METHODS: A prospective study has been performed in a tertiary teaching hospital on 100 consecutive patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery revascularization. The main features of anesthetic technique are the maintenance hemodynamic stability and atrial kick. RESULTS: Mechanical stabilisers shunts have improved the management of these patients. In hospital mortality was 1%, acute myocardial infarction 3%, low output syndrome 2%, atrial fibrillation 16%. Only 2% of patients had acute renal failure, but no patient needed renal replacement treatment. No neurologic event was noted. Only 19% of patients received blood transfusion. Ninety-seven % of patients were extubated within 12 h. CONCLUSIONS: The application of this anesthetic strategy combined with surgical skillful and new devices makes off-pump surgery safe also in high risk patients.

Low perioperative mortality for cardiac surgery in octogenarians.

AIM: The number of cardiac operations in octogenarians is steadily increasing. A review of personal 4 years' experience is made in order to identify which variables are associated to a poor prognosis in this high risk population. METHODS: Perioperative variables and short-term outcome of 109 consecutive octogenarians were prospectively collected in a database. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify preoperative risk factors for prolonged mechanical ventilation and ICU stay. RESULTS: The 109 octogenarians represented 1.8% of the 4 940 cardiac operations performed at our University Teaching Hospital in the period January 1998-June 2001: 94 patients had comorbidities (86%); 46 underwent valve surgery (42%), 38 had coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (36%), and combined procedures or aortic arch replacement were performed in 25 patients (22%). Two patients died (1.8%). Postoperative complications included: myocardial infarction (10 patients, 9%), stroke (6 patients, 5%), renal replacement therapy (1 patient, 1%). Sixty nine patients (63%) had an uneventful perioperative period (63%). On a multivariate analysis, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time was associated with prolonged intubation and ICU stay; mitral pathology predicted prolonged intubation while previous cardiac surgery was associated with prolonged ICU stay. CONCLUSION: The 109 octogenarians studied had an excellent course in the immediate postoperative period. Therefore, on the basis of personal experience cardiac surgery could be safely performed in octogenarians.