Coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with left ventricular ejection fraction of 30% or less.

BACKGROUND: The results of a merely pharmacological therapy in patients with advanced left ventricular dysfunction are unsatisfactory. Coronary artery bypass grafting is frequently the only therapeutic option, but ventricular dysfunction is generally considered to be a risk factor. AIM: To find out the frequency of coronary artery bypass grafting and its outcome in patients with a ejection fraction of 30% or less who were operated on at a single institution. METHODS: Between January 1st, 1996 and October 30th, 1999, 90 patients (4.6% of all patients operated on due to of coronary artery disease) with EF of 30% or less underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. This group consisted of 12 women and 78 men at an average age of 60.2 +/- 9.4 years (range, 33 to 78 years); 75.6% patients were in functional class III or IV and 80.0% had three-vessel disease. On the average, 2.5 grafts per patient were implanted, the left internal mammary artery was used in 24.4% patients, and 10.0% of patients had cardiac surgery without cardiopulmonary bypass. RESULTS: Hospital mortality was 10%. The main cause of death was cardiac or multiorgan failure. Low cardiac output syndrome and supraventricular dysrrhythmias were the most common postoperative complications. Advanced age and low cardiac output syndrome were found to be risk factors of early mortality. Five other patients died during the follow-up (4 to 48 months). One- and three-year survival rate were 83.1% and 81.9%, respectively. Ejection fraction improved during the follow-up from 27.5% to 33.7%. The improvement was more pronounced in patients in whom preoperative end-diastolic diameter of the left ventricle was below 70 mm, and in patients with two and more hibernating segments on dobutamine stress echo. CONCLUSIONS: Successful results of surgical revascularization in patients with severe impairment of left ventricular function can be achieved by careful selection of patients (the presence of viable myocardium is necessary) and management. Early mortality and morbidity was higher than in patients with normal ventricular function. Age and low cardiac output syndrome were revealed as risk factors of early mortality. Long-term prognosis for hospital survivals was satisfactory. (Tab. 5, Fig. 1, Ref. 13.)

Small incision surgery with the STAAR Elastimide three-piece posterior chamber intraocular lens.

One hundred twelve patients scheduled for uncomplicated cataract removal were randomly assigned to receive a STAAR Elastimide three-piece foldable intraocular lens inserted through a 4.0 mm incision or a STAAR poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) lens inserted through a 7.0 mm incision. The same surgeon performed all surgeries using identical techniques, except for incision size and number of sutures. Patients receiving Elastimide lenses had significantly better uncorrected visual acuity postoperatively than patients receiving PMMA lenses and also had significantly less keratometric cylinder, surgically induced cylinder (vector method), and refractive cylinder. The Elastimide foldable lens offers the advantages of small incision surgery for patients who require a three-piece lens.

[Results of surgical treatment of incomplete forms of atrioventricular septal defects in adults]. / Výsledky chirurgické lécby nekompletní formy defektu sínokomorového septa v dospelosti.

At a cardiosurgical department in Brno in 1978-1987 244 patients above 15 years of age were operated for the first ++time on account of inborn heart disease. This number comprised 21 patients (8.6%) with incomplete defects of the atrioventricular septum. Two patients died in the early postoperative period, two patients were lost from the records and 17 patients were subjected to clinical and echocardiographic examination two to 11 years after operation. All patients were in the 1st or 2nd functional class of the NYHA classification, signs of recanalization were found in one patient and progressing mitral regurgitation in two patients. Consistent with data in the literature, the authors consider it important, to check the patients regularly, incl. clinical and echocardiographic examination, after operations of incomplete defects of the atrioventricular septum and to focus special attention of progressing mitral regurgitation.

[Anomalous myocardial vascularization. Case report]. / Prípad anomální vaskularizace myokardu. Kasuistika.

A 52 years old woman was surgically treated at her 27 years of age for a defect of atrium septum of IInd type. The defect was covered by a patch taken from pericardium. The operation was followed twice by lung embolism. In 1986 there occurred deterioration of the condition. A recanalization of the defect was detected and the patient was recommended to operation. The operation was preceded by selective coronarography, which proved anomalous vascularization of myocardium in the left atrium. Echocardiography and computer tomography detected a pathological formation in this area. The suggested formation was not found during the operation. The explanation of anomalous vascularization of myocardium is believed to have been caused by a thrombus after the first operation; the thrombus may have caused proliferation of coronary vessels, then paradoxically resulted in lung embolism and the pathological vascularization persisted.

[Type II atrial septal defects in adulthood]. / Defekty sínového septa II. typu v dospelosti.

Indication criteria of adult patients with atrial septal defects type II for surgery are not uniform so far. In a group of 150 adult patients with atrial septal defects type II operated in 1978-1987 at the cardiosurgical department in Brno the authors report the following results: a mortality on operation of 0.7% and a very satisfactory postoperative condition in almost all patients. In a group of 16 patients examined in 1978-1987 but not operated because of a defect of the atrial septum type II of minor haemodynamic impact the authors observed after long-term follow up a deterioration of the health status in four patients and they express therefore doubts on the rigorous criterium for operation a 1.5:1 left-to-right shunt in adult patients and assume that in some instances the defect is indicated for surgery even when the shunt is small.