Protective wrapping of the internal thoracic artery.

Injury of a patent internal thoracic artery bypass graft in a patient during cardiac reoperation could have catastrophic results. In selected patients who have primary coronary artery bypass grafting using the internal thoracic artery, we wrap the artery pedicle with an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane to facilitate identification and to protect it during reoperation. No occlusions or other complications related to use of the membrane have occurred.

Tissue response to biomaterials used for staple-line reinforcement in lung resection: a comparison between expanded polytetrafluoroethylene and bovine pericardium.

OBJECTIVE: A study in a canine model of lung-reduction surgery evaluated the tissue response to polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) and bovine pericardium (BP) used for staple-line reinforcement. METHODS: In each of ten dogs, BP was placed in one lung and ePTFE in the other. The implants were retrieved at 30, 95, or 167 days after implantation and studied histologically. The connective tissue covering the implants was measured and analysis of variance was used to compare results with the two materials. RESULTS: At 30 days, the BP specimens showed focal chronic inflammation and thin tissue coverage, whereas the ePTFE specimens had no focal inflammation and thick tissue coverage. At 95 and 167 days, the inflammation in the BP specimens had resolved, but tissue coverage remained minimal, and there was no resorption of the BP. In the ePTFE specimens, tissue coverage had increased. Analysis of variance comparing representative tissue specimens showed that the tissue encapsulating the ePTFE was significantly thicker than that surrounding the BP (P < 0.0001). No air leaks, staple-line disruptions, or infections occurred in the study. CONCLUSIONS: Neither ePTFE nor BP is resorbable. Both materials have been used successfully, without resultant infections, for clinical staple-line reinforcement. The more favorable tissue response to ePTFE observed in this study may have clinical ramifications. Comparative clinical studies of the two materials are needed.

Prevention of air leaks after pulmonary wedge resection.

Prolonged air leak after a lung volume reduction operation for pulmonary emphysema is a major cause of morbidity and prolonged hospital stay. Staple line reinforcement is recognized as an effective adjunctive technique for decreasing the occurrence of air leaks after pulmonary wedge resection. Numerous materials have been used for staple-line reinforcement. We use expanded polytetrafluoroethylene sleeves that fit over the arms of surgical staplers to facilitate staple-line reinforcement in both thoracoscopic and open lung volume reduction procedures. The expanded polytetrafluoroethylene sleeves do not require rinsing or special handling; they are easy to use and effective in preventing air leaks. We had no prolonged air leaks or infections in any of the cases in which we used the sleeves.

Warm blood cardioplegia.

Between 1990 and 1992, 346 consecutive patients underwent coronary artery bypass procedures. Ninety-eight patients (group A) from 1990 served as historical controls, and 248 patients (group B) from 1991 to 1992 served as a prospective, consecutive cohort for statistical comparison. The two groups varied in the type of myocardial protection used: intermittent cold crystalloid cardioplegia was used in group A and continuous warm blood cardioplegia in group B. (Two patients in group A received intermittent cold blood cardioplegia, and these 2 patients are grouped with the crystalloid group for the sake of convenience. The presence or absence of these 2 patients did not alter the group A statistics in any noticeable manner). Class IV high-risk groups demonstrated a 63% reduction in mortality (p = 0.07), and overall group B experienced a 28% reduction in mortality (4.4% versus 6.1%; p = not significant), an 86% reduction in perioperative myocardial infarction rate (1.6% versus 12.2%; p < 0.05), a 20% reduction in postoperative bleeding (275 versus 345 mL.day-1.m-2), and a marked reduction in reentry rates (p = 0.05). Also noted was a 32% reduction in postoperative ventilation requirements (25 versus 37 hours; p = 0.05). Less inotrope was required and intraoperative stroke was not seen in the patients with warm blood cardioplegia. Group B patients were less likely to have development of complex postoperative arrhythmias. Ventricular fibrillation at unclamping was noticeably rare (2.0% in group B versus 84% in group A; p < 0.05). The average group B heart resumed sinus rhythm 72 seconds after declamping.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Endobronchial closure of a postpneumonectomy bronchopleural fistula.

Successful permanent endobronchial closure of a serious postpneumonectomy bronchopleural fistula is reported in a patient with a delayed diagnosis of Mycobacterium fortuitum-cheloni infection. Increasing experience, improved plugging agents, and a review of the literature suggest that in selected patients, this procedure can avoid complex repeat operations and reverse life-threatening situations. Although atypical mycobacterial infections occur with infrequency, they are difficult to treat and may lead, as in this patient, to a misdiagnosis. Operations on granulomatous tissues are prone to heal poorly, thus inviting tissue breakdown and chronic fistulas.

Intraaortic balloon counterpulsation: an eleven-year review and analysis of determinants of survival.

During an 11-year period ending January 1, 1985, 352 patients had insertions of an intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) as an adjunct to medical or surgical therapy. Group I, 175 patients, could not be weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass and required intraaortic balloon pump (IABP). Thirty-nine patients (22%) died in the operating room. Twenty-five patients (14%) died in the acute care unit. The remaining 111 patients (63.4%) survived and were discharged from the hospital. Group II, 104 patients, had the IABP inserted preoperatively. Indications were: postinfarction cardiogenic shock (34 patients), unstable angina (35), postinfarction angina (27), poor ventricular function (six), and prophylaxis (two). Of the 62 patients with unstable angina and postinfarction angina, 57 (92%) were successfully weaned. Of the 34 patients with postinfarction cardiogenic shock, 26 were weaned, but only 16 (47%) survived to leave the hospital. Group III, 34 patients, had the IABP inserted for postoperative hemodynamic deterioration in the acute care unit at variable times: 14 (41%) patients survived. Group IV, 39 patients, had IABP support for medical therapy. Of 24 patients with postinfarction cardiogenic shock, 12 survived. Twelve of 13 patients with unstable angina lived. Of the 352 patients, 228 (65%) were discharged from the hospital. The overall incidence of complications was 12.5%. Complications related to IABP were higher with percutaneous insertion than by femoral arteriotomy (15% vs 12%). Intraaortic balloon counterpulsation effectively unloads the failing left ventricle in weaning patients from cardiopulmonary bypass (Group I). Preoperative insertion (Group II) resulted in 92% survival in patients with both pre- and postinfarction angina. Delayed insertion (Group III) in postoperative patients gave the poorest survival (41%). In patients with postinfarction cardiogenic shock, IABP without corrective cardiac surgery was associated with a 50% survival: with corrective cardiac surgery, 16 patients (47%) survived. Left ventricular dysfunction, myocardial infarction, and timely insertion of IABP are the primary determinants of survival. Approximately one-third of patients who required IABP will die. More involved techniques for mechanical support of the failing circulation, such as ventricular assist device or total artificial heart, may increase survival.

Interim cardiac replacement with a mechanical heart: staged cardiac transplantation.

Lack of donor heart availability complicates the management of terminally ill patients who are candidates for cardiac replacement. The total artificial heart has been used as a bridge to transplantation in three patients with terminal cardiomyopathy. Acute allograft rejection and the lack of another donor heart prompted us to use the mechanical heart as a bridge to re-transplantation in a 33-year-old man. The cardiac prosthesis functioned well for 11 hours, when a second transplantation was performed, but the patient died of right heart failure 48 hours after the second transplantation. Critical factors in such cases include (1) a prompt decision to proceed with cardiac replacement; (2) avoidance of long periods of cardiopulmonary bypass; (3) prosthetic device availability; and (4) surgical team preparedness, with technical expertise in transplantation, allograft explantation, and total artificial heart implantation/explantation, with re-transplantation.

Interim heart replacement with a mechanical device: an adjunct to management of allograft rejection.

Acute heart rejection; unresponsive to immunosuppressive therapy, results in cardiogenic shock and death. In the absence of another donor heart, a total artificial heart can be used as a suitable bridging device to re-transplantation. A thirty-three year-old man rejected his allograft forty-eight hours after transplantation. A total artificial heart was used for eleven hours until another donor heart became available and was transplanted. During the bridging period, the hemodynamic performance of the mechanical prosthesis was satisfactory. The patient died forty-eight hours after re-transplantation of donor right heart failure due to pulmonary edema. This edema was felt to be related to the long periods of cardiopulmonary bypass. This unique experience illustrates the need for a prompt decision to proceed with cardiac replacement, avoiding long periods of cardiopulmonary bypass, the need for a suitable mechanical device availability, technical expertise in device implantation and allograft transplantation.