When is the Ideal Time to Calculate the Vasoactive Inotropic Score as a Predictor of Mortality and Morbidity in Cardiac Surgery? A Retrospective Study.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prediction of vasoactive inotropic score (VIS) on early mortality and morbidity after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and to determine the ideal time for score calculation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included patients who underwent isolated on-pump CABG surgery between November 2021 and November 2022. Pre, intra, and postoperative data were obtained by retrospective chart review. The final VIS value in the operating room (VISintra) and the highest VIS value in the first 24 hours in the intensive care unit (VISmax) were calculated. The patients were divided into two groups; Group 1 who developed early postoperative morbidity and mortality and Group 2 who did not. And the data were analyzed by groups. RESULTS: A total of 221 patients with a mean age of 63.49 ± 9.96 years were evaluated and 73 (33%) were in Group 1. The cut-off value for VISintra was determined to be 6.20, VISmax was 6,05. VISintra and VISmax values were significantly higher in the poor outcome group. Multivariate analysis showed that only VISmax value was an independent variable on mortality-morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Our results imply that the vasoactive inotropic score is an easy and inexpensive score to calculate and can be used as a specific scoring system to predict poor early outcomes in CABG patients. According to statistical analyses, the most predictive time among VIS measurements was VISmax, the highest value calculated in the ICU in the first 24 hours postoperatively.

Effects of Preoperative Nutritional Status and Lymphocyte Count on the Development of Early-term Atrial Fibrillation After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Retrospective Study.

INTRODUCTION: Although there are publications in the literature stating that parameters related to the nutritional status of patients are associated with the clinical outcomes of those with coronary artery disease, it is also stated that there is insufficient data on the relationship between nutritional indices and long-term outcomes and major adverse cardiovascular events in patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted with patients who underwent isolated elective on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting in our hospital. Patients who underwent emergency coronary artery bypass grafting or those with known atrial fibrillation in the preoperative period were excluded. Patients were analyzed and compared in two groups according to the development of postoperative atrial fibrillation. RESULTS: The data of 93 coronary artery bypass grafting patients (71 [76%] males) with a mean age of 62.86 ± 9.53 years included in the study were evaluated. Both groups had similar preoperative ejection fraction value, hemoglobin level, age, number of distal bypasses, and postoperative mortality rates. Although the mean cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamping times were higher in Group 1, they were not statistically significant. In our study, the mean prognostic nutrition index value was 51.76 ± 3002. CONCLUSION: According to our study results, there was no statistically significant difference between prognostic nutrition index values and the development of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting, which is similar to some publications in the literature. We think that it would be beneficial to conduct randomized studies involving more patients on this subject.

Does second generation n-butyl cyanoacrylate embolization really smooth in greater saphenous vein closure?

BACKGROUND: Cyanoacrylate (CA) has been used as an embolizing agent in the treatment of greater saphenous vein (GSV) insufficiency in recent years and the results regarding the use of this method have started to be published. To the best of our knowledge, the publications in literature do not mention about a significant negative effect of endovenous CA (EVCA) embolization. We aimed to evaluate the effects and undesirable events of this relatively new treatment method and compare them with literature, using the follow-up data of our patients. METHODS: Patients who had GSV insufficiency for at least 3 months and were treated with EVCA embolization because of this disease were included in the study. Patients were excluded if they had deep vein thrombosis (DVT), excessive tortuous GSV, and peripheral neuropathy. Hospital archive records were reviewed and undesirable events like DVT, thrombophlebitis, and pain related to this treatment procedure were recorded. RESULTS: EVCA embolization procedure was performed in a total of 54 patients with an average age of 49.36 ± 13.06 years for the purpose of treating GSV insufficiency. One patient was observed to develop n-butyl CA (NBCA) extension of approximately 5 mm from saphenofemoral junction (SFJ) to the main femoral vein and painful thrombophlebitic reaction was observed in 6 extremities at the first control examination. CONCLUSION: In our opinion, while EVCA embolization is a treatment option with similar success rates to endovenous thermal ablation (EVTA), it should be kept in mind that there may be a possibility of developing thrombophlebitis and NBCA extension or thrombus extension to the deep veins.