Transient cortical blindness after coronary angiography.

Transient cortical blindness is rarely encountered after angiography of native coronary arteries or bypass grafts. This paper reports a case of transient cortical blindness that occurred 72 h after coronary angiography in a 56-year old patient. This was the patient's fourth exposure to contrast medium. Neurological examination demonstrated cortical blindness and the absence of any focal neurological deficit. A non-contrast-enhanced computed tomographic scan of the brain revealed bilateral contrast enhancement in the occipital lobes and no evidence of cerebral haemorrhage, and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed no pathology. Sight returned spontaneously within 4 days and his vision gradually improved. A search of the current literature for reported cases of transient cortical blindness suggested that this is a rarely encountered complication of coronary angiography.

The response of the myocardial metabolism to atrial pacing in patients with coronary slow flow.

The pathophysiology of angina pectoris is not precisely known yet in patients who have no coronary lesion but slow coronary flow by angiography. In this study we aim to display metabolic ischemia via atrial pacing to determine the difference of lactate production and arterio-venous O2 content difference (AVO2). Thirty-four patients with slow coronary flow detected by coronary angiography via the TIMI 'frame count' method were included in this study. The resting and stress images from the patients undergoing myocardial perfusion tomography were recorded, pre and postpacing lactate extraction and AVO2 content difference values were calculated. Patients were classified according to their metabolic responses to atrial pacing stress. Group I consisted of 28 patients (18 male, 10 female, mean age 54.42 +/- 9.61) who did not demonstrate metabolic ischemia and group II consisted of six patients (four male, two female, mean age 60 +/- 5.76) who had metabolic ischemia after the procedure. There was no statistically significant difference between prepacing AVO2 content difference in group I (57.38+/-2.05%) and group II (58.23 +/- 2.11%) (P = NS). However postpacing AVO2 content difference of group I and group II was statistically significant (respectively, 57.96+/-2.65 vs. 68.35 +/- 2.15%, P < 0.001). In other words, postpacing AVO2 content difference was unchanged from the basal AVO2 content difference level in group I (respectively, 57.38 +/- 2.05 vs. 57.96 +/- 2.65%; P = NS) in contrast to the postpacing AVO2 content difference which increased significantly in group II (58.23 +/- 2.11 vs. 68.35 +/- 2.15%; P < 0.028). Although basal lactate extraction rates were similar in groups I and II (respectively, 0.24 +/- 0.1 vs. 0.23 +/- 0.18; P = NS), postpacing lactate extraction rates were decreased significantly in the two groups, prominently in group II (0.154 +/- 0.15 vs. -0.471 +/- 0.27; P < 0.0001) which indicated that lactate extraction converted to lactate production. Metabolic ischemia was detected in only 17.6% of patients included in this study and 83.4% of these six patients with proven metabolic ischemia had perfusion defects in scintigraphy. Our data confirmed that angina pectoris was not originated from myocardial ischemia in most of the patients with slow coronary flow. We conclude that perfusion scintigraphy is a reliable and accurate method for detection of true ischemia in this group of patients.

Surgical treatment of Brucella endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: Brucella endocarditis (BE) is a lethal complication of human brucellosis, which is rarely seen and hardly described. METHODS: In the present report, six successfully treated cases of BE involving three native aortic valves, two native mitral-aortic valves, and a mitral bioprosthesis are described. The diagnosis of BE was based on clinical features, high brucella serologic titers, and positive blood cultures. Although the blood cultures were positive in all patients, all the resected valve materials and tissue cultures were negative. The patients received rifampicin, streptomycin, and doxycycline (in 3 patients), rifampicin, tetracycline, and cotrimoxazole (in 2 patients), and rifampicin, doxycycline, and cotrimoxazole (in 1 patient). Infected native valves and bioprosthesis were replaced by mechanical valves. RESULTS: There was no early or late mortality. No recurrent infection developed after management with a combination of antibiotherapy lasting 6 months postoperatively during a mean follow-up of 47 months (range 20 to 84 months). CONCLUSIONS: This report suggests that the combination of valve replacement and antibiotic therapy produces successful results in the treatment of BE.

Different CABG methods in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary dysfunction is still a major problem in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The purpose of this randomized study was to determine the effect of different CABG techniques on pulmonary function. METHODS: Fifty eight patients with severe obstructive pulmonary disease had elective isolated coronary surgery. The surgical methods for the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were standard CABG in 18 patients (group 1), beating heart surgery in 19 patients (group 2), and minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting (MIDCABG) in 21 patients (group 3). RESULTS: The earliest extubation time was from group 3 (p < 0.001). The average stay in the intensive care unit was significantly longer in group 1 (2.6 +/- 1.5 days) than in groups 2 (1.4 +/- 0.8 days) and 3 (1.1 +/- 0.8 days) (p < 0.05). The most prevalent respiratory morbidity was atelectasis that developed in 6 patients from group 1, in 2 patients from group 2, and in 3 patients from group 3. Forced expiratory volumes in 1 second (FEV1) obtained in the second postoperative month were significantly lower than preoperative values only in group 1 (p < 0.05). Forced vital capacity (FVC) values were significantly lower than the preoperative values in all three groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Off-pump bypass surgical procedures are more advantageous than on-pump methods for patients with COPD. These patients can be operated on using the beating heart technique or by using MIDCABG to prevent side effects of CPB on pulmonary function and effects of sternotomy.

A cardiac hydatid cyst involving the basal interventricular septum causing biventricular outflow tract obstruction.

We report a case of a 37-year-old sheep-raising man with a cardiac hydatid cyst involving the basal interventricular septum causing biventricular outflow obstruction. He suffered from multi-organ hydatidosis and underwent cerebral hydatid cyst extirpation and right nephrectomy for renal echinococcosis. The diagnosis of the cyst was obtained by echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging. The diagnosis was confirmed by positive hemagglutination test. He was operated on for cardiac hydatid cyst using enucleation and capitonnage procedure under extracorporeal circulation. The morbidity was complete atrioventricular block, necessitating VDD pacemaker implantation. This was followed by medical treatment with albendazole (400 mg/day).

Importance of the mitral subvalvular apparatus for left ventricular functional anatomy.

The mitral subvalvular apparatus is so important to attain the integrity of the left ventricular geometric model and systolic pump function of the heart. We conducted a detailed dissection of the anatomic structure of mitral valve complex and left ventricle of 10 adult hearts from fixed human cadavers (eight male and two female) at Department of Anatomy. Faculty of Medicine of Istanbul University and Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kosuyolu Heart and Research Hospital. The distribution of chordae tendinea and classification of musculus papillaris were recorded. The distribution of chordae tendinea varied slightly both anterior and posterior groups. Musculus papillaris was not simetrical in all subjects. Four type of musculus papillaris were distinguished. The insertio angulus of musculus papillaris varied between 20 degrees and 55 degrees. The left ventricular distances (inflow-outflow) and axes (short-long) were determined as the criteria, together with the mitral subvalvular apparatus, to gain the architecture of the left ventricle. We believe that the goal a more precise data collection and developed model will influence our understanding of functional anatomy of left ventricular subvalvular apparatus, and concept of changes in left ventricular configuration after mitral valve surgery.

Three ventriculoplasty techniques applied to three left-ventricular pseudoaneurysms in the same patient.

A 59-year-old male patient underwent surgery for triple-vessel coronary artery disease and left-ventricular aneurysm in 1994. Four months after coronary artery bypass grafting and classical left-ventricular aneurysmectomy (with Teflon felt strips), a left-ventricular pseudoaneurysm developed due to infection, and this was treated surgically with an autologous glutaraldehyde-treated pericardium patch over which an omental pedicle graft was placed. Two months later, under emergent conditions, re-repair was performed with a diaphragmatic pericardial pedicle graft due to pseudoaneurysm reformation and rupture. A 3rd repair was required in a 3rd episode 8 months later. Sternocostal resection enabled implantation of the left pectoralis major muscle into the ventricular defect. Six months after the last surgical intervention, the patient died of cerebral malignancy. Pseudoaneurysm reformation, however, had not been observed. To our knowledge, our case is the 1st reported in the literature in which there have been 3 or more different operative techniques applied to 3 or more distinct episodes of pseudoaneurysm formation secondary to post-aneurysmectomy infection. We propose that pectoral muscle flaps be strongly considered as a material for re-repair of left-ventricular aneurysms.

Less invasive approaches for closed mitral commissurotomy.

OBJECTIVE: Recently, closed mitral commissurotomy (CMC) has been reexplored due to the concepts of less invasive valvular surgery. The feasibility of closed mitral commissurotomy via port access or limited thoracotomy by aid transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was investigated in this clinical study. METHODS: Between August 1996 and April 1998, 42 patients (32 women, ten men with a mean age of 36.2+/-7.8 years) underwent less invasive CMC at the Kosuyolu Heart and Research Hospital. CMC procedure were done through a limited (12-16 cm) thoracotomy incision in 23 patients, a very limited or mini thoracotomy incision (7-8 cm) in 11 patients and port access by aid TEE in eight patients. Preoperative mean mitral valve area was calculated as 1.19+/-0.13 cm2 and mean mitral valve gradient was measured as 14.8+/-3.2 mmHg. TEE provided information about the mitral valve anatomy and functions during the procedure in all patients. RESULTS: Commissurotomy was successfully performed in all patients. In eight patients, a Tubbs dilator was inserted via port access at the 6th intercostal space from a 3-cm incision. Incision by guidance of TEE and CMC could be performed without thoracotomy in five patients. In three patients of the port access group, a very limited thoracotomy was required to perform CMC by digital guidance. Postoperative mean MVA was 2.37+/-0.29 cm2, minimal mitral gradient was 5.3+/-1.7 mmHg. In eleven patients, minimal mitral regurgitation was observed. The operations and postoperative period were free of complications in all patients. Following an average 12+/-2.8 h intensive care unit period, all patients were discharged after an average of 3.4+/-0.8 days of hospitalization. CONCLUSION: Limited thoracotomy has less detrimental structural effects in patients. Port access by aid TEE approach to CMC may offer less invasiveness, lower cost effectiveness and be an alternative to percutaneous balloon mitral valvotomy.