Apoptosis and cardiopulmonary bypass.

AIM: The aim of this study was to ascertain the percentage of apoptotic myocytes in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery. Apoptotic index (AI) obtained with in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-labeled dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) method and Bak protein expression were compared. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty consecutive patients who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery, myocardial samples from the right atrium were taken in three stages: before cannulation (the first sample group), after declamping (the second sample group), and 20 minutes after reperfusion (the third sample group). The percentage of apoptotic cells was determined by TUNEL method. Expression of Bak protein was immunohistochemically analyzed. Intermittent ischemia and moderate hypothermia were used as methods of myocardial management during surgery. A statistical analysis was performed by using the Friedman ANOVA analysis of variances, the Kendall coefficient of concordance and the Wilcoxon matched pair test. RESULTS: In the first sample group mean value of Bak expression was 2.61 +/- 2.18, compared with AI 5.38 +/- 3.58, after declamping (the second sample group) the mean value of Bak expression was 4.31 +/- 2.68 while AI was 7.63 +/- 4.38 and after 20 minutes of reperfusion in the third sample group mean value of Bak expression was 8.89 +/- 4.45, while AI was 15.6 +/- 8.45. When compared by using Wilcoxon matched pair test two methods significantly correlated, p > 0.0001. CONCLUSION: The positive correlation between AI obtained by TUNEL method and expression of Bak protein may suggest that apoptosis is activated mainly through mitochondrial activation pathway in ischemic reperfusion injury. The results suggest that ischemic reperfusion injury increases the AI in the right atrial tissue. If so, immunohistochemical expression of Bak protein could be used as a marker of myocardial ischemia induced injury.

Ochronosis of the aortic valve and aorta.

A 64-year-old male patient with unknown alkaptonuria and severe aortic stenosis and ischemic heart disease was admitted to the authors' institution for elective surgery. The patient underwent aortic valve replacement with a 25-mm aortic valve (ATS Medical, Inc.) and single venous aortocoronary artery bypass grafting for a right coronary artery. Aortotomy revealed typical ochronotic pigmentation of a severely calcified aortic valve and aortic intima. A diagnosis of alkaptonuria was confirmed by evidence of homogentisic acid in the patient's urine, together with histopathological analysis.

Chronic heart perforation with 13.5 cm long Kirschner wire without pericardial tamponade: an unusual sequelae after shoulder fracture.

We report a unique case of cardiac embolization with the Kirschner wire that has been used for osteosynthesis for 24 months previously. According to the complete analysis of medical records and autopsy report, the wire had migrated from the right humeroscapular joint to the heart. Although migration of a Kirschner wire has been reported in the literature, migration of the wire with a total length of 13.5 cm with no pericardial tamponade, despite myocardial perforation, has not been previously described.

The protective effect of mitral stenosis on the embolization of a free-floating left atrial myxoma.

Mitral stenosis associated with free left atrial myxoma is very rare. A free myxoma is life-threatening when incarcerated in the mitral orifice or if embolization of the whole tumor occurs. We report a case of a female patient with moderate mitral stenosis and a detached left atrial myxoma. The myxoma was spherical, solid and smooth-surfaced. Mitral stenosis prevented the exit of the tumor from the left atrium and a possible fatal outcome. The tumor was surgically removed and mitral commissurotomy was successfully performed. Histological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of myxoma.

Heart embolization with the Kirschner wire without cardiac tamponade.

The case of the heart embolization with the Kirschner wire that was used for shoulder trauma fixation, 2 years previously in a 67-year-old female, is reported. This case is unique; although embolization of foreign bodies to the heart is not a novel occurrence, heart embolization with non-broken Kirschner wire with a total length of 13.5 cm without cardiac tamponade was not described in medical literature so far.

Pulmonary valve papillary fibroelastoma. A case report.

We present a case of pulmonary valve fibroelastoma diagnosed by echocardiogram which was confirmed by surgical resection in a patient in whom elective coronary artery bypass surgery was performed. The patient had no clinical or constitutional symptoms suggesting the presence of an intracardiac tumor. Routine preoperative transthoracic echocardiography revealed a pulmonary valve tumor. Histopathological analysis resulted in a diagnosis of papillary fibroelastoma. Papillary fibroelastomas are rare and benign cardiac tumors. They usually arise from the cardiac valves. In the literature we found only a few cases, so it seems there is a need for further description of additional cases of pulmonary valve fibroelastoma.

Metoclopramide improves gastric but not gallbladder emptying in cardiac surgery patients with early intragastric enteral feeding: randomized controlled trial.

AIM: To evaluate the effect of metoclopramide on gastric emptying in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery patients with early enteral nutrition and to evaluate the effect of metoclopramide on motility of the gallbladder in these patients. METHODS: A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study of 40 patients treated at cardiosurgical intensive care unit after CABG surgery. The patients were divided into two groups: metoclopramide group (20 patients; age 60-/+9 years; 85% male), and control group (20 patients; age 59-/+8 years; 70% male). In both groups, enteral feeding with isoosmotic enteral formula was initiated by nasogastric tube 18 hours after surgery. After 6 hours, feeding was stopped, and paracetamol solution (1,000 mg) and 10 mg of metoclopramide IV or 2 ml of saline IV were concurrently administered. Blood samples were obtained 15 (t(+15)), 30 (t(+30)), 60 (t(+60)), and 120 (t(+120)) minutes after the administration of paracetamol. Paracetamol absorption was assessed from the plasma paracetamol concentration and the area under the curve (AUC) from 0 to 120 minutes. Sonographic measurement of gallbladder ejection fraction was also performed 15 (t(+15)), 30 (t(+30)), 60 (t(+60)), and 120 (t(+120)) minutes after the administration of paracetamol. RESULTS: The plasma paracetamol concentrations 15, 30, 60, and 120 minutes after the administration of paracetamol were significantly higher in metoclopramide group than in control group: (t(+15)) 5.4-/+2.7 vs 3.3-/+2.5 (Mann-Whitney U test; P=0.017); (t(+30)) 6.7-/+2.4 vs 3.7-/+2.0 (P=0.006); (t(+60)) 7.7-/+2.5 vs 5.1-/+3.2 (P=0.008); (t(+120)) 8.5-/+2.2 vs 5.2-/+2.8 (P=0.005). The AUC value was 34% larger in the metoclopramide group vs control group (574-/+296 vs 429-/+309; P=0.027). There were no significant differences in gallbladder ejection fraction between groups (group metoclopramide vs control group: (t(0)-t(+15)) -2% vs -2%; (t(+15)-t(+30)) 1% vs 4%; (t(+30)-t(+60)) 0% vs -1%; (t(+60)-t(+120)) 1% vs 3%; P=NS). CONCLUSIONS: In CABG surgery patients with early enteral feeding, a single dose of intravenous metoclopramide effectively improves gastric emptying, but does not have any prokinetic effect on gallbladder motility.