The role of perioperative cardiorespiratory support in post infarction ventricular septal rupture-related cardiogenic shock.

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines recommend emergency surgical correction in patients with post infarction ventricular septal rupture (PIVSR), but patients with multiorgan failure are commonly managed conservatively because of high surgical risk. We assessed characteristics and outcomes of operated PIVSR patients with or without the use of short-term ventricular assist devices (ST-VADs). We also assessed the impact of a ST-VAD on the performance of surgery. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed all consecutive patients with PIVSR between January 2004 and May 2017. Baseline clinical characteristics, use of ST-VAD and performance of surgery during admission were assessed. The main outcome measured was in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: A total of 28 patients were included. Mean age was 69.2 years. Most patients (20/28, 71.4%) underwent surgical repair. ST-VADs were used in 11/28 patients (39.3%). This percentage progressively increased across the study period, from 22.2% (2/9) in 2004-2011 to 58.3% (7/12) in 2015-2017 (p=0.091). Patients undergoing ST-VAD use had poorer INTERMACS status, higher values of creatinine, lactate and alanine aminotransferase and lower left ventricular ejection fraction as compared with operated patients without support. In-hospital mortality did not differ according to the use of ST-VADs in operated patients (27.3% without ST-VAD vs. 22.2% with ST-VAD, p=0.604). All five patients undergoing early preoperative venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenator support and delayed surgery survived at hospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS: ST-VAD use increased in patients with PIVSR. Despite a higher risk profile in operated patients undergoing ST-VAD use, mortality was not significantly different in these patients. Early preoperative venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation should be considered for very high risk PIVSR patients.

Five-year mortality in cardiac surgery patients with low cardiac output syndrome treated with levosimendan: prognostic evaluation of NT-proBNP and C-reactive protein.

BACKGROUND: To determine the clinical risk factors predictive of the 5-year mortality in patients with low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) after cardiac surgery. In addition, to assess the influence of inflammation and myocardial dysfunction severity, as measured by C-reactive protein (CRP) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentrations, on outcome. METHODS: We studied 30 patients who underwent cardiac surgery and developed postoperative LCOS requiring inotropic support for longer than 48 hours after intensive care unit (ICU) admission. All patients received a 24-hour infusion of levosimendan after study enrolment. We measured the following at baseline, 24 h, 48 h and 7 days: clinical data, serum NT-proBNP and serum CRP levels. Patients were followed-up at 5 years for death by any cause. A risk-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression model was used for statistical analysis. Hazard ratios and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) are presented. RESULTS: The 5-year mortality was 36.6% (n.=11). The predictors of 5-year mortality were the presence of dilated cardiomyopathy (HR=36.909; 95% CI: 1.901-716.747; P=0.017), a higher central venous pressure (CVP) at 48 hours (HR=2.686; 95% CI: 1.383-5.214; P=0.004), and lower CRP levels on day 7 (HR=0.963; 95% CI: 0.933-0.994; P=0.021). NT-proBNP levels showed a trend to higher initial levels in survivors without statistical significance, but were not associated with 5-year mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of dilated cardiomyopathy, elevated CVP at 48 h and reduced CRP levels on day 7 predicted 5-year mortality in patients who developed postoperative LCOS after cardiac surgery. NT-proBNP levels in the first postoperative week were not predictors of long-term outcomes.

Aortic perforation by active-fixation atrial pacing lead: an unusual but serious complication.

Perforation of a cardiac chamber is an infrequent but serious sequela of pacemaker lead implantation. An even rarer event is the perforation of the aorta by a protruding right atrial wire. We present here the first case in the medical literature of aortic perforation as a sequela to the implantation of a cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator. The patient was a 54-year-old man with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy who underwent the implantation of a defibrillator, with no apparent sequelae. Six hours after the procedure, he experienced cardiac tamponade and required urgent open-chest surgery. The pericardial effusion was found to be caused by mechanical friction of a protruding right atrial wire on the aortic root. The aortic root and the atrial wall were both repaired with Prolene suture, which achieved complete control of the bleeding. There was no need to reposition the atrial wire. The patient had a good postoperative recovery.