Coronary artery bypass grafting in adolescent with myocardial infarction complicating undiagnosed Kawasaki disease.

Although Kawasaki disease is often self-limiting, significant cardiovascular sequelae may occur in the acute or late stage. The most common late complication is persistent coronary artery aneurysm, which can lead to myocardial ischaemia and even myocardial infarction. We report a case of coronary artery bypass grafting in a 16-year-old boy with a history of undiagnosed Kawasaki disease. Increased awareness of Kawasaki disease, especially among children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years, can increase early treatment and prevent serious complications that may occur in the future.

Aortic valve regurgitation and ventricular septal defect diagnosed 5 years after penetrating cardiac injury.

Despite high mortality rates for penetrating heart injuries, developments in transport, diagnosis, and surgical interventions have increased survival rates. In some cases, life-threatening complications may be misdiagnosed or remain asymptomatic and lead to loss of life. Herein, we report a patient with aortic valve regurgitation because of noncoronary cusp perforation and ventricular septal defect that remained asymptomatic and diagnosed 5 years after a penetrating heart injury.

[Subclavian-carotid transposition for subclavian artery stenosis causing recurrent brachial artery embolism: case report]. / Tekrarlayan brakiyal arter embolisi olusturan subklavyen arter stenozunda subklavyo-karotid transpozisyon: Olgu sunumu.

Subclavian artery stenosis represents a relatively lower rate for upper extremity emboli source. Subclavian artery stenosis with thrombus localized distal to the stenosis was diagnosed on the arteriography of a patient who had a history of three previous brachial artery embolectomies. In this report, a case with subclavian artery stenosis causing recurrent brachial artery embolism who was successfully treated using subclavian-carotid transposition is presented.

Comparison of the therapeutic efficacy of linezolid and vancomycin and correlation of serum and tissue malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase in an experimental mediastinitis model.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of linezolid in an experimental mediastinitis model and to compare it with vancomycin, which is commonly used. The objective of this study was also to evaluate the role of the immune system in mediastinitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: an uncontaminated and contaminated untreated control groups; a group that received sefazolin prophylaxis; and two groups treated with vancomycin or linezolid. Median sternotomy without access to pleural spaces was performed on all rats. All groups, except the uncontaminated one, were inoculated with 0.5 mL 10(8) colony-forming units/mL methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the mediastinal and sternal layers. Postoperatively, vancomycin and linezolid groups were given antibiotic treatment for 7 d, starting 24 h after the end of the procedure. After 7-d treatment tissue samples from the upper ends of the sternotomy line and mediastinum were obtained and evaluated microbiologically. Additionally, serum, heart, lung, liver, kidney, and mediastinal tissues samples were obtained to determine malondialdehyde (MDA) and myeloperoxidase (MPO). RESULTS: The study showed that either vancomycin or linezolid successfully reduced bacterial counts in mediastinum and sternotomy line. MDA and MPO levels were found to be decreased in the treated groups. There was a positive correlation between serum and tissues MDA and MPO in all of the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that linezolid appears to be a promising option for treating mediastinitis due to methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Additionally, it was demonstrated that a wide inflammatory process occurred after mediastinitis.

Efficacy of linezolid in the treatment of mediastinitis due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: an experimental study.

INTRODUCTION: The treatment of postoperative mediastinitis is very important because of its high morbidity, mortality, and increased hospital stay and hospital costs. The aims of our research were to investigate whether linezolid alone can be an effective treatment agent for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) mediastinitis, and to determine whether linezolid can provide synergistic activity when given in combination with rifampin. METHODS: A partial upper median sternotomy was performed on 70 rats. The animals were divided into seven groups: an uncontaminated control group; an untreated contaminated group; three contaminated groups that received antibiotic therapy with either 25 or 50 mg/kg linezolid twice a day, or rifampin 5 mg/kg twice a day; and two contaminated groups that received a combination therapy consisting of 25 or 50 mg/kg linezolid and rifampin 5 mg/kg twice a day. The antibiotic treatment lasted 7 days. Tissue samples from the upper ends of the sternum and swab specimens of the upper mediastinum were obtained and evaluated microbiologically. RESULTS: The 25-mg/kg dose of linezolid, either alone or combined with rifampin, was not effective in reducing the bacterial counts in mediastinum and sternum. Quantitative bacterial cultures of mediastinum and sternum were significantly lower in the groups receiving 50 mg/kg linezolid alone or in combination with rifampin compared with the control. Adding of rifampin to linezolid therapy did not result in a significant change in bacterial counts versus linezolid alone. CONCLUSION: A high dose of linezolid should be considered as a possible therapeutic agent for the treatment of post-sternotomy infection caused by MRSA.

Linezolid compared with vancomycin for the prevention of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or Staphylococcus epidermidis vascular graft infection in rats: A randomized, controlled, experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Graft infections are severe complications of vascular surgery that may result in amputation or mortality. Staphylococci are the most frequent cause of vascular graft infections. OBJECTIVE: In this study we assessed the prophylactic efficacy of linezolid in comparison with vancomycin in preventing prosthetic vascular graft infection due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE). METHODS: This randomized, controlled, experimental study using healthy adult (aged >5 months) male Wistar rats was conducted in the research laboratory of the Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey. The study consisted of an uncontaminated control group and 3 groups for both staphylococcal strains: a contaminated group that did not receive any antibiotic prophylaxis; a contaminated group that received preoperative intraperitoneal (IP) prophylaxis with vancomycin; and a contaminated group that received preoperative IP prophylaxis with linezolid. All rats received a vascular Dacron graft placed inside a subcutaneous pocket created on the right side of the median line. Sterile saline solution (1 mL), to which MRSA or MRSE at a concentration of 2 × 10(7) colony-forming units per milliliter had been added, was inoculated onto the graft surface using a tuberculin syringe to fill the pocket. The grafts were explanted 7 days after implantation and assessed by quantitative culture. RESULTS: Seventy rats (mean [SD]weight, 323.7 [17.9]g; mean [SD]age, 5.98 [0.64] months) were evenly divided between the 7 groups. Statistical analysis of the quantitative graft culture suggested that both vancomycin and linezolid were effective in significantly inhibiting bacterial growth when compared with the untreated contaminated groups (all, P < 0.001). However, a statistically significant difference was not observed between the bacteria count in the vancomycin and linezolid prophylaxis groups. When a comparison was made between the bacterial growth in the contaminated control groups, MRSA had significantly greater affinity to the Dacron prostheses than MRSE (all, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our study found that linezolid was as effective as vancomycin in suppressing colony counts in MRSA- or MRSE-infected vascular Dacron grafts in rats.

Preservation of pleural integrity in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting: effect on postoperative bleeding and respiratory function.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of preserved integrity of pleura on postoperative bleeding and respiratory function in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS AND RESULTS: Seventy-two CABG patients who received pedunculated IMA graft without opening the pleura (group of intact pleura, group IP) between July 2002 and September 2004 were matched to 72 CABG patients who received pedunculated IMA graft with opened pleura (group of opened pleura, group OP). To match the patients with IP and unique patients with OP, logistic regression was used to develop a propensity score. The C statistic for this model was 0.79. Patients with IP were matched to unique patients with OP with an identical 5-digit propensity score. If this could not be done, we proceeded to a 4-, 3-, 2-, or 1-digit match. Patients characteristics were well matched. There were no differences in preoperative and peroperative variables between the groups. The incidence of postoperative pleural effusion and thoracentesis were significantly lower in group IP than group OP (pleural effusion in 15.2 versus 30.5%; p = 0.029, thoracentesis in 5.5 versus 18.5%; p = 0.036). Other pulmonary complications such as prolonged ventilation, reintubation, pneumothorax, atelectasis, diaphragmatic paralysis were similar in both groups. Patients with IP had significantly lower blood loss (520 versus 870 ml; p < 0.001) and whole blood unit transfusion (26.3 versus 41.6%, p = 0.036). Also, intensive care unit and hospital stay were similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Meticulous internal mammary artery harvesting and preservation of the pleural integrity significantly reduces postoperative bleeding and pleural effusion.

Neuraminidase decreases in vitro adherence of slime-forming coagulase-negative staphylococci to biosynthetic ovine collagen vascular graft.

Vascular prosthetic graft infection is a major complication of vascular surgery that starts with adhesion of the microorganism to the graft. Because slime-forming microorganisms are the major causative agents in graft infection, the goals of investigators in this study were (1) to investigate the bacterial adherence of slime-forming and non-slime-forming coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS), and (2) to determine the role of neuraminidase (NANase) in bacterial adherence to the biosynthetic ovine collagen graft. Human plasma was instilled and incubated at 37 degrees C in preparation for fibrin deposition of grafts. After 48 hours, incubation grafts were drained and inoculated with slime-forming and non-slime-forming CNS in tryptic soy broth in the presence and in the absence of neuraminidase. After 24 hours of incubation at 36 degrees C, grafts were vortexed and cultured for colony count. Bacterial counts were expressed as total colony-forming units per longitudinal centimeter of the graft. Slime-forming CNS had greater affinity to the collagen graft compared with non-slime-forming CNS (P<.05). Adherence of slime-forming CNS was impaired by NANase treatment (P<.001). NANase treatment of patients with non-slime-forming CNS did not change adherence to the graft (P>.05). Results show that slime plays an important role in the pathogenesis of vascular graft infection. Adherence of slime-forming CNS can be decreased through the administration of NANase. This may have implications for the development of neuraminidase-embedded vascular grafts designed to reduce the occurrence of biomaterial-related infection.

Comparison of simultaneous antegrade/vein graft cardioplegia with antegrade cardioplegia for myocardial protection.

Antegrade cardioplegic delivery via the aorta ensures distribution of cardioplegic solution through open arteries, but distribution may not be adequate beyond a stenotic coronary artery. This potential problem can be overcome by direct delivery of cardioplegia via a vein graft. The purpose of this study was to compare simultaneous antegrade/vein graft cardioplegia with antegrade cardioplegia during coronary artery bypass surgery. Twenty patients were divided into 2 groups. In group 1, intermittent antegrade cardioplegia was provided (n=10). In group 2, intermittent antegrade cardioplegia was supplemented by antegrade perfusion of vein grafts after distal anastomoses were completed (n=10). Data on enzyme release and hemodynamics were obtained preoperatively, before the induction of anesthesia, just before cross-clamping, immediately after aortic unclamping, and at 1, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h after unclamping. Enzyme release (creatinine phosphokinase-isoenzyme MB, cardiac troponin I, myoglobin) was similar in both groups (P>.05). Furthermore, no significant difference was noted in the incidence of postoperative low cardiac output syndrome, perioperative myocardial infarction, or ventricular arrhythmia (P>.05). In conclusion, both techniques permitted rapid postoperative recovery of myocardial function. Supplementation of antegrade perfusion of vein grafts with antegrade cold blood cardioplegia offered no advantage to study patients.However, hemostasis of a distal anastomosis may be controlled by this technique.

Topical versus systemic vancomycin for deep sternal wound infection caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a rodent experimental model.

In 37 Wistar albino rats, we investigated the effects of topical vancomycin on deep sternal wound infection caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Partial median sternotomy was performed under sterile conditions. Group I (n=6) was the sham, and group II (n=7) was the control. Group III (n=8) received topical vancomycin, group IV (n=8) received systemic vancomycin, and group V (n=8) received topical and systemic vancomycin (combined). Rats in groups II through V were inoculated with 0.5 mL x 10(8) CFU/mL methicillin-resistant S. aureus in the mediastinum and sternum. No medication was given to groups I and II. Twenty-four hours after surgery, 40 mg/kg/day vancomycin was given topically in group III; systemically in group IV; and topically and systemically in group V After 7 days, smear samples from the mediastinum and tissue cultures from the sternum were obtained. We found 5.00 +/- 0 CFU/mL microorganisms in the mediastinum in group II, 1.90 +/- 1.70 in group III, 3.33 +/- 0.48 in group IV and 1.70 +/- 1.08 in group V. The quantity of microorganisms per gram of tissue in the sternum was 736 +/- 0.23 in group II, 6.01 +/- 0.33 in group III, 5.81 +/- 0.81 in group IV and 3.99 +/- 2.47 in group V The quantity of microorganisms was less in the 3 treatment groups than in the control group (P < 0.05). We conclude that topical plus systemic vancomycin treatment might be more effective in patients with deep sternal wound infections caused by methicillin-resistant S. aureus.