3D Virtual Bronchoscopy as an Aid to Airway Management in a Patient with Anterior Mediastinal Mass.

ABSTRACT: Mediastinal masses pose one of the great challenges for any anesthesiologist during airway maintenance, underlining the need to devise a well-formulated plan to avoid perioperative complications. As a general rule, such patients are managed with spontaneous ventilation without the use of muscle relaxants and awake intubation. We report a case of a 66-year-old male with severe dyspnea, having a very large invasive anterior mediastinal mass, causing left lung collapse for urgent debulking surgery. The tracheobronchial compromise was ruled out using three-dimensional reconstruction on computed tomography imaging (virtual bronchoscopy) and that helped in using general anesthesia with muscle relaxation for subsequent endotracheal intubation and surgery.

Does high dose statin pretreatment affect global strains in patients undergoing valve replacement.

Purpose: To study the effect of rosuvastatin 40 mg (initiated 7 days prior to surgery) in patients undergoing valve replacement (VR) for rheumatic mitral valve disease on left ventricular (LV) strain and biomarker release kinetics. Methods: In this randomized study, cardiac biomarkers viz. troponin I (TnI), Creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NTPBNP) were measured before surgery; and 8, 24 and 48 h postoperatively. Global LV (circumferential, global circumferential strain (GCS); longitudinal, GLS; radial, global radial strain (GRS)) strains were measured preoperatively; and 48 h and 30 days postoperatively. Results: Following VR, Global Longitudinal Strain (GLS), Global Circumferential Strain (GCS) and Global Radial Strain (GRS) declined at 48 h in both statin loaded (SL) and non loaded (NL) groups. The %decline in strain was significantly lower in SL group (% change in GLS 35.8% vs 38.8%, GCS 34% vs 44.1%, GRS 45.7% vs 52.6%; p < 0.001).All strain values improved at 30 days with higher improvement in SL group (GLS -15.92 ± 2.00% vs -12.6 ± 1.66%, GCS -15.12 ± 2.93% vs -13.04 ± 2.44%; GRS 22.12 ± 6.85% vs 19.32 ± 6.48%). While TnI, CKMB, NTPBNP increased following surgery, values at 8, 24 and 48 h were lower in the SL vs. NL group. Mean change (baseline to peak biomarker value) was also significantly lower in SL group.The SL group had shorter hospital and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay. On Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC) analysis, baseline GCS ≤ 14% best predicted postoperative 30 day Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) ≤ 50%. Conclusion: Pre-operative high dose rosuvastatin was "cardioprotective" with favorable effect on LV global strain and release kinetics of biomarkers. These cut-offs (described for the first time for rheumatic VR) can be used as prognostic predictors.

Flecainide for conversion and maintenance of sinus rhythm after mitral valve replacement in rheumatic atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Despite successful mitral valve replacement (MVR), many patients remain in AF. Flecainide can be useful in these patients but has not been used because of underlying structural heart disease. METHODS: We assessed oral flecainide for conversion and maintenance of SR in 25 patients of chronic rheumatic AF following MVR (age 34.4 yrs, mean AF duration: 3.6 yrs). Non-converters underwent DC cardioversion at 24 h and 4 weeks. Patients received flecainide and bb/diltiazem at discharge. RESULTS: Single oral dose of Flecainide achieved SR in 6/25 (24%) while 19/25 achieved SR after DCC; at24 h 21/25 (84%) were in SR. With mean flecainide dose (93.10 ± 9.40 mg), successful maintenance of SR at 6 months was seen in 16/23 (69.5%). No significant changes in PR interval, QRS duration or QTc were noted; flecainide was well tolerated. Patients in SR had significantly better functional status, QOL scores and higher LA strain at 6 months (25.25 vs 17.43%, p < .0001). Baseline LA diameter ≤ 61 mm predicted SR at 6 months (sensitivity/specificity 93.7% and 85.71%) while the values for AF duration ≤ 4 years and LA strain > 21% for predicting SR were 87.5/71.43% and 100/85.71% respectively. CONCLUSION: Oral flecainide was safe and effective in post MVR rheumatic AF patients; maintenance of SR was achieved in 76% of initial converters and 64% of overall population, with better LA strain values. More studies are needed to validate these results.

Left atrial thrombus in a case of severe aortic stenosis with severe left ventricular dysfunction: An Incidental finding on transesophageal echocardiography.

Left atrial thrombus in a patient with aortic stenosis and aortic regurgitation in sinus rhythm is an infrequent finding and is most commonly associated with cases of mitral stenosis. This case report emphasizes upon the importance of suspecting the presence of left atrial thrombus in other valvular lesions when additional risk factors such as dilated left ventricle are present. The undeniable role of comprehensive perioperative transesophageal echocardiography is also depicted in this case report.

A case report of combined radical pericardiectomy and beating heart coronary artery bypass grafting in a patient with tubercular chronic constrictive pericarditis with coronary artery disease.

We here report a successful midterm outcome following combined off-pump radical pericardiectomy and coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) in a 65-year-old male patient who was suffering from chronic constrictive calcified tubercular pericarditis with coronary artery disease. Simultaneous off-pump CABG and radical pericardiectomy for nonsurgical constrictive pericarditis is reported very rarely in English literature.

Salvage pneumonectomy for pulmonary arteriovenous malformation in a 12-year-old boy with brain abscess and hemiparesis: A fatal outcome.

Large pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) constitute an uncommon cause of central cyanosis with septic embolism and brain abscess. This large right to left shunt can lead to chronic severe hypoxemia and significant morbidity and mortality if untreated. Conservative parenchyma-sparing lung resection was used widely as treatment of choice. However, with the advent of embolotheraphy, it is considered the preferred mode of treatment with less invasiveness. We here report a 12-year-old boy with large aneurysmal pulmonary arteriovenous fistula presented with brain abscess and hemiparesis. He underwent thoracotomy and pneumonectomy for large PAVMs, and it was complicated with bleeding and massive blood transfusion. The patient developed acute renal failure as a postoperative complication and succumbed to it. We suggest proper look out for systemic collateral and their management by embolitheraphy either alone or in combination should be tried first. We also suggest median sternotomy and intrapericardial approach for pneumonectomy in such difficult situation can be helpful.

Differential release kinetics of cardiac biomarkers in off-pump coronary bypass.

BACKGROUND: Differential release kinetics of the cardiac biomarkers (B-type natriuretic peptide, troponin I, and creatine kinase-MB) following off-pump coronary artery bypass are not well characterized. METHODS: Biomarker levels were assessed at 6, 24, 48 h, and 1 month preoperatively, in 80 patients who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass. RESULTS: All biomarkers increased within 6 h of surgery. Peak B-type natriuretic peptide levels occurred at 24-48 h in 96% of patients, but only two-thirds had peak troponin I and creatine kinase-MB levels at this time, reflecting different release patterns. Levels of all biomarkers declined within 48 h, but 42% of patients still had B-type natriuretic peptide >100 pg·mL(-1) at 1 month. Those with baseline B-type natriuretic peptide > 100 pg·mL(-1) had a lower left ventricular ejection fraction (43.6% vs. 55.6%, p < 0.01) and longer inotropic (43.8 vs. 31.4 h, p = 0.03) and ventilator support (34 vs. 25.5 h, p = 0.04) than those with lower levels. B-type natriuretic peptide levels correlated positively with angiographic Syntax score (p = 0.02) and negatively with left ventricular ejection fraction (p < 0.001). Only baseline B-type natriuretic peptide predicted the durations of inotropic support (p = 0.01) and ventilation (p = 0.02). Postoperative B-type natriuretic peptide at 6, 24, and 48 h and delta B-type natriuretic peptide were significant predictors of mean ventilation time. CONCLUSION: Even in patients undergoing off-pump surgery, there is significant natriuretic peptide and myocardial enzyme release. Only B-type natriuretic peptide levels had an association with postoperative variables.

Pericardial monocusp for pulmonary valve reconstruction: a new technique.

Enhancing the pulmonary annulus renders the pulmonary valve incompetent in cases of tetralogy of Fallot. A pressure-loaded right ventricle may change to a volume-loaded ventricle, which may dilate and eventually dysfunction. This study evaluated a new technique of fashioning a monocusp valve from untreated autologous pericardium suspended on a transannular patch. It was assessed in 40 children undergoing complete repair of tetralogy of Fallot between January 2005 and December 2007. 24 patients had a transannular patch alone (group A) and 16 received a transannular patch with the autologous pericardial monocusp valve (group B). All patients were followed up for 1 year with transthoracic echocardiography to determine pulmonary insufficiency. There was no significant difference in cardiopulmonary bypass or aortic crossclamp times, postoperative chest tube drainage, duration of inotropic usage, intensive care unit or hospital stay between groups. Univariate analysis showed significantly lower grades of pulmonary insufficiency in group B. This technique for creating an autologous pericardial monocusp valve is an inexpensive, simple, and reliable procedure that effectively reduces pulmonary insufficiency at the 1-year follow-up.