Results of surgical treatment of pulmonary artery sarcomas: Does histology affect survival?

Background: In this study, we aimed to describe our experience with primary pulmonary artery sarcoma in patients who underwent pulmonary endarterectomy and to evaluate clinical features, treatment, outcomes, and survival rates according to the histological subtypes of this malignant disease. Methods: Between March 2011 and May 2022, a total of 13 patients (7 males, 6 females; mean age: 52.6±13.0 years; range, 30 to 69 years) who underwent pulmonary endarterectomy and diagnosed with a pulmonary artery sarcoma were retrospectively analyzed. The diagnosis was confirmed histopathologically in all patients. Data including demographics, clinical characteristics, intra- and postoperative complications, length of hospital stay, morbidity, mortality, and short-term and long-term outcomes were recorded. Operative mortality was defined as death in the hospital or within 30 days of surgery. Results: Mortality was observed in one patient due to massive hemoptysis. Morbidity developed in two patients due to acute respiratory distress. Pulmonary vascular resistance improved significantly from 508 dyn/s/cm-5 to 191 dyn/s/cm-5 (p<0.004). All patients received chemotherapy following surgery. Median followup was 14 months. Median survival for the entire series was 18 months. One-year and three-year survival rates were 60.6% and 30.3%, respectively. Median survival for leiomyosarcomas (n=6) was seven months, while it was 44 months for intimal sarcomas (p=0.004). Three-year survival was 66.7% for intimal sarcomas and 0% for leiomyosarcomas. Conclusion: Pulmonary artery sarcoma may mimic chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Patients with a suspected diagnosis of pulmonary artery sarcoma should be referred to expert pulmonary endarterectomy centers for surgery where a multidisciplinary team is available. Pulmonary endarterectomy has both diagnostic and therapeutic value and may improve survival and quality of life. Patients with intimal sarcoma have longer survival compared to those with leiomyosarcoma.

Cardiovascular Surgeons' Medical Perspectives Regarding Social Media Usage: a Survey Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to evaluate the use of social media among cardiovascular surgery specialists and their respective perspectives. METHODS: In total, 173 cardiovascular surgeons were reached through an online survey. The surgeons surveyed were cardiovascular surgery specialists. The questionnaire consisted of 33 questions, including closed-ended and open-ended questions about social media. RESULTS: We found that 73.4% of the participants think that social media facilitates the communication of the patient with the doctor, and 87.9% think that social media increases the publicity of the physician. Furthermore, 80.9% of the participants believe that informing through social media creates information pollution. We found that personal use of Instagram was more common in state hospital cardiac surgeons. The number of patients who contacted surgeons in private hospital for surgery via social media were found to be statistically significant, and it was found that this group benefitted more economically. CONCLUSION: Social media usage rates of cardiovascular surgeons were found to be high. On the other hand, it was observed that the rate of surgeons who share medical content is low. However, half the cardiovascular surgeons who participated in the study believe that their colleagues do not fully comply with the ethical rules in medical sharing.

Elective Endovascular Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms with Modular and Unibody Type Endografts.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the performance of modular and unibody endografts for the endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). METHODS: Between January 2012 and December 2017, 130 elective infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms treated in an endovascular manner were retrospectively evaluated. Sixty-six patients with the modular type (Medtronic EndurantTM II and Lifetech AnkuraTM AAA) and 64 patients with the unibody type (Endologix AFX®) were compared with regards to early and postoperative one-year results. RESULTS: There was one in-hospital mortality (0.8%) in the modular group. There was no difference in postoperative first-year mortality rate between the two groups (p = 0.678). Loco-regional anesthesia was used more often in the unibody group [34 patients (53.1%)] and the use of general anesthesia was higher in the modular group [56 patients (84.8%)] (p < 0.001). While the duration of the procedure was shorter in the unibody group (p < 0.001), no statistically significant difference was found in the duration of fluoroscopy (p = 0.813) and the amount of contrast agent used (p = 0.553). The follow-up period in the intensive care unit was shorter in the modular group (p < 0.001). Moreover, the five-year survival rate was similar between the groups (84.8% in the modular group and 78.4% in the unibody group, log-rank p = 0.703). CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained in our study show that modular and unibody grafts are effective and reliable, although there are some negligible differences in the early period.

Long-term results of endovascular intervention with unibody bifurcation endograft for elective abdominal aortic aneurysm management.

Unibody bifurcated endografts have the advantage of reducing the operative time, avoiding migration and iliac limb dislocation in patient with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). We report our long-term experience in patients who underwent endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) due to infrarenal AAA with Endologix AFX® endograft system. Between January 2013-December 2018, 68 patients with infrarenal AAA had EVAR procedure with Endologix AFX® endograft system. Mean follow-up was 40.4 ± 19.5 months, and all patients had computed tomography periodically, with colored Doppler ultrasonography (CDUS) every six months. Mean age was 68.5 ± 7.1 years and, 63 (92.6%) patients were male. Early mortality, renal complications, stent-graft migration and cardiac complications were not seen in early post-operative period. There was no early mortality in the group and no conversion to open repair. In long-term follow-up 12 patients (17.6%) had endoleak (5 with type II, 7 with type III). Overall survival estimated by Kaplan-Meier analysis was 94.1% at 1 year, 85.2% at 2 years, 74.1% at 3 years and 54.0% at 5 years. Freedom from second intervention and conversion was 98.4% at 1 year, 95.3% at 2 years, 93.3% at 3 years and 87.4% at 5 years. Endologix AFX® endograft provides a fast, safe and effective endograft for the early period, therefore it seems more suitable for elderly and comorbid patients. This endograft has low reintervention rates however according to our results, aneurysms larger than 6 cm may have more sideway displacement possibility and by this way type III endoleak. Proper patient selection and sufficient overlap are the key issues. Close monitoring is mandatory at the follow-up period.

Anticoagulation therapy in pregnant women with mechanical heart valve.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate the effects of various anticoagulant regimens on prosthetic valve-related complications and pregnancy outcomes including feto-maternal mortality and morbidity, and to identify the most optimal anticoagulation therapy regimen. METHODS: Anticoagulant therapy regimens for pregnant women who underwent mechanical heart valve replacement between January 1990 and December 2015 was analyzed retrospectively. Seventy-two pregnancies among 57 patients after mechanical heart valve replacement were reviewed, and four different regimens were identified and evaluated during different trimesters of pregnancy. RESULTS: Forty of 72 pregnancies resulted in healthy newborns; 35 (48.6%) healthy neonates, four (5.6%) premature births, and one (1.4%) low birth weight. Eighteen (25%) therapeutic and 12 (16.7%) spontaneous abortions, as well as two (2.8%) stillbirths occurred. Seven valve thromboses developed during pregnancy or the postpartum period. Bleeding occurred in six patients (10.5%) and peripheral embolism also occurred in six patients (10.5%). No maternal mortalities were recorded. CONCLUSION: Although there is no consensus on the most optimal anticoagulant regimen during pregnancy, substituting warfarin with dose-adjusted unfractionated heparin or low-molecularweight heparin seems suitable to prevent teratogenicity and a high abortion rate in the first trimester. Low-molecular-weight heparin is practical to use and can be monitored reliably, resulting in successful pregnancy outcomes. However, warfarin throughout pregnancy ≤5 mg per day may be an alternative choice, if the risk of embryopathy is accepted by the pregnant woman.

Comparison of two different skin preparation strategies for open cardiac surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Surgical site infection (SSI) is a serious complication after cardiac surgery; skin preparation is an important step in the prevention of wound contamination with skin flora. In this study, two different skin preparation strategies (standard povidine iodine cleaning plus plain adhesive drape and microbial sealant (InteguSeal, Kimberly-Clark Health Care, Roswell, GA, USA) were compared in cardiac surgery patients. METHODOLOGY: This prospective study included 96 cardiac surgery patients randomized to either a standard plain adhesive drape (28 patients, control group) or a microbial sealant (68 patients, study group). Bacterial isolates were obtained from the wounds in the operating room before the skin incision and after the surgical procedure had ended. RESULTS: Microorganisms were isolated from 38 patients (39.6%) in the study population. Twenty-seven of these patients were from the microbial sealant group and 11 were from the plain adhesive drape group. No postoperative wound infection was encountered in either group. No statistically significant differences between the two groups regarding the number of patients with microorganism isolation (p = 0.974) or postoperative leukocyte counts and neutrophil granulocyte percentages were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Regarding SSI after cardiac surgery, microbial sealant is equivalent to the standard skin preparation strategy applied with povidine iodine cleaning and a plain adhesive drape.

Diagnostic accuracy of Doppler ultrasonography for assessment of internal thoracic artery graft patency.

OBJECTIVE: The main purpose of this study was to assess the patency of left internal thoracic artery (LITA) graft by using color Doppler ultrasonography (CDUSG) and furthermore to determine the sensitivity and specificity of CDUSG for patency by using coronary angiography as the reference standard. METHODS: This study is an observational cohort study on diagnostic accuracy that was held between August 2008 and October 2009. CDUSG was performed in 138 consecutive patients who had angina symptom or positive ischemic findings following coronary artery bypass surgery. LITA blood flow velocity at peak-systole (PSV), diastole (PDV) and end-diastole (EDV) was recorded. All patients were also assessed by coronary angiography for LITA graft patency. Statistical analysis was performed by using independent samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test and receiver operating curve analyses (ROC). RESULTS: Seventy-eight of all patients had functional LITA grafts and 59 patients had dysfunctional LITA grafts according to CDUSG-derived parameters, whereas we cannot conclude about one patient's LITA graft functionality. The LITA grafts were visualized angiographically in all cases. Of all 138 patients, 60 patients had dysfunctional LITA grafts after angiographic evaluation. The ROC analyses showed that PDV (AUC=0.899, 95% CI 0.844 to 0.953; p<0.001) and EDV (AUC=0.900; 95% CI 0.847 to 0.953; p<0.001) values were also strongly associated with graft functionality. We found out that CDUSG predicts LITA graft functionality with a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 98.4% respectively. The accuracy of the CDUSG was calculated as 99.3%. CONCLUSION: CDUSG is a reliable non-invasive method for assessment of LITA graft patency.