Transcatheter stenting of superior vena cava to treat postoperative SVC syndrome in a child: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Superior vena cava (SVC) obstruction leading to SVC syndrome is an uncommon but potential complication of cardiac surgeries that involve dissection and anastomosis around the great vein. We present a case of iatrogenic SVC obstruction that was initially treated with transcatheter balloon angioplasty, which provided temporary relief, and ultimately resolved by stenting the affected segment. CASE PRESENTATION: The index case underwent total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) repair and presented 3 months after surgery with features of SVC obstruction. Initially, transcatheter balloon angioplasty was performed, providing relief from the obstruction; however, the condition recurred within one month. Finally, the patient was treated with percutaneous stenting of superior vena cava, through femoral venous route, using 8 mm × 30 mm balloon-expandable bare metal stent (Formula 418, Cook Medical, Bloomington, IN). Remarkable relief of obstruction was established with decrease in mean gradient across SVC-right atrium junction to 2 mm Hg (from 12 mm Hg before balloon angioplasty and 18 mm Hg before stenting). CONCLUSION: Percutaneous treatment for iatrogenic SVC obstruction developing after cardiac surgery appears to be effective. Close monitoring is required in the postoperative period for early diagnosis and timely intervention.

Pre-operative anaemia-does it influence post-operative outcomes after isolated coronary artery bypass grafting?

Introduction: Preoperative anaemia is prevalent in a number of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Studies provide conflicting results due to several reasons including variation in the threshold of haematocrit used to define anaemia. We aimed to assess the independent effect of preoperative anaemia on outcomes in patients undergoing off pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB). Methods: In this retrospective study, patients with a hemoglobin level less than 11g/dl (haematocrit <33%) were considered to have moderate-to-severe anaemia as per the recommendations of the World Health Organization. Association between haematocrit <33% and mortality as well as adverse post-operative outcomes was assessed. Multivariable logistic regression (MLR) was carried out to assess the independent effect of haematocrit<33% on 30-day mortality and other outcomes. Results: The study included 4957 consecutive patients undergoing isolated OPCAB surgery between 2015 and 2020. Out of 4957, 635 (12.8%) had haematocrit <33% and 4322 (81.2%) had haematocrit ≥33%. Patients with haematocrit < 33% had a 30-day mortality of 13 (2%) compared to 38 (0.9%) in patients without anaemia and had a greater requirement for blood transfusion (p<0.0001). It was also associated with an increased incidence of renal failure (p<0.0001), tracheostomy (p=.0.012) and risk of re-intubation (p=0.006). On multiple linear regression (MLR), haematocrit < 33% was not an independent predictor of 30-day mortality odds ratio (OR) 1.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.745-2.917; p=0.26. It was however an important independent risk factor for blood transfusion (OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.29-2.50, p<0.001) and renal failure (OR 3.06, 95% CI 1.338-7.012, p=0.008). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC)-area under the curve (AUC) was 0.63 suggesting moderate discriminatory value of haematocrit < 33% for 30-day mortality. Conclusion: Haematocrit < 33% is an important risk factor for adverse outcomes following isolated, primary, elective OPCAB. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12055-024-01746-1.

Impact of distension pressure on saphenous vein endothelial injury in coronary artery bypass grafting.

Introduction: Long saphenous vein grafts (LSVGs) are pivotal conduits in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), yet concerns persist regarding early failure and long-term patency. Endothelial damage, a potent initiator of graft failure, necessitates exploration of factors contributing to endothelial injury during LSVG preparation. Methods: A prospective, single-center study was conducted, assessing the impact of unregulated distension pressure on LSVG endothelium during CABG. Histological and CD31 (cluster of differentiation 31) immunohistochemical analyses were performed on 21 paired vein samples, categorized into non-distended (group A) and distended (group B) groups. Pressure recordings were obtained using different syringe sizes during vein distension. Results: Histological examination revealed a significantly higher percentage of endothelial cell loss in distended veins (31.95% ± 31.31) compared to non-distended veins (11.67% ± 28.65) (p = 0.034). CD31 immunohistochemistry corroborated greater endothelial cell loss in distended veins (p = 0.001). The pressure recordings with a 20-cc syringe, as opposed to using a 10-cc syringe, were considerably lower (44.5 mmHg vs. 92.75 mmHg) emphasizing the inverse relationship between syringe size and pressure generated. In our study, pre-existing endothelial injury was observed in one-third of diabetic patients (36%), with all instances of such injury exclusively identified in individuals with diabetes. Conclusion: Unregulated distension pressure during LSVG preparation is associated with greater endothelial damage, as evidenced by histological and immunohistochemical analyses. The inverse relationship between syringe size and pressure underscores the importance of controlled distension.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging for myocardial viability assessment: Optimizing surgical revascularization in ischemic heart disease.

BACKGROUND: Patients with poor ejection fraction undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting carry higher operative risk and have poor long-term survival. Cardiac magnetic resonance is a useful modality to assess viability which can identify patients likely to benefit most from revascularization. In this study, we aimed to assess the outcome in patients selected for surgical revascularization by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and identify predictors associated with poor outcomes. METHODS: The study included patients with severely impaired left ventricular function but with at least six viable segments. Patients requiring emergency surgery, undergoing combined procedures, or where cardiopulmonary bypass was required were excluded. Cardiac magnetic resonance was carried out both preoperatively and at six months postoperatively by the same radiologist in all cases. Late gadolinium enhancement was used for the evaluation of myocardial viability. RESULTS: Amongst a total of 493 segments studied, there were 89 (18.1%) non-viable, 117 (23.7%) hibernating and 287 (58.2%) viable segments. At six months, the number of non-viable segments changed from 89 (18.1%) to 97 (19.7%), with an increase in viable segments from 287 (58.2%) to 374 (75.8%) and a corresponding reduction of hibernating segments from 117 (23.7%) to 22 (4.5%). There was improvement in ejection fraction from 28 ± 5.54 to 37 ± 5.86 (p < 0.0001) in the entire cohort at six months. Overall mortality was 1 (3.2%). Preoperative left ventricular end-systolic volume had the strongest negative correlation with post-operative ejection fraction. CONCLUSION: Cardiac magnetic resonance aided revascularization is associated with low mortality. Preoperative left ventricular end-systolic volume is an important determinant of postoperative ejection fraction.

Late presentation of aortopulmonary window: a contemporary series.

Late presentation of aortopulmonary window (APW) beyond infancy is uncommon and many of these cases are inoperable due to development of progressive pulmonary hypertension and Eisenmenger syndrome. Outcome data in this cohort is thus sparse and the aim of this study was to analyze the outcomes in patients with APW operable beyond 1 year of age. Between September 2016 and March 2020, in a single center, 12 consecutive patients older than 1 year, undergoing surgery for APW, were included in the study. The median age and weight at presentation were 7.5 years (interquartile range (IQR) 4-9.5) and 15 kg (IQR 11.7-19.5). Ten (83.3%) patients had type 1 APW (proximal type) and 2 (16.6%) had a type 2 APW (distal type). Eight (66.6%) patients had associated lesions. Transaortic patch closure of APW was done in all cases. Seven (58.3%) patients were extubated within 3.5 h of admission in intensive care. There were no early deaths or during follow-up. The median follow-up duration was 20.5 months (IQR 7.5-24), and all patients were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class I at last follow-up. Follow-up echocardiography did not reveal any significant residual shunts necessitating any additional procedure and a consistent decrease in pulmonary artery pressures. Surgery in patients with APW beyond 1 year of age is possible in selected patients. The early and intermediate surgical outcomes in patients who remain operable are excellent.

A case of partial anomalous systemic venous drainage and perioperative detection of cerebral arteriovenous malformations.

We report a case of 8-year-old boy with unexplained desaturation and clubbing. Echocardiography showed anomalous drainage of right superior vena cava into left atrium. He did not have any neurological symptoms preoperatively. Some perioperative observations and subtle postoperative behavioral changes prompted us to investigate him further. He was found to have extensive cerebral arteriovenous malformations and hemiatrophy of brain.