Coronary artery bypass in patients over 70 years of age: indications and results.

With recent advances in all phases of coronary care and the increasing success of coronary arterial surgery, operative treatment of coronary artery disease is more readily recommended, even for patients over 70 years of age. In a series of 3,730 patients who underwent aortocoronary bypass from November 1969 through June 1974, there were 95 patients who were 70 years of age or older. The primary indication for surgery was severe angina, which was present in 88 patients. The mean coronary arterial score was 9.51. Associated valvular lesions were treated surgically in 21 patients, and a left ventricular aneurysm was resected in 7. Improvements in surgical technique and postoperative care are responsible for the hospital mortality rate of only 4.8 percent in the 21 patients operated upon during the first 6 months of 1974 compared with the overall mortality rate of 22.1 percent in all 95 patients. Long-term follow-up among the 95 patients includes data from 33 patients: 9 patients whose condition improved, 21 who were asymptomatic and 1 "coronary death".

Patch enlargement of the aortic valve ring by extending the aortic incision into the anterior mitral leaflet. New operative technique.

This communication describes a new surgical procedure of enlarging the narrow aortic valve ring by extending the aortic incision through the fibrous origin of the aortic leaflet of the mitral valve into this leaflet. A fusiform patch is sutured to the V-shaped defect in the aortic leaflet of the mitral valve and in the aortic anulus. This procedure permits the replacement of the aortic valve by a suitable prosthesis. Between June of 1976 and February of 1978, eight patients underwent this surgical procedure. At the time of operation the patients were between 8 and 50 years old. The estimated enlargement of the aortic root ranged from 10 to 25 mm. The operative technique is described, peculiarities of this method are discussed, and the results are reported. Six to 27 months following operation, the clinical condition of six patients is good. Four patients show no impairment of mitral valve function. In one case, preoperatively diagnosed mitral incompetence persists. In another patient the pericardial patch broke from the aortic leaflet of the mitral valve, so that the valve had to be replaced on the fourth postoperative day. One patient died of myocardial necrosis because of insufficient myocardial protection during operation. One child with acute aortic insufficiency caused by staphylococcal endocarditis and congestive heart failure died of septicemia 3 months postoperatively. Mitral incompetence was not detectable in this child.

Repair of ventricular septal defect after pulmonary artery banding.

Since 1964, 90 patients have undergone two-stage surgical repair of ventricular septal defect (VSD) with pulmonary artery banding (PAB) in early infancy and total repair at an average age of 4 years. Reconstruction of the pulmonary artery was accomplished with a pericardial patch, woven Dacron patch, or transverse angioplasty. The VSD was closed with a knitted Dacron patch in 75 patients and by primary suture technique in 13 patients. The VSD closed spontaneously in 2 patients. The mortality rate for patients who had repair and debanding was 9 per cent (8 patients), including 4 deaths due to severe pulmonary hypertensive disease, 3 from congestive heart failure, and one from atrioventricular block. Twenty patients underwent repeat cardiac catheterization several months to 7 years after total repair. This study revealed no shunt in 16 patients and a minimal shunt not requiring operation in the other 4 children. Slight residual stenosis of the pulmonary artery was found in 2 patients and a residual infundibular stenosis in another 2 patients. We believe two-stage surgical treatment of VSD in severely ill infants under one year of age is safe and reliable.

Aneurysm of pericardial right ventricular outflow tract patches.

Among 1,022 patients who underwent repair of tetralogy of Fallot, 252 received a pericardial patch of the right ventricular outflow tract; of these, 10 subsequently developed an aneurysm of the right ventricular outflow tract. Cardiac catheterization and angiography revealed moderate pulmonary insufficiency in all patients, a residual pressure gradient in the right ventricular outflow tract in 7, and a residual ventricular septal defect in 2 patients. Reoperation was indicated in 8 patients because of progressive distention of the aneurysm, residual infundibular or pulmonary artery stenosis, and recurrent ventricular septal defect. Reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract was accomplished by resection of the aneurysm and insertion of a woven Dacron patch in 5 patients, primary suture of the pulmonary artery in 2, and implantation of a woven Dacron conduit containing a Björk-Shiley cardiac valve prosthesis in 1 patient. There were no early or late deaths. When reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract is necessary, we recommend a woven Dacron patch because pericardium may form an aneurysm.

Early and late results after surgical treatment of preinfarction angina.

Among 3,707 patients who underwent aortocoronary bypass, 302 had preinfarction angina. Coronary angiography revealed single-vessel disease in 43 patients, double-vessel disease in 81, and triple in 178 patients. Plane ventriculography showed contractility to be normal in 178 patients, fair in 88, and poor in 36 patients. Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was normal in 203 patients, 13 to 23 mm Hg in 73, and larger than or equal to 24 mm Hg in 26 patients. Using cardiopulmonary bypass and moderate hypothermia, single coronary bypass was performed in 45 patients, double bypass in 120 patients, triple in 118 patients, quadruple in 15, and quintuple in 4 patients. Right coronary artery endarterectomy was necessary in 22 patients. The early mortality was 6.6% (20 patients) and was strongly related to poor contractility and congestive heart failure. One- to four-year follow-up data were obtained in 126 patients. Late myocardial infarction occurred in 11 patients and caused 4 late deaths; 3 unrelated deaths occurred. Ten patients experienced no benefit from their operations, 56 are completely asymptomatic, and 53 are significantly improved. Our results show that surgical intervention can improve the poor prognosis of preinfarction angina and appears to be superior to medical treatment.

Intermediate follow up of the TEKNA bileaflet valve.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aim was to collect intermediate clinical data on the TEKNA bileaflet valve. METHODS: This nine-center clinical study involved 884 patients implanted between June 1990 and October 1993. The population consisted of 522 (59.0%) males and 362 (41.0%) females. Mean age at implant was 59.1 +/- 11.8 years (range: 14.7 to 88.4 years). Indication for valve replacement was dependent on the position: stenosis was the predominant reason in the aortic position; regurgitation was more pronounced for the mitral position. A total of 261 (29.5%) patients underwent concomitant procedures. Mean follow up is 2.7 +/- 1.2 years; total follow up is 2386.1 patient-years (pt-yr). RESULTS: Total operative (< or = 30 days postoperative) mortality rate was 3.7%; seven patients (0.8%) died due to valve-related causes. Total postoperative (> 30 days postoperative) mortality rate was 2.5%/pt-yr and included a valve-related mortality rate of 1.1%/pt-yr. The following valve-related complication rates (%/pt-yr) were reported for the long-term postoperative period: thromboembolism 0.6; valve thrombosis 0.3; bleeding events 1.5; non-structural deterioration 0.6; and endocarditis 0.4. No structural valve deterioration was reported. Actuarial freedom at four years was: overall survival rate 86.9 +/- 1.4%; valve-related survival rate 94.7 +/- 1.0%; freedom from thromboembolism 96.8 +/- 0.9%; valve thrombosis 99.3 +/- 0.3%; endocarditis 98.5 +/- 0.5%; bleeding events 94.3 +/- 1.0%; and non-structural deterioration 98.2 +/- 0.6%. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate that observed mortality is due mainly to non-valve-related disorders. Risk of thromboembolic and bleeding events was low (0.9%/pt-yr and 1.5%/pt-yr, respectively). We conclude that this valve is safe and efficacious for use.

Combined application of metabolic myocardial arrest and general profound hypothermia in aortic valve replacement.

To determine the value of general hypothermia in combination with magnesium-aspartate-procaine induced metabolic myocardial arrest, the surgical results of 2 similar groups of patients subjected to aortic valve replacement were compared. Metabolic arrest of the myocardium was achieved under mild hypothermic conditions in group I (71 patients) and in profound hypothermia in group II (48 patients). The operative mortality was 5.6% in group I and 4.1% in group II. There was no cardiac related with in group II. In group I two deaths were due to a low cardiac output state. In addition, 3 patients required inotropic support during the early postoperative period. Our results indicate, that magnesium-aspartate-procaine induced cardioplegia in combination with general profound hypothermia can provide effective myocardial protection during aortic valve replacement.

Surgical treatment of acute dissecting aneurysm of the ascending aorta.

Since 1959, 51 patients underwent open heart surgery for correction of an acute dissecting aneurysm of the ascending aorta. Upon admission, 33 patients were severely hypotensive or in progressive heart failure. Acute aortic insufficiency was found in 24 patients, and hemiplegia or hemiparesis in four. In 45 patients the ascending aorta was reconstructed with a woven Dacron graft. After excision of the dissected part of the aorta, primary anastomosis or patch aortoplasty was performed in six patients. The aortic valve remained intact in 26 patients, and resuspension of the commissures restored competence of the aortic valve in another nine. Sixteen patients required aortic valve replacement because of disrupture of the commissures. Dissection extended into the coronary ostia in nine cases. Reconstruction of the coronary system was accomplished by reimplantation of the ostia, interposition of a vein graft or aortocoronary bypass. Nine patients died within the early postoperative course from uncontrollable hemorrhage (four), further dissection (three) and myocardial infarction (two). Within the first year after surgery, another five patients died from acute aortic dissection (two), pseudomonas infection causing rupture of the proximal graft anastomosis (one) and myocardial infarction (two). Contraindications of antihypertensive treatment of acute dissection of the ascending aorta are discussed. We recommend prompt surgical intervention in acute dissecting aneurysms of the ascending aorta.

Estimation of adequate subendocardial blood flow by online computation of systolic pressure time index and diastolic pressure time index after cardiopulmonary bypass.

Subendocardial perfusion was monitored in 48 patients subjected to valve replacement by calculation of diastolic pressure time index (DPTI), systolic pressure time index (TTI) and DPTI/TTI. An on-line computer which derives these values from the systemic pressure and wave-form was applied. For myocardial protection general body hypothermia (esophageal temperature 25 degrees C) and hypothermic injection cardioplegia were employed. No low cardiac output state occurred and no inotropic drugs were required. In all patients DPTI/TTI rose above 1 within 60 minutes from termination of cardiopulmonary bypass so that the necessity to intraaortic balloon counterpulsation could be denied in all cases. We believe that the calculation of DPTI/TTI after extracorporeal circulation is a useful modality to predict the adequacy of subendocardial perfusion and monitor myocardial performance.

Clinical comparison between membrane and bubble oxygenators in cardiopulmonary bypass.

The clinical course of two similar patient groups was compared in whom, during cardiopulmonary bypass, a membrane or bubble oxygenator was employed. According to our results there is no significant functional difference between the two types of oxygenators as long as the perfusion time does not exceed 90 minutes. Beyond this time limit, the membrane oxygenator has distinct advantages, particularly with regard to hemolysis. We presently prefer the bubble oxygenator. The use of a membrane oxygenator is restricted to complex open heart procedures with suspected technical problems.

Repair of symptomatic aortic coarctation in the first three months of life. Early and late results after resection and end-to-end anastomosis and subclavian flap angioplasty.

During a 9 year period between January 1977 and December 1985, 98 consecutive infants under 3 months of age underwent surgical repair of symptomatic aortic coarctation. Resection and end-to-end anastomosis was performed in 73, subclavian flap angioplasty in 14, and other procedures in 11 patients. There were 20 (20.5%) early and 12 (12.5%) late deaths. No early deaths occurred in the isolated coarctation group. Associated complex cardiac malformations and age under 2 weeks at operation influenced significantly early and late outcome but not any particular surgical procedure. The survivors were followed from 6 months to 8 years and 8 months postoperatively. There were 16 (28%) re-coarctations among 56 survivors after end-to-end anastomosis requiring re-operation in 7 (12%) infants and 3 (30%) re-coarctations among 10 survivors after subclavian flap angioplasty requiring re-operation in 1 infant. After end-to-end anastomosis re-coarctation as well as re-operation rate was markedly lower when an interrupted suture line for the entire anastomosis was used as compared to the group with a continuous suture line of the posterior aortic wall (21% vs. 33% re-coarctation rate and 4% vs. 18% re-operation rate respectively). From our results it is concluded that subclavian flap angioplasty for relief of aortic coarctation in early infancy is not superior to resection and end-to-end anastomosis. In the end-to-end anastomosis group an interrupted suture line has a lower re-coarctation as well as re-operation rate as compared to a continuous suture line of the posterior aortic wall.

Aortic arch replacement with profound hypothermia and temporary circulatory arrest.

Two cases of aortic arch aneurysm are reported. In each case, resection and replacement with a woven Dacron graft were performed with the patient in profound hypothermia and temporary circulatory arrest. Barbiturates and lidocaine provided additional cerebral protection. One patient died 27 days postoperatively of hepatic failure due to preexisting alcoholic liver cirrhosis. Clinical and autopsy studies showed intact neurological function and cerebral structures. The second patient had an uneventful postoperative course. The neurological examination, the skull computer tomogram and electroencephalogram disclosed no evidence of cerebral ischemic damage. Our findings suggest that by using barbiturates and lidocaine with profound hypothermia and temporary circulatory arrest, adequate cerebral protection for aortic arch replacement is provided.

Mechanical circulatory support with the Impella 5.0 device for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock: a three-center experience.

AIM: Postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock (PCCS) is associated with high mortality rates, despite full conventional treatment. Although the results of treatment with surgically implantable ventricular assist devices have been encouraging, the invasiveness of this treatment limits its applicability. Several less invasive devices have been developed, including the Impella system. The objective of this study was to describe our three-center experience with the Impella 5.0 device in the setting of PCCS. METHODS: From January 2004 through December 2010, a total of 46 patients were diagnosed with treatment-refractory PCCS and treated with the Impella 5.0 percutaneous left ventricular assist device at three european heart centers. Baseline and follow-up characteristics were collected retrospectively and entered into a dedicated database. RESULTS: Within the study cohort of 46 patients, mean logistic and additive EuroSCORES were 24 ± 19 and 10 ± 4. The majority of patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (48%) or combined surgery (33%). Half of all patients had been treated with an intra-aortic balloon pump before 5.0-implantation, 1 patient had been treated with an Impella 2.5 device. All patients were on mechanical ventilation and intravenous inotropes. The Kaplan-Meier estimate of overall 30-day survival was 39.5%. CONCLUSION: Thirty-day survival rates for patients with PCCS, refractory to aggressive conventional treatment and treated with the Impella 5.0 device, are comparable to those reported in studies evaluating surgically implantable VADs, whereas the Impella system is much less invasive. Therefore, mechanical circulatory support with the Impella 5.0 device is a suitable treatment modality for patients with severe PCCS.

Clinical experience with enlargement of the aortic anulus by extension of the aortic incision into the anterior mitral leaflet.

Implantation of a small-sized biological prosthesis into a hypoplastic aortic annulus causes significant resting gradients. To make insertion of a suitable biological valve possible, we recommend enlargement of the aortic annulus by extension of the aortic incision into the anterior mitral leaflet for approximately 2 cm. A woven Dacron patch is sutured into the V-shaped defect of the anterior mitral leaflet and the aortic ring. This procedure results in enlargement of the aortic circumference of approximately 20 mm. We have applied this technique in 13 patients with severe aortic valvular disease and a hypoplastic aortic annulus. In all patients a prosthesis with a diameter of at least 25 mm could be implanted. The maximal postoperative pressure gradient measured 18 mmHg. There was no early death related to this operative method. All survivors have excellent clinical results with no evidence of mitral regurgitation. This operation represents a practicable alternative method to left ventricular apico-aortic conduit implantation.

[Palliative and corrective cardiac surgery in Down's syndrome (author's transl)]. / Palliative und korrektive Herzchirurgie bei Morbus Down

Since 1970 46 infants and children with Down's Syndrome were subjected to palliation of congenital heart disease, and 54 mongoloid children underwent correction of their cardiac defects. The most common cardiac malformation was endocardial cushion defect (72%). Palliation consisted in pulmonary artery banding (PAB) with or without division of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in 16 infants, and sole division of a PDA in another 16 infants with large left to right shunts due to common canalis atrioventricularis (avcanal) or ventricular septal defect (VSD). An aorto-pulmonary anastomosis was performed for relief of severe hypoxia due to right ventricular outflow tract obstruction (RVOTO) in 14 patients. Operative mortality was 41% for PAB, 21% for aortopulmonary anastomosis, anastomosis, and 0% for division of a PDA. In the group of corrective cardiac surgery the operative mortality rate was 0% in ostium primum defects and 4% in VSD closure. Correction of complete av-canal and of malformations with RVOTO had a high mortality rate of 20 and 40%, respectively. Similar results were obtained in nonmongoloid children operated upon for the same cardiac defects. The complications and causes of death were due to the complexity of the cardiac malformations and had no relation to the Down's Syndrome itself. Mongoloid children do not pose additional medical problems to management of congenital heart disease. Their results do not differ from those obtained in nonmongoloid children.

[Two stage surgical treatment of large ventricular septal defects (author's transl)]. / Ergebnisse der chirurgischen Zweiphasenbehandlung grosser Ventrikelseptumdefekte

Since March 1971, 51 infants were subjected to pulmonary artery banding (PAB) for a large ventricular septal defect (VSD) with pulmonary hypertension. 41 infants (80%) were under six months of age. Additional defects were present in 41%. Twelve babies died (24%). The lowest mortality was achieved in isolated VSD (6,7%). 28 patients subsequently underwent VSD closure and pulmonary artery debanding. Catheterization data revealed normal or slightly elevated pressures and normal vascular resistance in the pulmonary circuit in 22 children. The operative mortality rate was 10,7%.