Minimal dissection and continuous retrograde cardioplegia for aortic valve replacement in patients with a patent left internal mammary artery bypass graft.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Aortic valve replacement (AVR) in patients with previous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and a patent pedicled internal mammary artery (IMA) is often complicated by a need to dissect and clamp the IMA to achieve optimal myocardial protection. Eliminating this need may simplify and facilitate surgery; hence, a new surgical technique for use in these patients is described. METHODS: Five patients with previous CABG and functioning IMA who required AVR between January 1998 and October 2002 were studied. In all patients, the IMA was neither dissected nor clamped. Myocardial protection comprised an initial bolus of antegrade cardioplegia, followed by continuous retrograde infusion of tepid non-diluted oxygenated blood, supplemented with cardioplegic drugs to maintain cardiac arrest. The systemic and myocardial temperature was 30-32 degrees C. RESULTS: All patients underwent surgery as planned, and there was no operative mortality or myocardial infarction. One patient sustained a minor stroke. None of the IMA was injured. CONCLUSION: In patients requiring AVR, it is both possible and reasonable to leave the IMA undissected and unclamped. Limited experience suggests that this new technique provides adequate myocardial protection, while keeping surgery both simple and safe.

Briefly occlusive coronary anastomosis with tissue adhesive.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed the feasibility of a facilitated, briefly occlusive, sutureless coronary anastomosis technique in which side-to-side preglued (octylcyanoacrylate adhesive) bounded walls were opened by a conventional arteriotomy. METHODS: In low-flow (prothrombotic milieu,

Cannulation of a LIMA graft via the right brachial arterial route using a MANI catheter: an alternative approach.

Some different revascularization methods including coronary artery bypass surgery can be performed in the treatment of coronary artery disease. Saphenous vein grafts and/or arterial grafts including left internal mammary artery (LIMA) can be implanted during coronary bypass surgery. It is necessary to perform cannulation of the LIMA, in order to diagnose and treat these patients. In addition to conventional internal mammary artery catheters, several types of catheters can be used for this purpose. In general, LIMA catheterization via the femoral artery has been preferred over other methods. However, the right brachial arterial approach can be mandatory in some rare conditions. In this report, we describe an alternative method to the conventional techniques of the LIMA graft angiography via the right brachial arterial approach using a MANI catheter. According to our knowledge, no data are available using the MANI catheter for this purpose in the current literature.

Low-dose aprotinin in internal mammary artery bypass operations contributes to important blood saving.

The effect on postoperative blood loss and blood use of blood-saving treatment with or without 280 mg of low-dose aprotinin (2 million kallikrein inactivator units) was studied in 200 consecutive patients undergoing either unilateral or bilateral internal mammary artery bypass grafting. Postoperative blood loss and total units of homologous blood products were similar in patients having either bypass procedure without aprotinin treatment. In patients given aprotinin, postoperative blood loss and use of homologous blood products were significantly lower (p < 0.05). The use of any donor blood product was prevented in 78% of the patients given aprotinin versus only 45% of patients treated without aprotinin. None of the aprotinin-treated patients underwent repeat thoracotomy for excessive bleeding; repeat thoracotomy was indicated in 8% of the patients having bilateral internal mammary artery grafting without aprotinin treatment. These results demonstrate that low-dose aprotinin reduces blood loss and blood use significantly and prevents excessive bleeding.

Chest wall pain after aortocoronary bypass surgery using internal mammary artery graft: a new pain syndrome?

During an 18-month period 11 patients were seen at the Toronto Western Hospital Pain Clinic 4 months to 5 years after internal mammary artery (IMA) bypass with a specific cluster of chest wall symptoms and signs confined to the site of IMA graft harvesting. Sympathetic ganglia blocks produced dramatic but temporary relief of symptoms in two of the most severely affected patients. In two other patients seen quite early after surgery, use of transcutaneous electrical stimulation produced considerable and permanent decrease of symptoms within 3 weeks. Such a chronic pain syndrome has not been previously reported in the literature. We postulate that IMA bypass surgery may be associated with a specific pain syndrome. This syndrome may arise from injury to the anterior branches of the intercostal nerves at the site of graft harvesting. Possible neurophysiologic mechanisms are discussed.

Uso da nifedipina no pós-operatório de pacientes submetidos à cirurgia coronária com artéria mamária / The uso of nifedipine in the postoperative period of patients subjected to coronary surgery with mammary artery

Vinte pacientes consecutivos, submetidos à revascularizaçäo do miocárido através de anastomose de, no mínimo, uma artéria mamária e utilizando-se nifedipina no pós-operatório imediato, foram estudados. Eles foram avaliados clínica, eletrocardiograficamente e através da CK-MB, visando evitar espasmo da artéria mamária. Em nenhum doente houve manifestaçäo anginosa, alteraçäo eletrocardiográfica ou da curva enzimática, o que sugere a eficácia da nifedipina na prevençäo de uma grave complicaçäo