Evaluation of endovascular treatment of chronic limb-threatening ischemia for patients in the PLAN gray zone.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the results of endovascular therapy for chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) in patients categorized under the gray and yellow zones of the patient risk, limb severity, and anatomic pattern (PLAN) concept over a 2-year follow-up period. METHODS: Patients who underwent endovascular therapy for peripheral artery disease and presented with CLTI from February 2017 to February 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were grouped into yellow and gray zones based on the PLAN concept. Preoperative and postoperative walking distances, Rutherford classes, and postoperative target vessel patency rates were recorded and compared between the groups. Follow-up evaluations were performed at 1, 6, 12, and 24 months post-procedure. RESULTS: Of the 387 patients evaluated, the yellow and gray groups comprised 88 patients each. The overall patency rates were similar between the groups (84 (95.45%) vs. 81 (92.05%), respectively). The occlusion-/stenosis-free survival times, amputation-free survival time, and mean survival time were not significantly different. However, the gray group had a significantly higher number of atherectomy interventions (74 vs. 59) and crosser devices used (62 vs. 42). CONCLUSION: Endovascular therapy is an effective treatment option for patients in the gray zone of the PLAN color coding system.

Comparative clinical efficacy of novel bidirectional cannula in cardiac surgery via peripheral cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the novel bidirectional cannula that ensures stable distal perfusion compared to conventional cannula in patients undergoing femoral arterial cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). METHODS: During a 1-year period, 64 patients undergoing surgery via peripheral cannulation were prospectively randomized to receive 19 F bidirectional (Biflow™, LivaNova, Italy) or 19 F conventional (HLS Peripheral cannula, Getinge Group™, Germany) cannula with 6 F downstream line (Bicakcilar™, Turkey) for femoral artery cannulation. The primary outcome included the efficacy (adequacy of antegrade/retrograde comparative flow via cannula measured by doppler ultrasonography) and the secondary outcome was the safety (early/late complications and adverse events). RESULTS: Percent flow (distal/proximal) after cannulation measured by doppler ultrasonography was significantly better in study group (33.1 ± 5 ml/min) versus downstream cannula (16.1 ± 4, p = 0.012). SpO2 measured by near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) also demonstrated significantly better saturation in distal calf of the cannulated leg in bidirectional cannula group (67.5% ± 10% vs 52.5 ± 8, p = 0.04). The incidence of serious adverse events was seroma on femoral region (one patient), superficial wound infection (one patient), pseudo-hematoma (two patients) in bidirectional cannula group and in-hospital femoral embolectomy/artery repair (two patients), superficial wound infection (three patients), cannulation site hematoma (three patients) in conventional cannula group. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that in patients undergoing femoral arterial cannulation for CPB during cardiac surgery, the use of a novel bidirectional cannula is safe and easy to insert and provides stable distal perfusion of the cannulated limb.

Can Right Infra-Axillary Vertical Thoracotomy Make a Big Difference in Surgical Technique Preference?

AIM: Minimally invasive techniques in the surgical treatment of congenital heart diseases have gained popularity recently. Right infra-axillary vertical thoracotomy (RIAVT) is one of these techniques. The aim of this study is to investigate the postoperative morbidity and cosmetic results of the right infraaxillary thoracotomy technique and compare them with the results in the literature. METHOD: All patients who had undergone cardiac surgery using RIAVT at the Ankara City Hospital Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic between 2019 and 2021 were enrolled in the study. Preoperative echocardiographic diagnoses, intraoperative surgical data and postoperative morbidity data of the patients was obtained. In addition, surgical incision length was measured and recorded for the evaluation of cosmetic outcome. This data was then compared with data from similar studies in the literature. RESULT: Between January 2019 and December 2021, 59 patients were operated on using RIAVT. Of the RIAVT patients, 45 (76%) were female and 14 (24%) were male. The mean weight of the patients was 22.38±12.48 kg. Although the youngest patient was a 5-month-old infant weighing 4 kg, the oldest one was 15-years-old weighing 57 kg. Isolated secundum atrial septal defect (ASD) repair (primary or patch) was performed in 47 patients. One (1) patient with Primum ASD and mitral cleft, 1 patient with secundum ASD and perimembranous ventricular septal defect (VSD) repair, nine patients with high venosum ASD and PAPVC, and one patient with a discrete subaortic membrane were operated on. The surgical incision length was between 4 to 5 cm. CONCLUSION: RIAVT is an important surgical alternative to median sternotomy in selected cases with certain pathologies. It can be performed safely in various congenital heart anomalies and provides excellent functional and cosmetic results in the long-term when compared to other surgical methods.

The use of strain-gauge plethysmography in the functional assessment of chronic venous disease: five-year experience at a single centre.

OBJECTIVE: Plethysmography can be used in the diagnosis and evaluation of chronic venous disease in the lower extremities. This study aimed to evaluate the applicability and reliability of strain-gauge plethysmography (SDP) in the functional assessment of chronic venous disease. METHODS: This descriptive study was conducted between 2016 and 2021 at a single centre. Four hundred and thirty-two patients with symptomatic chronic venous disease were included in the study. All participants were diagnosed initially with Doppler ultrasonography. SGP was then performed to evaluate venous outflow capacity, venous reflux and muscle pump function. RESULTS: The average age was 45.16 ± 12.54 years (median age 46 years; range 20-78 years), and 239 (55.3%) women and 193 (44.7%) men were included in the study. The age groups, diagnosis, pathological distribution and risk factors were quantitatively determined according to gender. Localisation and lateralisation statistics of the pathologies are given. SGP measurements, including venous volume (V), venous emptying (VE), expelled volume ratio in four seconds (EV4/V), half refilling time (t½) and refilling volume (RV) of each lower extremity, were done individually to compare the involved extremity with the normal contralateral side. SGP measurements of each affected lower limb were also compared separately by gender, age group and disease onset. The correlation between t½ values and skin discolouration or oedema of the affected limb was examined. Finally, receiver operating characteristic curve analyses of the V, VE, EV4/V, t½ and RV values were done, and the cut-off values of each parameter were defined accordingly. CONCLUSION: High reliability and consistent results indicate that SGP is a practical and sensitive test for quantitative functional assessment of patients with chronic venous disease. It can be used as an effective method in diagnosing and following up chronic venous disorders. As there are no currently accepted cut-off values, we suggest that ours can be used as new reference values for SGP measurements.

Pharmacomechanical catheter-directed thrombolysis for acute iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis in a large study population.

BACKGROUND: We have analyzed our single-center immediate and follow-up results in the management of acute iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis (IFDVT) using pharmacomechanical catheter-directed thrombolysis (PMCDT) to determine the safety, accuracy, and effects on quality of life and whether this treatment strategy prevents post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS). METHODS: The cases of 230 patients who had undergone PMCDT to treat IFDVT from January 2017 to December 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. The preoperative, operative, and postoperative variables, Marder scores, outcomes, and follow-up assessments with the Villalta score and venous clinical severity score were investigated. RESULTS: Anatomic success was achieved for 95.2% of the 230 patients. The mean Marder score had decreased from 12.65 ± 2.1 to 2.4 ± 1.3 postoperatively (P < .01). Early recurrent thrombosis had developed in 13 patients (5.65%). The primary patency at the 1-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up visits was 94.0%, 87.2%, and 81.7%, respectively. From 1 to 6 months, the Villalta score had decreased from 8.32 ± 4.14 to 3.43 ± 0.61 and the venous clinical severity score had decreased from 4.0 ± 1.8 to 1.82 ± 0.36 (P < .05). No statistically significant difference was found in the PTS severity scores at 12 months of follow-up compared with at 6 months. The mean change in the venous disease-specific quality of life from baseline to 12 months was 29.41 ± 1.99 (P = .029). The total recurrence rate was 19.63% at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: For a select group of patients with acute IFDVT, the use of PMCDT and postoperative anticoagulation therapy offered significant reductions in clot burden, leg pain, and swelling, achieving a significant reduction in PTS severity scores at 6 months.

Clinical outcomes of single-dose cardioplegia in high-risk coronary bypass.

BACKGROUND: Despite the increasing popularity of single-dose cardioplegia techniques in coronary artery bypass grafting, the time window for successful reperfusion remains unclear. This study aimed to compare different cardioplegic techniques based on early and 30-day clinical outcomes via thorough monitoring. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included high-risk patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and receiving 3 different types of cardioplegia between January 2017 and June 2019. Group 1 (n = 101) had a single dose of del Nido cardioplegia, group 2 (n = 92) had a single dose of histidine-tryptophane-ketoglutarate, and group 3 (n = 119) had cold blood cardioplegia. Patients were examined perioperatively by memory loop recording and auto-triggered memory loop recording for 30 days, with documentation of predefined events. RESULTS: Interleukin-6 and cardiac troponin levels in group 1 were significantly higher than those in groups 2 and 3. The incidence of predefined events as markers of inadequate myocardial protection was significantly higher group 1, with more frequent atrial fibrillation attacks and more hospital readmissions. The readmission rate was 17.6% in group 1, 9% in group 2, and 8% in group 3. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate the long-term efficacy of cardioplegic techniques, which may become more crucial in high-risk patients who genuinely have a chance to benefit from adjunct myocardial protection. Patients given del Nido cardioplegia had a significantly more prominent inflammatory response and higher troponin levels after cardiopulmonary bypass. This group had issues in the longer term with significantly more cardiac events and a higher rehospitalization rate.

Comparative Effects of Single-Dose Cardioplegic Solutions Especially in Repeated Doses During Minimally Invasive Aortic Valve Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to compare del Nido cardioplegia (DNC) and histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) cardioplegic solutions in minimally invasive aortic valve replacement (mini-AVR) surgery to discuss the safety level of myocardial protection and rationale for redosing intervals. METHODS: During the period from January 2017 to June 2019, 200 patients undergoing mini-AVR (solely or with concomitant procedures) were prospectively randomized to DNC (n = 100) andHTK (n = 100), both up to 90 minutes ischemic time. Patients with ischemic time over 90 minutes, needing a redosing, were further analyzed in 2 subgroups with DNC-R (n = 30) and HTK-R (n = 36). Sensitive biomarkers, in addition to routine biochemistry, were also documented at baseline (T1), after cessation of cardiopulmonary bypass (T2), and on the first postoperative day (T3). Transmural myocardial biopsies were sampled for staining. RESULTS: No statistical differences could be demonstrated in DNC and HTK groups with up to 90 minutes cross-clamp times in routine biochemical measurements and basic perioperative clinical outcomes. DNC-R showed significantly more arrhythmia/AV block incidence resulting in more extended intensive care unit (ICU) stay. Interleukin-6 and syndecan-1 in DNC and DNC-R groups were substantially higher at T2. Aquaporin-4 levels were significantly lower in the DNC-R group, demonstrating unsatisfactory response of cells to an excessive volume at T2. CONCLUSIONS: DNC and HTK provided acceptable myocardial protection as single-dose applications. DNC-R had significantly unbalanced levels of biomarkers, and more arrhythmia/AV block incidence resulting in more extended ICU stay. For patients who may need redosing HTK may be preferable to DNC.

Long-Term Protective Effects of Single-Dose Cardioplegic Solutions in Cell Culture Models.

Despite the popularity of single-dose cardioplegic techniques, the time window and targeted population for successful reperfusion remain unclear. We tested currently available techniques based on cell viability and integrity to demonstrate long-term cardioprotection and clarify whether these solutions were performed on neonatal/adult endothelium and myocardium by examining different cell lines. Cell viability with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test proliferation assay and membrane integrity with the lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) cytotoxicity test were documented in a cell culture/microscopy setting on adult (human umbilical vein endothelium [HUVEC]), neonatal (H9C2-cardiomyocytes), and myofibroblast (L929) cell lines. Apoptotic cell activity and necrosis were evaluated by acridine orange/propidium iodide (AO/PI) staining. Twenty-four hours after seeding, cells were incubated in control (Dulbecco's modified Eagle), St. Thomas and blood cardioplegia (4:1), histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK), and del Nido solutions at 32°C followed by an additional 6, 24, and 48 hours in standard conditions (37°C, 5% CO2). Experiments were repeated eight times. In MTT cell viability analysis, HTK protection was significantly better than the control medium in L929 cell lines at 48th hours follow-up and acted markedly better on the HUVEC cell line at 24th and 48th hours. del Nido and HTK provided significantly better protection on H9C2 (at 24th and 48th hours). Apoptotic and necrotic cell scoring as a result of AO/PI staining was found consistent with MTT results. The LDH test demonstrated that the level of cell disruption was significantly higher for St. Thomas and blood cardioplegia in H9c2 cells. Experimental studies on cardioplegia aimed at assessing myocardial protection use time-consuming and often expensive approaches that are unrealistic in clinical practice. We have focused on identifying the most effective cell types and the direct consequences of different cardioplegia solutions to document long-term effects that we believe are the most underestimated ones in the cardioplegia literature.

Cardiac Output Values and Correlation of Renal Injury with Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin Levels in Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between cardiac output values and renal neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels as a biomarker of renal ischemia. METHODS: Forty patients, who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery and in whom the positioning of the heart was fixed with simple suspension sutures without a mechanical stabilizer, were included in the study. Continuous cardiac output (CO) measurements were recorded using the arterial pressure waveform analysis method (FloTrac sensor system) in the perioperative period. CO was recorded every minute during non-anatomical cardiac positioning for left anterior descending artery (LAD), diagonal artery (D), circumflex artery (Cx), and right coronary artery (RCA) bypasses. Serum NGAL samples were analyzed in the preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative periods. RESULTS: The CO values measured at various non-anatomical cardiac positions during distal anastomosis for LAD, D, Cx, and RCA were significantly lower than pre- and postoperative values measured with the heart in normal anatomical position (3.45±0.78, 2.9±0.71, 3.11±0.56, 3.19±0.81, 5.03±1.4, and 4.85±0.78, respectively, P=0.008). There was no significant difference between CO values measured at various non-anatomical cardiac positions during distal anastomosis. Although there was no significant correlation between NGAL levels and age, duration of surgery, preoperative CO, D-CO, RCA-CO, and postoperative CO measurements, there was a significant correlation between NGAL levels and LAD-CO (P=0.044) and Cx-CO (P=0.018) at the postoperative 12th hour. CONCLUSION: Full revascularization may be achieved by employing the OPCAB technique while using simple suspension sutures without a mechanical stabilizer and by providing safe CO levels and low risk of renal ischemia.

Cardiac output values and correlation of renal injury with neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin levels in off-pump coronary artery bypass patients

Abstract Objective: To investigate the correlation between cardiac output values and renal neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels as a biomarker of renal ischemia. Methods: Forty patients, who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery and in whom the positioning of the heart was fixed with simple suspension sutures without a mechanical stabilizer, were included in the study. Continuous cardiac output (CO) measurements were recorded using the arterial pressure waveform analysis method (FloTrac sensor system) in the perioperative period. CO was recorded every minute during non-anatomical cardiac positioning for left anterior descending artery (LAD), diagonal artery (D), circumflex artery (Cx), and right coronary artery (RCA) bypasses. Serum NGAL samples were analyzed in the preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative periods. Results: The CO values measured at various non-anatomical cardiac positions during distal anastomosis for LAD, D, Cx, and RCA were significantly lower than pre- and postoperative values measured with the heart in normal anatomical position (3.45±0.78, 2.9±0.71, 3.11±0.56, 3.19±0.81, 5.03±1.4, and 4.85±0.78, respectively, P=0.008). There was no significant difference between CO values measured at various non-anatomical cardiac positions during distal anastomosis. Although there was no significant correlation between NGAL levels and age, duration of surgery, preoperative CO, D-CO, RCA-CO, and postoperative CO measurements, there was a significant correlation between NGAL levels and LAD-CO (P=0.044) and Cx-CO (P=0.018) at the postoperative 12th hour. Conclusion: Full revascularization may be achieved by employing the OPCAB technique while using simple suspension sutures without a mechanical stabilizer and by providing safe CO levels and low risk of renal ischemia.

Building a patient blood management program in a large-volume tertiary hospital setting: Problems and solutions.

Successful implementation of a patient blood management program necessitates the collaboration of a strong organization and a multidisciplinary approach. We organized a meeting with broad participation in our center to establish a consensus for implementation of a specific patient blood management program. International and domestic experiences were shared, the importance of coordination and execution of different pillars in patient blood management were discussed, and the problems about the blood transfusion system were also investigated with the proposal for solutions. The data obtained from this meeting are presented to be a guide for similar large-volume tertiary hospitals for integration of a patient blood management protocol.

Subclinical Hypothyroidism Increases the Requirement of Renal Replacement Therapy After Cardiac Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Subclinical or biochemically diagnosed hypothyroidism (SCH) is defined as an elevated serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) with normal free thyroxine (FT4) levels. Thyroid hormones play a major role in the normal function of the heart and vascular physiology. Atherosclerosis, increased systemic vascular resistance, and decreased arterial compliance are common pathophysiological changes that may occur in hypothyroidism. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the devastating complications after cardiac surgery. Age, diabetes mellitus (DM), preexisting renal dysfunction, hypertension, impaired left ventricular function, and severe arteriosclerosis are the major risk factors for the development of AKI. The purpose of the current study was to analyze the influence of SCH on AKI and the requirement of renal replacement therapy (RRT) after isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the prospectively collected data of 336 adult patients who underwent isolated CABG surgery with normal renal function (baseline serum creatinine value <1.4 mg/dL) from January 2017 to January 2019. The patients were divided into two groups either having the diagnosis of SCH (Group I, N = 47) or not (Group II, N = 289). SCH was diagnosed based on preoperative serum TSH and FT4 levels. Kidney injury was interpreted, according to RIFLE classification. The effect of SCH on AKI and the need for RRT after CABG was determined using logistic regression analysis and the results were expressed as odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). A P value < .05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Subclinical hypothyroidism was diagnosed in 14% of all patients. Postoperative AKI occurred in 15 patients (31.9%) in Group I, whereas there were 42 patients (14.5%) in Group II. On logistic regression analysis, the presence of SCH was shown to be associated with an increased incidence of postoperative AKI (OR, 0.363; 95% CI, 0.181-0.727; P = .004). RRT was used in 2.97% of patients (seven patients in Group I and three patients in Group II, P < .001). The 30-day mortality was 2.1%. CONCLUSION: The presence of SCH seems to be associated with an increased incidence of AKI and increased requirement for RRT after cardiac surgery.

Minimally Invasive Aortic Valve Replacement on Minimally Invasive Extracorporeal Circulation: Going beyond Aesthetics.

We present our multidisciplinary and multistep strategy in patients undergoing minimally invasive aortic valve replacement (mAVR) on minimally invasive extracorporeal circulation (MiECC) compared with control groups of a single strategy and conventional techniques. This cohort study included high-risk patients (Society of Thoracic Surgeons [STS] risk score >8%) undergoing aortic valve surgery under different strategies during the period from January 2017 until March 2019. Patients were matched for age, gender, body mass index, and STS score: group 1 (MiAVR) based on a minimally invasive technique with J-mini-sternotomy, rapid deployment valve (RDV), and type IV customized MiECC; group 2 (control-mAVR) consisted of minimally invasive technique with only J mini-sternotomy and RDV on a conventional extracorporeal system; group 3 (control-MiECC): full sternotomy and type IV customized MiECC; and group 4 (control): full sternotomy on a conventional extracorporeal system. The MiAVR group had significantly less duration of x-clamp time (35.4 ± 11 minutes), postoperative respiratory support (4.1 ± 1 hour), postoperative hemorrhage (250 ± 50 mL), and intensive care unit stay (1 ± .5 days) than the control-conventional (group 4) group. Seventy-six percent of patients did not receive any blood products in MiAVR (p = .025 vs. group 4). Incidence of atrial fibrillation (8%) and low cardiac output (14%) in MiAVR were significantly better than control. Critics of minimally invasive techniques sustain that potential advantages are offset by a longer cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass duration, which may translate into inferior clinical outcomes. We advocate that our multidisciplinary approach supported by multiple technologies may be associated with faster recovery and superior outcomes than conventional minimally/conventional techniques.

Preoperative Vitamin D Level is Associated with Postoperative Delirium After Cardiac Surgery in Patients Over 65 Years of Age.

INTRODUCTION: Delirium after cardiac surgery is a devastating and important complication. Delirium is defined as "disturbance in attention (i.e., reduced ability to direct, focus, sustain, and shift attention) and awareness (reduced orientation to the environment)." In this study, we analyzed the association of preoperative vitamin D levels and postoperative delirium after cardiac surgery in patients over 65 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 212 adult patients above 65 years of age who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery from January 2016 to January 2018. The mean age for Group I was 69.7 ± 7.4 and Group II was 70.6 ± 4.8 years. There were 112 female patients in Group I and 46 female patients in Group II. The patient population was divided into 2 groups based on preoperative serum vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D [25-OHD]) levels (normal range of 25-75nmol/L). Group I included patients with preoperative serum 25-OHD level<25nmol/L. Group II included patients with preoperative serum 25-OHD level ≥25nmol/L. RESULTS: The incidence of delirium in this study was 30.2%. In this study, 138 patients (65.1%) had preoperative serum 25-OHD levels <25 nmol/L, and 74 patients (34.9%) had preoperative serum 25-OHD levels ≥25 nmol/L. Preoperative serum 25-OHD levels were associated with postoperative delirium after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Our retrospective study illustrated that a lower preoperative serum level of 25-OHD was associated with postoperative delirium. Our results showed that 65.1% of patients had preoperative serum 25-OHD levels <25 nmol/L, and this was associated with postoperative delirium. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D deficiency exacerbates delirium after coronary artery bypass surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Whether the effects of vitamin D deficiency during this event represent separate or interrelated activities with cardiopulmonary bypass is an important question to address and prospective randomized studies are necessary to confirm these results.

A different approach to simultaneously injured ulnar and radial arteries: Translocation of an arterial segment.

Upper-extremity arterial injury is a common and serious condition that may lead to amputation if improperly treated. Ligation of the ulnar or radial artery is frequently performed by vascular surgeons as a method of treatment, which should be avoided, particularly if the radial and ulnar arteries were both injured. A different approach to reconstruction is described in the present report.

The successful non-invasive management of pulmonary thromboembolism in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

In childhood, pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) is an uncommonbut potentially life-threatening disease. The greater numbers of venous thromboembolism (VTE) are complications of underlying risk factors such as malignancies, chemotherapy (L-asparaginase), and central venous catheter. We report a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and PTE, who presented with near-syncope, and was successfully treated with low molecular weight heparin and calcium channel blockers.

Éxito en el manejo no invasivo de la tromboembolia pulmonar en un niño con leucemia linfocítica aguda / The successful non-invasive management of pulmonary thromboembolism in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Durante la niñez, la tromboembolia pulmonar (TEP) es una afección poco frecuente, aunque potencialmente mortal. El mayor número de episodios de tromboemblia venosa (TEV) es resultado de complicaciones de factores de riesgo subyacentes, tales como tumores malignos, quimioterapia (L-asparaginasa) y colocación de un catéter venoso central. Presentamos el caso de un paciente con leucemia linfocítica aguda y TEP que tuvo un presíncope y fue tratado satisfactoriamente con heparina de bajo peso molecular y antagonistas del calcio.

In childhood, pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) is an uncommonbut potentially life-threatening disease. The greater numbers of venous thromboembolism (VTE) are complications of underlying risk factors such as malignancies, chemotherapy (L-asparaginase), and central venous catheter. We report a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and PTE, who presented with near-syncope, and was successfully treated with low molecular weight heparin and calcium channel blockers.

Electron microscopic evaluation of internal thoracic artery endothelial morphology in diabetic coronary bypass patients.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a well- identified major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of diabetes and impact of glycemic control on internal thoracic artery (ITA) morphology by electron microscopy. METHODS: Thirty patients scheduled for coronary artery bypass grafting were enrolled in this study. Samples of ITA were taken during the surgery for electron microscopic evaluation. Group I (n = 10) consisted of diabetics who have poor glycemic control (HbA1c > 7.5%), group II (n = 10) of well-regulated (HbA1c = 4.4% to 6.2%) diabetic patients, and group III (n = 10) of nondiabetic patients. Samples were prepared as ultrathin sections and an original semiquantitative method of scoring was applied to describe the morphologic changes of endothelium. Final scores were analyzed with analysis of variance and post hoc analysis. RESULTS: In group I large vacuoles, swollen mitochondria were seen in endothelial cells and subendothelial edema was prominent. Endothelia (2.5 ± 1.2), arterial wall (2.0 ± 0.0), and endothelial mitochondria (2.9 ± 1.3) scores of group I were significantly higher than the other 2 groups (p < 0.001). The samples of group II and group III did not show significant differences with each other. The correlation between HbA1c values and total endothelial scores statistically significant (r = 0.912; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There is a correlation between HbA1c values and morphologic changes of ITA graft. Uncontrolled diabetes is an important predictor of morphologic changes evidenced by the ultrastructural findings. These ultrastructural changes were not as prominent in the diabetes mellitus patients with well controlled metabolic statuses and patients without diabetes.

Aortic coarctation in the presence of capillary hemangioma.

We report posterior mediastinal hemangioma in a 14-year-old girl patient with an extensive hemangioma encompassing the thoracic aorta, associated with complex coarctation. The masses were identified by contrast-enhanced computed tomography. An extra-anatomical bypass was made by grafting from the ascending to the distal descending aorta. Histological evaluation of the surgical specimens established the final diagnosis. Presence of mediastinal hemangiomas should be regarded as an important differential diagnosis of coarctation of aorta, although these are very rare tumors.