Impact of myocardial injury after coronary artery bypass grafting on long-term prognosis.

AIMS: The most appropriate definition of perioperative myocardial infarction (pMI) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and its impact on clinically relevant long-term events is controversial. We aimed to (i) analyse the incidence of pMI depending on various current definitions in a 'real-life' setting of CABG surgery and (ii) determine the long-term prognosis of patients with pMI depending on current definitions. METHODS AND RESULTS: A consecutive cohort of 2829 coronary artery disease patients undergoing CABG from two tertiary university centres with the presence of serial perioperative cardiac biomarker measurements (cardiac troponin and creatine kinase-myocardial band) were retrospectively analysed. The incidence and prognostic impact of pMI were assessed according to (i) the 4th Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction (4UD), (ii) the definition of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), and (iii) the Academic Research Consortium (ARC). The primary endpoint of this study was a composite of myocardial infarction, all-cause death, and repeat revascularization; secondary endpoints were mortality at 30 days and during 5-year follow-up. There was a significant difference in the occurrence of pMI (49.5% SCAI vs. 2.9% 4UD vs. 2.6% ARC). The 4th Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction and ARC criteria remained strong independent predictors of all-cause mortality at 30 days [4UD: odds ratio (OR) 12.18; 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.00-29.67; P < 0.001; ARC: OR 13.16; 95% CI 5.41-32.00; P < 0.001] and 5 years [4UD: hazard ratio (HR) 2.13; 95% CI 1.19-3.81; P = 0.011; ARC: HR 2.23; 95% CI 1.21-4.09; P = 0.010]. Moreover, the occurrence of new perioperative electrocardiographic changes was prognostic of both primary and secondary endpoints. CONCLUSION: Incidence and prognosis of pMI differ markedly depending on the underlying definition of myocardial infarction for patients undergoing CABG. Isolated biomarker release-based definitions (such as troponin) were not associated with pMI relevant to prognosis. Additional signs of ischaemia detected by new electrocardiographic abnormalities, regional wall motion abnormalities, or coronary angiography should result in rapid action in everyday clinical practice.

[Short version of the 2nd edition of the German-Austrian S3 guidelines "Cardiogenic shock complicating myocardial infarction-Diagnosis, monitoring and treatment"]. / Kurzversion der 2. Auflage der deutsch-österreichischen S3-Leitlinie "Infarkt-bedingter Kardiogener Schock ­ Diagnose, Monitoring und Therapie".

BACKGROUND: The present guidelines ( http://leitlinien.net ) focus exclusively on cardiogenic shock due to myocardial infarction (infarction-related cardiogenic shock, ICS). The cardiological/cardiac surgical and the intensive care medicine strategies dealt with in these guidelines are essential to the successful treatment and survival of patients with ICS; however, both European and American guidelines on myocardial infarction and heart failure and also position papers on cardiogenic shock focused mainly on cardiological aspects. METHODS: Evidence on the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of ICS was collected and recommendations compiled in a nominal group process by delegates of the German Cardiac Society (DGK), the German Society for Medical Intensive Care Medicine and Emergency Medicine (DGIIN), the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (DGTHG), the German Society for Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (DGAI), the Austrian Society for Internal and General Intensive Care Medicine (ÖGIAIM), the Austrian Cardiology Society (ÖKG), the German Society for Prevention and Rehabilitation of Cardiovascular Diseases (DGPR) and the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (DIVI), under the auspices of the Working Group of the Association of Medical Scientific Societies in Germany (AWMF). If only poor evidence on ICS was available, general study results on intensive care patients were inspected and presented in order to enable analogue conclusions. RESULTS: A total of 95 recommendations, including 2 statements were compiled and based on these 7 algorithms with defined instructions on the course of treatment.

Critical Fragmentation Properties of Random Drilling: How Many Holes Need to Be Drilled to Collapse a Wooden Cube?

A solid wooden cube fragments into pieces as we sequentially drill holes through it randomly. This seemingly straightforward observation encompasses deep and nontrivial geometrical and probabilistic behavior that is discussed here. Combining numerical simulations and rigorous results, we find off-critical scale-free behavior and a continuous transition at a critical density of holes that significantly differs from classical percolation.

Myocardial protection by remote ischaemic pre-conditioning is abolished in sulphonylurea-treated diabetics undergoing coronary revascularisation.

BACKGROUND: Remote ischaemic pre-conditioning attenuates myocardial injury. Because sulphonylurea drugs interfere with ischaemic and anaesthetic pre-conditioning, we assessed whether remote ischaemic pre-conditioning effects are altered in sulphonylurea-treated diabetics. METHODS: Using the database of our ongoing randomised, placebo-controlled study (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01406678), we assessed the troponin I concentration area under curve (measurements: baseline, 1, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h post-operatively) in sulphonylurea-treated diabetics (n = 27) and non-diabetics (n = 230) without and with remote ischaemic pre-conditioning (three 5-min periods of left upper arm ischaemia with 5-min reperfusion each) during isoflurane anaesthesia before two- to three-vessel coronary artery surgery. RESULTS: Remote ischaemic pre-conditioning in non-diabetic patients evoked a 41% decrease in the troponin I concentration area under curve (514 ng/ml × 72 h ± 600 vs. 302 ± 190, P = 0.001) but no change (404 ng/ml × 72 h ± 224 vs. 471 ± 383, P = 0.62) in sulphonylurea-treated diabetics. There was no significant correlation between the troponin I concentration area under curve and arterial glucose concentrations, and the latter was not an independent confounder. CONCLUSION: Cardioprotection by remote ischaemic pre-conditioning during isoflurane anaesthesia is abolished in sulphonylurea-treated diabetics.

Arrhythmogenic risk of pulmonary artery catheterisation in patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Many clinicians consider severe aortic stenosis to be a contraindication to pulmonary artery catheterisation, except during open heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. This is due to the perceived high risk of arrhythmia, although the true incidence of ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation remains unclear. We conducted a retrospective study to estimate the incidence of severe arrhythmias during pulmonary artery catheterisation in 380 patients with severe aortic stenosis scheduled for transcatheter aortic valve implantation. Ventricular fibrillation was seen in only one patient (0.26%), and this was successfully terminated by external defibrillation. No episodes of ventricular tachycardia were recorded and there were also no arrhythmias during removal of the catheter. We have therefore concluded that pulmonary artery catheterisation in patients with severe aortic stenosis is not associated with a high incidence of ventricular fibrillation or tachycardia, allowing pulmonary artery pressure monitoring to be performed relatively safely in such patients.

Protection by remote ischemic preconditioning during coronary artery bypass graft surgery with isoflurane but not propofol - a clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) of the myocardium by limb ischemia/reperfusion may mitigate cardiac damage, but its interaction with the anesthetic regimen is unknown. We tested whether RIPC is associated with differential effects depending on background anesthesia. Specifically, we hypothesized that RIPC during isoflurane anesthesia attenuates myocardial injury in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, and that effects may be different during propofol anesthesia. METHODS: In a randomized, single-blinded, placebo-controlled prospective study, serum troponin I concentration (cTnI) (baseline, and 1, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h postoperatively) were measured during isoflurane/sufentanil or propofol/sufentanil anesthesia with or without RIPC (three 5-min periods of intermittent left upper arm ischemia with 5 min reperfusion each) in non-diabetic patients (n = 72) with three-vessel coronary artery disease (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01406678). RESULTS: RIPC during isoflurane anesthesia (n = 20) decreased the area under the cTnI time curve (cTnI AUC) (-50%, 190 ± 105 ng/ml × 72 h vs. 383 ± 262 ng/ml × 72 h, P = 0.004), and the peak (7.3 ± 3.6 ng/ml vs. 11.8 ± 5.5, P = 0.004) and serial (P < 0.041) postoperative cTnI when compared to isoflurane alone (n = 19). In contrast, RIPC during propofol anesthesia (n = 14) did not alter the cTnI AUC [263 ± 157 ng/ml × 72 h vs. 372 ± 376 ng/ml × 72 h (n = 19), P = 0.318] or peak postoperative cTnI (10.1 ± 4.5 ng/ml vs. 12 ± 8.2, P = 0.444). None of the patients experienced harm or side effects from the intermittent left arm ischemia. CONCLUSION: Thus, RIPC during isoflurane but not during propofol anesthesia decreased myocardial damage in patients undergoing CABG surgery. Accordingly, effects of RIPC evoked by upper limb ischemia/reperfusion depend on background anesthesia, with combined RIPC/isoflurane exerting greater beneficial effects under conditions studied.

Current developments in transcatheter aortic valve implantation techniques.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become a viable treatment option in high-risk patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis. The widespread uses of TAVI procedures in recent years and the steadily growing evolution of numerous new catheter-based devices have led to a remarkable shift in the treatment of this patients group towards TAVI procedures. Several developments have now overcome most of the initial problems with the early devices and have been quickly implemented in clinical routine. Nevertheless, several current TAVI systems have shown a number of limitations and disadvantages relating to valve design, the occurrence of paravalvular leakages, valve positioning and deployment, the occurrence of thromboembolic events during the procedure, as well as vascular or conduction complications. As a result, all current efforts in further development focus primarily on the following issues: (1) the further miniaturization of catheter devices and sheaths not only to facilitate transarterial but also transapical access; (2) the development of a broad variety of valve sizes to cover all aortic annulus sizes; (3) the development of retrievable, repositionable and removable systems; (4) the development or modification of stent design to prevent or reduce paravalvular leakages; (5) the implementation of modern imaging and navigation tools; (6) and finally, the initial development of prophylactic devices to prevent thromboembolic events. The present article provides a review of current developments in the field of TAVI.

Towards trends in minimal invasive cardiac surgery.

While various minimally invasive techniques have been established in many other surgical specialties during the last decades, cardiac surgery has been one of the last domains to adopt the principles of minimally invasive techniques. This was mainly based on the reduced surgical exposure in highly complex cardiac operations and the missing technical requirements in the beginning of the modern cardiac era. Nowadays, technical conditions have continuously improved and have become routine also in cardiac surgery. Most of these novel minimal-invasive concepts have been developed in order to treat high-risk or inoperable patients by reducing operative trauma. Actually, since more high-risk and multimorbid patients were referred for surgery, these initial extraordinary procedures have been adopted into daily clinical routine. Currently, many promising innovations aim to reduce the operative trauma and perioperative morbidity, and furthermore, to increase patients' satisfaction and security. It is anticipated that in the future this current trend towards minimal invasiveness will increase further due to an increased demand, and therefore, such minimal-invasive procedures will become less complex and straightforward.

Comparison of sequential left internal thoracic artery grafting and separate left internal thoracic artery and venous grafting : A 5-year follow-up.

OBJECTIVES: The superiority of left internal thoracic artery (LITA) grafting to the left anterior descending artery (LAD) is well established. Patency rates of 80%-90% have been reported at 10-year follow-up. However, the superiority of sequential LITA grafting has not been proven. Our aim was to compare patency rates after sequential LITA grafting to a diagonal branch and the LAD with patency rates of LITA grafting to the LAD and separate vein grafting to a diagonal branch. METHODS: A total of 58 coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients, operated on between 01/2000 and 12/2002, underwent multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) between 2006 and 2008. Of these patients, 29 had undergone sequential LITA grafting to a diagonal branch and to the LAD ("Sequential" Group), while in 29 the LAD and a diagonal branch were separately grafted with LITA and vein ("Separate" Group). Patencies of all anastomoses were investigated. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 1958±208 days. The patency rate of the LAD anastomosis was 100% in the Sequential Group and 93% in the Separate Group (p=0.04). The patency rate of the diagonal branch anastomosis was 100% in the Sequential Group and 89% in the Separate Group (p=0.04). Mean intraoperative flow on LITA graft was not different between groups (69±8ml/min in the Sequential Group and 68±9ml/min in the Separate Group, p=n.s.). CONCLUSION: Patency rates of both the LAD and the diagonal branch anastomoses were higher after sequential arterial grafting compared with separate arterial and venous grafting at 5-year follow-up. This indicates that, with regard to the antero-lateral wall of the left ventricle, there is an advantage to sequential arterial grafting compared with separate arterial and venous grafting.

Off pump coronary artery bypass grafting - midterm results.

OBJECTIVE: Off pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) grafting is still discussed controversially in the cardiac surgical community. Early perioperative results are encouraging. Only few reports have focused on mid-term recurrence of angina and freedoms from death or re-intervention. - METHODS: 107 OPCAB patients (mean age 63 +/- 1 years, 77 male, log EuroScore 5.6 +/- 0.7, number of distal anastomoses 2.0 +/- 0.1), operated on between January 1999 and December 2003, were systematically followed up comparing pre- and post-op NYHA- and CCS-classifications and assessing freedom from death and re-intervention. 52 of 107 patients underwent postoperative angiography or multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT); 6 of the latter 52 patients were symptomatic, 3 with unstable angina, the others underwent follow-up studies having given their informed consent. - RESULTS: The 30 day mortality was 2%. Freedom from death or re-intervention at 5.5 years was 91% and 80%, respectively. Only three patients required re-intervention in an OPCAB-related vessel. CCS classification was 2.8 +/- 0.1 before surgery and 1.8 +/- 0.2 (p<0.01) at follow-up (3.3 +/- 0.3 years). NYHA classification was 2.7 +/- 0.1 and 2.2 +/- 0.1 (p<0.01), respectively. Out of 107 patients, 52 underwent coronary angiography or MSCT (6 for cardiac symptoms) at a mean follow-up of 2.2 +/- 0.3 years. Left internal thoracic artery was patent in 91%, venous graft patency rate was 83%. - CONCLUSIONS: In this small but consecutive OPCAB population with a considerable perioperative risk according to the EuroScore, freedom from death and re-intervention at 5.5 years is acceptable and graft patency rate at 2.2 +/- 0.3 years is in the expected range. Significant reduction in both CCS and NYHA classification indicate sustained clinical improvement at mid-term.

Intraoperative coronary graft flow determination--does it have a prognostic value for midterm graft patency?

OBJECTIVE: To characterise the prognostic value of intraoperative ultrasonic graft flow determination during CABG for mid-term patency. METHODS: From 01/2000 to 08/2003 3146 CABG procedures were performed at our institution. Graft flow was determined in all patients. Lumen diameter was given in mm and a sclerosis score was applied for the target vessel. 100 of these patients (3.2%) underwent postoperative coronary angiography at a mean time interval of 8.0 +/- 0.5 months. RESULTS: In 100 patients, 114 LITA and 204 venous anastomoses were performed. At re-angiography 112 LITA (98%) and 174 venous (85%) anastomoses were patent. The amount of occluded LITA grafts was to low to perform statistical analyses. Mean graft flow of patent vein grafts was 48 +/- 2 ml/min vs. 32 +/- 4 ml/min in occluded vein grafts (p = 0.001). After multiple logistic regression analysis, only intraoperative vein graft flow was found to be a predictor for patency at mid-term (p = 0.005, odds ratio 0.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) from 0.95-0.99). No differences were found concerning sclerosis scores or vessel lumen between patent and occluded grafts. CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences concerning intraoperative graft flow were found between vein grafts patent or occluded at re-angiography. The predictive power of intraoperative vein graft flow for mid-term patency was confirmed by multiple logistic regression analysis.

Impact of intraoperative myocardial cellular damage on early hemodynamics after off-pump versus on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery.

BACKGROUND: Due to the surgical trauma a small amount of myocardial cellular damage is inherent during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The purpose of the present study was to assess the degree of myocardial cellular damage after off-pump (OPCAB) and on-pump CABG (ONCAB) as measured by cardiac troponin I (cTnI), creatine kinase (CK), its MB isoenzyme (CK-MB) and myoglobin (Myo) and to examine its impact on early hemodynamics after surgery. METHODS: Ninety-nine consecutive OPCAB patients, operated between 01/1999 and 01/2004, were enrolled in the present study and compared to 99 ONCAB patients operated during the same period of time, who were matched for baseline data and mean number of grafts per patient. Early hemodynamics, cTnI, CK/CK-MB and Myo were measured preoperatively and at 1, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours (h) postoperatively. Perioperative inotropic support, clinical data and potoperative outcome were recorded prospectively. RESULTS: The two groups were similar concerning preoperative characteristics. The mean number of distal grafts/patient was 2.1 +/- 1.0 in OPCAB and 2.1 +/- 0.8 in ONCAB patients (mean +/- SD). There was no significant difference among the groups regarding early hemodynamics in terms of cardiac index (CI), systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI), and left ventricular stroke work index (LVSWI), and inotropic support. However, cTnI, CK/CK-MB but not Myo levels were significantly lower in OPCAB compared to ONCAB patients at 1, 6, 12, 24, 36 and 48 h postoperatively (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Off-pump surgery results in equal early hemodynamics despite a significantly lower release of cTnI and CK, suggesting a reduced myocardial cell damage as compared to ONCAB surgery.

Dynamic cardiomyoplasty in a growing organism.

BACKGROUND: Until now cardiomyoplasty has been a treatment option for adults only. However, there may be a demand for cardiomyoplasty in children. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of applying the method of cardiomyoplasty before growth is completed. METHODS: The latissimus dorsi muscle (LD) was wrapped around the heart of 20 Göttinger Minipigs (9.1 +/- 1.2 kg body weight). The LD was fixed to the pericardium in group 1 (n = 11) and to the epimyocardium in group 2 (n = 9) and stimulated with burst impulses. After 5.6 +/- 1.8 months hemodynamic and histologic follow-up-examinations were carried out in 13 surviving animals (weight 32.4 +/- 5.3 kg). RESULTS: In group 1 (n = 6) only the left ventricle was covered by the LD. In 4 animals the LD contracted strongly; in 2, the outer border of the muscle was atrophied. In group 2 (n = 7) both ventricles were covered by the LD in all animals and showed strong contractions. In 2 animals the outer border of the muscle was atrophied. In both groups the contracting parts of the LD showed an intact muscle structure, but compared with the contralateral LD, there was a higher percentage of interstitial fat and connective tissue. Hemodynamic measurements and the well-being of the animals suggest that restriction of cardiac chamber diameter did not occur. The electrical stimulation of the LD caused a minimal increase of left ventricular pressure and aortic peak flow in group 2. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiomyoplasty can be applied in a growing organism. There is growth of the LD with the heart. The muscle structure remains intact. To prevent dislocation of the LD, it seems to be important to fix the LD directly onto the epimyocardium.

Treatment of dilated cardiomyopathy with dynamic cardiomyoplasty: the Heidelberg experience.

BACKGROUND: Data concerning the efficacy of dynamic cardiomyoplasty are still inconsistent, especially in terms of improvement of left ventricular function. METHODS: Between August 1990 and February 1994, eight isolated cardiomyoplasty procedures were performed in patients with cardiomyopathy (ejection fraction, 0.14 to 0.32; New York Heart Association class III) and contraindications to heart transplantation. RESULTS: Follow-up was 41.1 +/- 14.1 months. One patient died 2 months and another 3 years after operation. Considerable symptomatic improvement was found in 6 of 7 patients, 3 of whom went back to work. One patient with severe pulmonary hypertension exhibited no improvement. Mean New York Heart Association-class decreased from 3.0 to 1.9 (p < 0.001). Echocardiography showed an increase in fractional shortening and in peak aortic flow velocity in all patients. Left ventricular ejection fraction increased from 0.21 +/- 0.05 to 0.38 +/- 0.16 (n = 7, p < 0.015) at 1 year, to 0.37 +/- 0.18 (n = 6, p < 0.05) at 2 years, and to 0.36 +/- 0.19 (n = 5, not significant) at 3 years. Pulmonary artery pressure tended to decrease over time. No significant change in exercise level or maximal oxygen consumption during treadmill testing was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary results show that patients may exhibit an impressive clinical improvement after cardiomyoplasty, with only moderate changes in objective hemodynamic indices. We do not consider cardiomyoplasty an alternative to heart transplantation, but reserve it for patients with contraindications to heart transplantation.

Repair of interrupted aortic arch: results after more than 20 years.

BACKGROUND: This study focused on the influence of concomitant anomalies, the individual surgical approach, and the probability for reinterventions. METHODS: Between 1975 and 1999, 94 patients with interrupted aortic arch were evaluated for short- and long-term results after surgical treatment. RESULTS: Interrupted aortic arch was associated mainly with a ventricular septal defect (85%) and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO, 13%). Mean follow-up was 6.7 years (median 6.9 years, 628.4 patient years). A single-stage operation was performed in 76 cases. Early mortality for two-stage procedures was 37% and late mortality was 26%, compared with single-stage procedures, with an early mortality of 12% and a late mortality of 20%, respectively. Early mortality in patients with additional LVOTO was 42% and late mortality was 50%. Freedom from reoperation at 5 years was 62%, and at 10 years was 49%. Reinterventions were performed mainly for residual arch stenosis, also with bronchus or tracheal compression, or LVOTO. CONCLUSIONS: Arch continuity and repair of associated anomalies can be achieved with an acceptable overall risk in this often complex entity. Associated anomalies play an important role in the outcome. Single-stage repair with primary anastomosis of the arch should be the surgical goal. The long-term probability for reoperation is high.

Spinal cord protection using hypothermic cardiocirculatory arrest in extended repair of recoarctation and persistent hypoplastic aortic arch.

OBJECTIVE: In recurrent coarctation collateral circulation may not be sufficient to maintain adequate perfusion of the lower body during the period of surgical repair. Different techniques such as interposition of a Gott-shunt, use of left heart bypass or hypothermic cardiocirculatory arrest are used to prevent spinal cord injury. METHODS: Twenty-eight operations for recurrent coarctation were performed in 26 patients following end-to-end anastomosis (58%), patch plasty (21%), subclavian flap aortoplasty (14%) and graft interposition (7%). Associated cardiac defects were present in 77% of the patients. Eleven patients who had adequate (> 50 mmHg) distal perfusion pressure during a test occlusion were operated on using simple cross-clamping (group I, mean age 8.5 +/- 3.8 years). In group I, end-to-end anastomosis was performed in nine patients and graft interposition in two patients. In 17 cases (including two patients from group I) with insufficient collateral circulation and with persistent hypoplasia of the arch, hypothermic cardiocirculatory arrest was used (group II, mean age 12.8 +/- 9.6 years). In group II end-to-end anastomosis was performed in three patients and graft interposition in 14 patients. Mean bypass-time was 116 +/- 36 min and arrest-time 33 +/- 16 min. Hypothermic cardiocirculatory arrest was begun when nasopharyngeal temperature was below 20 degrees C, corresponding to a rectal temperature of 24 +/- 3 degrees C. RESULTS: Hypothermic cardiocirculatory arrest allowed open reconstruction of the arch and/or complete or partial replacement of the arch and the coarctation segment. In-hospital mortality was 0 and 5.9% in group I and II, respectively. The one patient who died in group II had simultaneous correction of an anomalous pulmonary venous connection and death was unrelated to the method of coarctation repair. Reversible laryngeal nerve paresis was observed in two patients in group II, no other neurologic complications were observed in either group. Postoperative gradients over the repair site were less than 20 mmHg by Doppler-echocardiography. Two patients of group I had to have a second, early reoperation because of stenosis at the anastomotic site. Reconstruction of the distal aortic arch was then performed during hypothermic cardiocirculatory arrest. CONCLUSIONS: The use of hypothermic cardiocirculatory arrest in this special indication is a safe method which allows open reconstruction of the coarctation site and the aortic arch and protection of the spinal cord. The need for early reoperation because of inadequate repair may be reduced.

A novel calcium scoring system accurately predicts likelihood and location of post-TAVI paravalvular leak.

AIM: Sclerosis distribution, topography and morphology in aortic stenosis may have an impact on the localisation of post-procedural paravalvular leakage (PVL) following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). METHODS: Between 05/2005 and 03/2011 a total of 208 patients underwent either transapical (TA) or transvascular (TV) TAVI using the Edwards-SAPIEN(TM), or CoreValve(TM) system. Aortic cusp and annular sclerosis distribution and aortic valve sclerosis symmetry were evaluated by preoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TOE). Mild, moderate and severe PVL after TAVI (group 1, N.=117) were analysed and compared to those patients with no signs of postprocedural PVL (group 2, N.=91). Commercial available image processing and analysing software were used to evaluate all relevant calcific sections (aortic sclerosis score 0-66; symmetry score 0-5) and were matched with the localization of the PVLs. RESULTS: A total of 117 patients (83±6 years, mean logistic EuroSCORE 20.1±12.7%) were identified with a mild-moderate PVL (TV, N.=102; TA, N.=15). Mean aortic sclerosis score was 38.7±7.6 in group 1 compared to 33.7±8.3 in group 2 (P<0.001) showing highest calcification in the non-coronary part for both groups. The mean symmetry score was 1.9±1.0 group 1 compared to 1.7±1.0 in group 2 (P=0.12). Regression analysis showed a significant relation of preoperative cusp localisation to the corresponding paravalvular leakage (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The present study shows that a aortic sclerosis score constructed by TOE enables prediction of postoperative PVL and moreover, the localisation of PVL after TAVI correlates with the corresponding preoperative amount of sclerosis for each cusp.

Remote preconditioning and major clinical complications following adult cardiovascular surgery: systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: A number of 'proof-of-concept' trials suggest that remote ischaemic preconditioning (RIPC) reduces surrogate markers of end-organ injury in patients undergoing major cardiovascular surgery. To date, few studies have involved hard clinical outcomes as primary end-points. METHODS: Randomised clinical trials of RIPC in major adult cardiovascular surgery were identified by a systematic review of electronic abstract databases, conference proceedings and article reference lists. Clinical end-points were extracted from trial reports. In addition, trial principal investigators provided unpublished clinical outcome data. RESULTS: In total, 23 trials of RIPC in 2200 patients undergoing major adult cardiovascular surgery were identified. RIPC did not have a significant effect on clinical end-points (death, peri-operative myocardial infarction (MI), renal failure, stroke, mesenteric ischaemia, hospital or critical care length of stay). CONCLUSION: Pooled data from pilot trials cannot confirm that RIPC has any significant effect on clinically relevant end-points. Heterogeneity in study inclusion and exclusion criteria and in the type of preconditioning stimulus limits the potential for extrapolation at present. An effort must be made to clarify the optimal preconditioning stimulus. Following this, large-scale trials in a range of patient populations are required to ascertain the role of this simple, cost-effective intervention in routine practice.

[Perioperative antocoagulation in patients with prosthetic heart valves: recommendations]. / Perioperatives Gerinnungsmanagement bei Patienten mit Kunstklappen : Empfehlungen.

Lifelong anticoagulation, mainly with oral Vitamin K antagonists, represents the treatment of choice in patients with prosthetic heart valves to prevent thrombembolic complications. As a result, anticoagulant-related complications like excessive bleeding during interventions or surgical procedures will occur. Therefore, timely stopping of vitamin K antagonists prior to elective surgery is mandatory. However, based on the long half-life of all common vitamin K antagonists, interruption of oral anticoagulation will definitively lead to an increase of thrombembolic events. Hence, adequate bridging anticoagulation by temporary substitution of this therapy with heparin is necessary. This article gives a recommendation on the basis of the American College of Chest Physician and European Society of Cardiology current.

Surgical revascularization and perioperative management in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes.

PURPOSE: The management and surgical revascularization treatment of patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) have undergone great evolution over the past decade. The objective of the present study was therefore to analyze the outcome and predictors of survival in patients unresponsive to maximal non-surgical treatment referred to emergency coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with ACS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between October 1999 and September 2004, a total of 3571 CABG patients underwent primary isolated CABG at our institution. Out of these, non-ACS (N-ACS) was present in 3124 patients (group 1), 386 patients (group 2) had non-ST-elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS), whereas 61 patients (group 3) had ST-elevation ACS (STE-ACS). Clinical data, in-hospital morbidity and mortality were prospectively recorded and studied retrospectively in the groups. RESULTS: Left main stem stenosis was observed in 25%, 32%, and 41%, respectively (P<0.02). Previous myocardial infarction was found in 33%, 43%, and 73% (P<0.001). Overall in-hospital mortality was 1.5% in group 1, 4.2% in group 2, and 13.0% in group 3 (P< 0.001). Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic analyses identified cTnI as the strongest preoperative predictor significantly related to in-hospital mortality. A preoperative cTnI level above 1.5 ng/ml was the best single predictor for in-hospital mortality amongst patients with ACS. CONCLUSIONS: The present study clearly demonstrates a significant difference of in-hospital morbidity and mortality between patients with ACS undergoing CABG. A more precise patient's risk stratification on admission and improvements in the perioperative management with adjunctive pharmacological therapies and the use of intraaortic balloon counter pulsation may improve patients' outcome.