Surgical revascularization for acute coronary insufficiency: analysis of risk factors for hospital mortality.

BACKGROUND: A retrospective study of 444 patients undergoing urgent and emergent coronary artery bypass grafting for acute coronary insufficiency was performed to identify the risk factors for hospital death specifically associated with the clinical severity of the acute coronary insufficiency syndrome. METHODS: The patients were divided into three groups-urgent, emergent A, and emergent B-on the basis of the evolution of the clinical pattern of the acute coronary insufficiency syndrome on full medical treatment. The three categories were defined as follows: urgent (257 patients), surgical revascularization could be delayed for 24 to 36 hours after surgical consultation because of adequate control of ischemia; emergent A (127 patients), prompt myocardial revascularization was required because medical treatment achieved only transient regression of an unrelenting ischemic pattern; and emergent B (60 patients), prompt myocardial revascularization was required because the acute coronary insufficiency was entirely refractory to medical treatment. RESULTS: Mortality rates were 7.4% for the urgent group, 13.4% for the emergent A group, and 31.7% for the emergent B group. Multivariate analysis identified the following as risk factors for hospital mortality: ejection fraction (p = 0.023) and aortic cross-clamp time (p = 0.10) for the urgent group; aortic cross-clamp time (p = 0.017), ejection fraction (p = 0.03), and nonuse of blood cardioplegia (p = 0.04) for the emergent A group; and cardiogenic shock (p = 0.00), preoperative ischemic interval (p = 0.00), aortic cross-clamp time (p = 0.018), and nonuse of blood cardioplegia (p = 0.012) for the emergent B group. CONCLUSIONS: A more exact definition of patient risk can be achieved when predictive outcome models are constructed using the risk factors specifically related to each level of clinical severity of the ischemic syndrome.

[Surgical revascularization in acute coronary insufficiency: an analysis of the risk factors for hospital mortality in urgencies and emergencies]. / Rivascolarizzazione chirurgica dell'insufficienza coronarica acuta: analisi dei fattori di rischio di mortalitaà ospedaliera in urgenza ed emergenza.

OBJECTIVES: A retrospective analysis of 444 patients (Pts) with acute coronary insufficiency (A.C.I.) submitted to coronary artery bypass grafting between January '85 and December '92 was performed in order to identify incremental risk factors associated with perioperative mortality and to evaluate whether prediction of mortality can be accomplished utilizing risk models specifically linked to the severity of myocardial ischemia. METHODS: Based on clinical and ECGraphic standpoints three different groups were identified: urgent group, comprehensive of 257 Pts. in whom, because of full medically controlled ischemia, myocardial revascularization could be delayed until to 24-48 hours. Emergency-A group, comprehensive of 127 Pts with recurrent ischemia despite medical therapy, but with no signs of coronary insufficiency at the time of institution of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Emergency-B group, comprehensive of 60 Pts operated on after a mean preoperative ischemic interval of 3.9 +/- 2.4 hours who presented unrelenting signs of ischemia, either persisting since the inception of the clinical picture or lasting for over 30 minutes at the time of institution of CPB; among those, 27 Pts were in cardiogenic shock. RESULTS: Mortality rate in the three groups was respectively: 7.4%, 13.4%, 31.7%. Multivariate analysis identified the following risk factors of in-hospital mortality: urgent group: aortic cross-clamping time (A.C.C.T.) (p = 0.10) and ejection fraction (E.F.) (p = 0.023). Emergency-A group: A.C.C.T. (p = 0.017), E.F. (p = 0.023) and non-use of blood cardioplegia (B.C.) (p = 0.04). Emergency-B group: cardiogenic shock (p = 0.00), preoperative ischemic interval > 6 hours (p = 0.00), A.C.C.T. (p = 0.018) and non-use of B.C. (p = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: A useful stratification of Pts with A.C.I. in three different groups, each with its own risk model, can be obtained by means of clinical-ECGraphic criteria alone. Different prognostic weights can be attributed to the variables A.C.C.T., E.F. and non-use of B.C. depending on clinical status. A significant reduction of mortality rate in Pts with cardiogenic shock can be achieved by the utilization of individually-tailored surgical management.

A randomized controlled trial of mesentericocaval shunt with autologous jugular vein.

After a large uncontrolled experience, in April 1976, a randomized clinical trial between side-to-side portacaval anastomosis and a mesentericocaval shunt with internal jugular vein interposition was initiated. Up to April 1979, 23 patients were operated upon with a mesentericocaval shunt and 26 with a portacaval anastomosis. With a mean follow-up time of 23 months, no statistically significant differences in terms of operative mortality, hepatic encephalopathy and long term survival were found between the two operations. Therefore, a mesentericocaval shunt does not appear to offer effective advantages compared with the portacaval anastomosis, and it should be performed in particular instances in which, for anatomic reasons, a portacaval anastomosis cannot be performed.