Retroperitoneal hematoma: diagnosis and treatment.

Retroperitoneal hematoma is a life-threatening condition where early diagnosis and correct treatment are of utmost importance. Bleeding in the retroperitoneal space has a high mortality rate. The aim of this study was to present current published scientific evidence regarding the incidence, mechanism of injury, diagnostic methods and treatment based on a review of international literature covering the last 40 years. The systematic review of the literature was performed using the SCOPUS and PUBMED databases. Publications in English were included. We have not included publications dealing with this issue in children. Systematic reviews showed an increasing trend toward nonsurgical management of retroperitoneal injuries.

Predictors of exercise capacity in patients with atrial correction of transposition of great arteries.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship of clinical, biochemical and imaging parameters to maximum oxygen uptake in patients after atrial correction of transposition of great arteries. BACKGROUND: Exercise tolerance is a key determinant of quality of life in patients with adult congenital heart disease. It is determined by a large scale of factors often different from general cardiology. METHODS: 86 consecutive patients after Senning correction of TGA were subjected to clinical and echocardiographic examination, Holter monitoring, blood tests of NT-proBNP, MRI of the heart and exercise test. Parameters of these examinations were correlated to VO2 max. RESULTS: The average age of patients was 28±3.5 years. The average systemic right ventricular function determined by MRI was 51.9±7.9 %. The average NT-proBPN was 124.3±23.6 ng/l, VO2 max. 31.7±6.5    ml/kg/min and the heart rate reserve 106±24 /min. Neither systemic right ventricular systolic function nor   NT-proBPN predicted VO2 max., whereas the heart rate reserve did (p=0.003). CONCLUSION: An inability to increase heart rate during exercise noted in a considerable number of patients after atrial switch of TGA caused a decreased exercise tolerance. It is not solely the global systolic function of either ventricle that influences the exercise performance, rather it is the ability to increase heart rate and overall cardiac output appropriately (Tab. 3, Fig. 6, Ref. 28).

The use of broad-range bacterial PCR in the diagnosis of infectious diseases: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Broad-range PCR has the potential to detect virtually any bacterial species via amplification and nucleotide sequencing of a DNA region common to all bacteria. We aimed to evaluate its usefulness and clinical relevance when applied to a wide variety of primary sterile materials. METHODS: A prospective study including 1370 samples (75 heart valves, 151 joint tissue samples, 230 joint aspirates, 848 whole blood samples and 66 culture-negative cerebrospinal fluid samples) were studied by using a commercial PCR system for detecting 16S rDNA (Molzym). The PCR results were compared with culture and were considered to provide added diagnostic value only if the PCR approach revealed new pathogens that were missed by culture. RESULTS: The added value of PCR was evident in 173 of 555 PCR-positive samples (0.126; 0.109-0.144 (proportion from all tested samples; 95% confidence interval)), most frequently in examinations of heart valves (0.56; 0.448-0.672) and joint tissue samples (0.219; 0.153-0.284). In contrast, the lowest rate of PCR with added value was noted for blood samples, regardless of the patient cohort they had been drawn from (nononcologic patients from intensive care: 0.065; 0.043-0.087, haematooncologic children: 0.048; 0.027-0.070). Moreover, PCR missed up to 7.1% of blood culture findings (0.071; 0.048-0.095) regarded as clinically relevant, which was the second highest failure rate after joint tissue samples (0.099; 0.052-0.147). CONCLUSIONS: Broad-range PCR substantially increases detection rate of pathogens, especially from heart valves and joint samples. However, a concurrent risk of false-negative PCR results justifies the need for parallel culture.

[Subclavian steal-carotid recovery phenomenon - "old school" surgical procedure]. / Subclavian-steal recovery carotid fenomén " old school" chirurgické resení.

Subclavian steal-carotid recovery phenomenon appears to be related to the occlusion of the truncus brachiocephalicus and can be a rare cause of neurological deficit. In this syndrome, the right common carotid artery and right subclavian artery are filled with retrograde flow from the ipsilateral vertebral artery. We present a patient with this type of steal syndrome managed by a classical surgical procedure for stent reocclusion in the truncus brachiocephalicus.Key words: steal phenomenon endarterectomy truncus brachiocephalicus.

[Combined endovascular and surgical therapy for chronic pelvic venous closure accompanied by massive prepubic and limbs varices]. / Kombinovaná endovaskulární a chirurgická terapie u chronického pánevního zilního uzáveru provázeného masivními prepubickými a koncetinovými varixy.

We report a successful surgical and endovascular procedure in a patient with increasing chronic varicose veins resulting from a chronic post-traumatic closure of the left pelvic vein. The endovascular intervention involves an effective and fast part of the procedure dealing with the primary cause of the patients pathology with subsequent surgical treatment, which radically eliminates the secondary developing pathology of massive prepubic and convoluted varicose veins in limbs.

Gastrointestinal complications after cardiac surgery : eight years experience in a single center.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of gastrointestinal complications (GICs) and associated risk factors in patients after cardiac surgery, and to stratify them according to the risk of developing GICs in order to improve our diagnostic protocols. METHODS: A total of 5959 patients who underwent cardiac surgery within a period of 97 months were retrospectively evaluated. Surgical procedures included coronary artery bypass grafting, heart valve surgery, aortic surgery, surgical correction of adult congenital heart defects, or combined procedures. RESULTS: The frequency of GICs was 1.3% (75 patients). Intestinal ischemia and upper or lower gastrointestinal bleeding were the most common GICs. From 27 patients affected by intestinal ischemia, 21 patients were previously treated with intra-aortic balloon pump (p < 0.001). Low cardiac output, renal failure or dysfunction, renal risk, peripheral arterial disease, history of myocardial infarction, male gender, intra-aortic balloon pump, cardiopulmonary bypass time, aortic cross-clamp time, duration of intubation, SIRS, and MODS were associated with significantly increased risk of GICs. CONCLUSIONS: To decrease the occurrence of intestinal ischemia, we suggest that placement of intra-aortic balloon pump should be preceded by examination of the descending aorta to rule out severe atherosclerotic changes, in which case -alternative cardiac support should be attempted.

Aortic valve leaflet perforation after mitral valve repair.

A 32-year-old patient with symptomatic severe aortic regurge, 6 weeks after mitral valve repair, was admitted for aortic valve surgery. No preoperative clinical data consistent with infective endocarditis could be detected. Preoperative transthoracic echocardiography showed aortic leaflet perforation affecting non coronary cusp. During operation, leaflet perforation was detected and closed completely with autologous pericardial patch. No vegetations or abscess could be seen during operation. Iatrogenic aetiology of leaflet perforation after mitral repair was suspected in this case. Recognition of this complication will help in avoiding it during mitral valve surgery and expecting it as a possible complication during intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography.

Postinfarction ventricular septal rupture - a rare complication remains challenge for cardiac surgical team.

The incidence of post infarction ventricular septal rupture (PIVSR) is decreasing in the last years due to aggressive treatment of myocardial infarction with early percutaneous coronary interventions. As a consequence patients with PIVSR are referred to surgery more often with significant heart failure. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the influence of these on the operative results and to identify the risk factors of operative mortality. A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of patients with the PIVSR admitted to our center from November 2004 to February 2012 was performed. Variables were analyzed using two-dimensional correspondence analysis. There were 25 patients (12 males and 13 females) with mean age 70.2 years (47-82) operated on; 17 (68%) presented with anterior and 8 (32%) with posterior PIVSR. Eighteen patients (72%) had acute heart failure, 13 (52%) presented with cardiogenic shock. Before surgery, intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) had 20 (80%) patients; in 4 (16%) a ventricular assist device was used, either Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) or centrifugal pumps as biventricular assist. Operative mortality was 40% (10 pts.). Four patients (12%) had small non-significant recurrent shunt on postoperative echocardiography. Although majority of patients with PIVSR have significant heart failure prior to surgery the operative mortality remains comparable to older studies. Predictors of perioperative death were concomitant surgical reconstruction of the left ventricle, renal impairment before operation, male gender, history of coronary artery disease, PIVSR location posterior, and shock at surgery.

Endovascular treatment of infected aortic aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: To report on the short- and long-term outcomes of patients with primary infected aortic aneurysm (IAA) treated by stent graft (SG) in two centers. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Over a period of 15 years, 32 patients with IAA underwent endovascular treatment. None had undergone previous aortic surgery. The causal relationship was gastrointestinal infection in 9 patients (28%), endovascular diagnostic/therapeutic procedures/resuscitation in 6 (19%), wound infection after previous surgeries in 5 (16%), urinary infection in 4 (13%), urology or gastroenterology procedures in 3 (9%), pancreatitis in 2 (6%), endocarditis in 1 (3%) and phlebitis in 1 (3%) patient. We implanted 11 bifurcated, 10 tubular thoracic, 4 aorto-uni-iliac, 4 tubular abdominal and 1 iliac SG. Two other surgeries were hybrid procedures. RESULTS: The etiological agent was identified in 28 (88%) patients. Twenty-six (81%) patients survived the 30-day postoperative period. Sixteen (50%) survived to 1-year follow-up and 13 (40.6%) survived to 3-year follow-up. Three patients have survived for less than 1 year and a further 3 for less than 3 years, so far. Among patients with aneurysms situated in central parts of the thoracic and infrarenal aorta there was a better death/survival ratio than among patients with a proximal or distal aneurysm location. CONCLUSION: The implantation of a SG may be an alternative to open surgery in selected groups of patients with primary IAA. Aneurysms of the central part of the thoracic or abdominal aorta have a more favorable prognosis with endovascular treatment.

Endoscopic versus mini-invasive radial artery graft harvesting for purposes of aortocoronary bypass.

The aim of the study was to compare three different methods of radial artery harvesting with regard to postoperative complications and perioperative stress of the patient. A total of 60 patients admitted for coronary artery bypass surgery were randomized into three groups. Each patient underwent extraction of radial artery, all performed by a single surgeon. The radial artery was harvested by one of the following three techniques: classical technique (20 patients), mini-invasive technique (20), and endoscopic technique (20). The time required for the graft harvest was greater in the group where the endoscopic technique was used (52.6 ± 11.3 min) than with the mini-invasive (41.5 ± 7.3 min) or the classical (27.8 ± 4.6 min) technique. Postoperative blood loss into drains was higher where the classical technique was used (35.5 ± 9.4 ml) as compared to the mini-invasive (20 ± 5 ml) or the endoscopic (10 ± 7.3 ml) technique. There was no significant difference among the groups in the rate of local neurological complications, contusion of wound edge, edema of the extremity, or wound infection rate. We observed no case of ischemia of the extremity, and a single case of postoperative myocardial ischemia in the group where the classical technique was used. From a clinical point of view, the mini-invasive and the endoscopic approach are comparable, but the latter is more expensive. Both mini-invasive and endoscopic techniques prolong the operation, reduce perioperative blood loss, and require additional training time.

A review of a newly established ECMO program in a university affiliated cardiac center.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an established rescue treatment option for severe respiratory and cardiac failure in infants and neonates and has recently become widely utilised in adults. ECMO support can be initiated rapidly in an emergency setting both by percutanous implantation and surgically; it allows transportation of patients in cardio-pulmonary collapse and bridging of critically ill patients to be recovered, other support measures or transplantation. The aim of this study was to report authors' initial experience after starting an ECMO program in a university-based cardiac center. The institutionally approved ECMO team bears responsibility for adjudication regarding indication and implementation of ECMO in all patients. Since the establishment of the ECMO team in October 2007, one elective and nine urgent patients in deep cardiogenic and/or ventilatory collapse were treated by ECMO support up to December 2008. Three patients suffered severe acute right heart dysfunction, two patients suffered postcardiotomy refractory cardiogenic shock, two patients had a cardiogenic shock due to postinfarction interventricular septal rupture, two patients experienced severe respiratory failure and one had elective ECMO implantation as a back-up support during high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention. Veno-arterial ECMO was used in eight cases and veno-venous in two cases of isolated respiratory failure. In nine patients, ECMO circuit was instituted by peripheral cannulation, in eight out of nine cases by percutaneous puncture. On one occasion central surgical cannulation was used. In urgent patients, immediate hemodynamic and oxygenation improvement was observed. Average support duration was 6.8 days (range 1-16 days). Five (50 %) patients were successfully weaned from ECMO and survived to hospital discharge. The illness severity in urgent patients defined by SOFA score ranged from 10 to 17, patients dying while on ECMO had higher SOFA scores (14.8±1.6 vs. 10.8±1.5; P=0.0065). Complications included mainly bleeding. ECMO support allows treatment of severely ill patients in imminent cardiovascular and/or ventilatory collapse. Therefore, establishment of an ECMO program in university affiliated cardiac center is fully justified. A multidisciplinary approach is essential. Despite adequate training and education of ECMO team members, this highly invasive therapeutic modality bears an inherent risk of complications.

Symptomatic severe tricuspid insufficiency as a late complication of pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty.

The authors describe an unusual case of a young adult patient with symptomatic tricuspid valve insufficiency as a late consequence of pulmonary valve balloon dilatation in childhood. Patient was successfully treated by tricuspid valve repair with neo-chordae implantation and a ring plasty. Two years after the operation the patient, an active sportsman, is asymptomatic with trace tricuspid regurgitation on the echo examination.

The anastomosis angle is a key to improved long-term patency of proximal femoropopliteal bypass.

BACKGROUND: Femoropopliteal bypass is a common vascular reconstructive procedure. A significant proportion of bypasses become ineffective within 1 year because of occlusion due to progression of intimal hyperplasia (IH). METHODS: The clinical part of the study involved an analysis of 43 patients with proximal femoropopliteal bypass, which became occluded no later than 1 year from the procedure, who were successfully treated with thrombolysis. Morphological changes of intima in the anastomosis (evaluated angiographically) and the angle of the distal end-to-side anastomosis were evaluated. In the second part of the study, blood flow in the distal end-to-side anastomosis was modeled experimentally (by particle image velocimetry) and numerically (by computational fluid dynamics). The results were correlated with the previously identified locations of IH. RESULTS: We proved that the locations of IH correlate with the locations of disturbed blood flow, increased wall shear stress, and stagnation points as documented by experimental visualization and angiographic findings. We also confirmed that anastomoses with more acute angles are less prone to IH and occlusion of the lumen. CONCLUSION: We suggest that a better understanding of the hemodynamics and its influence on IH should lead to an optimized graft design by adopting a more acute angle of the anastomosis.

Posterior elbow dislocation combined with subadventitial rupture of the brachial artery: interposition with the use of the autologous basilic vein.

The authors describe a relatively rare avulsion injury of the brachial artery complicating elbow dislocation in a young man, together with the relevant diagnostics and treatment. In the discussion, they deal with the symptomatology of artery injuries and available examination methods, suggesting an appropriate treatment algorithm.

[Transmyocardial laser revascularization of the myocardium and coronary reconstruction without extracorporeal circulation]. / Transmyokardiální laserová revaskularizace myokardu a koronární rekonstrukce bez pouzití mimotelního obehu.

The authors report their experience with myocardial revacularization using transmyocardial laser revascularization combined with aortocoronary reconstruction without the use of extracorporeal circulation. The discussion section addresses indications for the procedure, operative tactics, the benefits and limitations of the above technique.

[Personal experience with use of Claforan in the form of a "protected coagulum" in patients after kidney transplantation]. / Nase zkusenosti s pouzitím Claforanu ve forme "chráneného koagula" u nemocných po transplantaci ledviny.

Prophylaxis by means of antibiotics in the form of a so-called "protected coagulum" is an important part of prevention of postoperative infections in renal transplantations. The antibiotic is selected with regard to its effectiveness against the most frequent pathogens, tissue penetration, undesirable effects (in particular nephrotoxicity). The authors investigated a group of 450 renal transplantations with cefotaxime prophylaxis. During the four-week follow-up period after operation infection of the surgical wound (abscess, purulent secretion) occurred in 15 patients (3.33%). The mentioned results indicate that cefotaxime is suitable for use as a protected coagulum also in patients with postoperative immunosuppression.

[Personal experience with administration of Zinacef in the form of a "protected coagulum" in patients after heart surgery]. / Nase zkusenosti s podáváním Zinacefu formou "chráneného koagula " u nemocných po operaci srdce.

Antibiotic prophylaxis in the form of a so-called protected coagulum is an important part of prevention of postoperative infections in cardiosurgery. The selection of a suitable antibiotic depends on many factors--its effectiveness against the most frequent pathogens, the tissue penetration, undesirable effects. The authors compared two groups of patients operated on account of IHD using prophylaxis with cefalotine (491 patients) and cefuroxime (241 patients). The groups are comparable as to baseline parameters. In the cefuroxime-treated group was a significantly lower incidence of infections of the surgical wound (12.6 % vs. 5.8 %). The number of serious infectious complications (mediastinitis, osteomyelitis) and the incidence of other infections did not differ in the two groups.

[100 renal transplantations with intravesical implantation of the ureter]. / Sto transplantací ledvin s intravezikální implantací mocovodu.

Transplantation of the kidney is nowadays a common therapeutic method. During the past 30 years in the transplantation centre of IKEM more than 1200 transplantations were performed. The authors present a group of 100 patients where the ureter of the transplanted Kidney was attached to the urinary bladder of the recipient by intravesical technique. With regard to the low incidence of fistulas and the easy solution of complications this technique can be widely used in clinical transplantation programmers.

[The effect of indobufen on aortocoronary bypass patency after 1 week and after 1 year]. / Vliv indobufenu na pruchodnost aortokoronárních bypassu po týdnu a po jednom roce.

A randomized clinical study was conducted to compare the effect of "conventional" antiaggregation therapy (ASA plus dipyridamole) versus indobufen in patients after aortocoronary bypass (ACB) surgery. The patency of venous ACB using coronary DSA one week and one year after surgery was evaluated in 52 patients divided into two groups. The study included only ACB's with intraoperative blood flow rates < or = 40 ml/min as it is just these ACB's which are at the highest risk of early and late occlusions. While, in the ASA plus dipyridamole-treated group, occlusions were found in 11 of the 39 reconstructions (28.2%), the proportion was nine out of 37 procedures (24.3%) in the indobufen group. One year after surgery, occlusion was found in 14 out of 32 ACB's (43.7%) in the ASA plus dipyridamole group compared to 14 occlusions in 31 ACB's (45.2%) in the indobufen group. The difference in the number of occlusions between the two groups was not statistically significant. Because of some benefits of indobufen compared to ASA (shorter time of effect, superior tolerance in patients with ulceration), the former drug can be recommended for use in some indicated cases.

Do preoperative branched-chain amino acids have a beneficial effect on the heart after cardiac surgery?

To verify the hypothesis, formulated on the basis of data emerging from animal experiments, that branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) exert a protective effect on the heart during ischaemia, eight patients immediately before aortocoronary reconstruction were provided 400 ml of a 3% BCAA solution. A control group comprised another eight patients. Per- and postoperative myocardial status and myocardial enzyme levels were assessed. Myocardial biopsy was performed during surgery to determine glycogen levels. Creatine kinase (CK) levels were invariably higher in the BCAA group, with statistically significant differences in samples obtained immediately after surgery (10.6 +/- 3.35 mu kat/l vs. 4.07 +/- 0.59, p < 0.0004), in the evening after surgery (14.2 +/- 5.92 vs. 5.91 +/- 2.21, p < 0.06) and in the morning of the first postoperative day (18.0 +/- 10.1 vs. 7.5 +/- 4.76, p < 0.025) when aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were likewise higher (1.35 +/- 0.28 vs. 1.00 +/- 0.26, p < 0.035). There were no differences between the groups in the number of defibrillations after ischaemia, myocardial glycogen content, peroperative ischaemia, incidence of arrhythmia and catecholamine support. We conclude that BCAA at the above indicated doses did not raise myocardial glycogen content or improve myocardial status after cardiac surgery. Their administration resulted in a rise in CK and AST in the postoperative period.