Cerebral perfusion strategy in a challenge cerebral vessels debranching.

We present a case of antegrade cerebral perfusion based on a circuit with a centrifugal pump for general open-heart surgery to achieving cerebral protection during a challenging hybrid aortic arch repair.

Urgent Surgery for Pituitary Adenoma Bleeding After Coronary Bypass Surgery.

Pituitary gland adenoma bleeding is an uncommon complication after coronary artery surgery. Clinical presentation may be variable. We report a case of hemorrhagic complication of a pituitary gland adenoma requiring urgent surgery in a 60-year-old male patient who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting operation.

Total Endovascular Aortic Arch Repair with Branched Graft.

In selected cases, the utilization of branched endografts for the treatment of aortic arch aneurysms could be a safe and advantageous alternative to high-risk procedures such as open total aortic arch replacement or hybrid arch repair. We present the case of a 70-year-old man with saccular aneurysm of a bovine aortic arch which was endovascularly treated using a double-branched custom-made aortic endoprosthesis based on the Relay NBS (Non-Bare Stent) Plus platform intended for zone 0 deployment. The postoperative clinical course was uneventful. The postoperative computed tomography scan showed a good result of the implant. The patient was discharged 6 days after the procedure.

Cardiac kinematic parameters computed from video of in situ beating heart.

Mechanical function of the heart during open-chest cardiac surgery is exclusively monitored by echocardiographic techniques. However, little is known about local kinematics, particularly for the reperfused regions after ischemic events. We report a novel imaging modality, which extracts local and global kinematic parameters from videos of in situ beating hearts, displaying live video cardiograms of the contraction events. A custom algorithm tracked the movement of a video marker positioned ad hoc onto a selected area and analyzed, during the entire recording, the contraction trajectory, displacement, velocity, acceleration, kinetic energy and force. Moreover, global epicardial velocity and vorticity were analyzed by means of Particle Image Velocimetry tool. We validated our new technique by i) computational modeling of cardiac ischemia, ii) video recordings of ischemic/reperfused rat hearts, iii) videos of beating human hearts before and after coronary artery bypass graft, and iv) local Frank-Starling effect. In rats, we observed a decrement of kinematic parameters during acute ischemia and a significant increment in the same region after reperfusion. We detected similar behavior in operated patients. This modality adds important functional values on cardiac outcomes and supports the intervention in a contact-free and non-invasive mode. Moreover, it does not require particular operator-dependent skills.

Hemoglobin Concentration Affects Electroencephalogram During Cardiopulmonary Bypass: An Indication for Neuro-Protective Values.

Hemodilution during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is widely used to decrease transfusion and improve microcirculation but has drawbacks, such as diminished hemoglobin levels. Among others, reduced brain oxygenation accounts for neurological adverse outcomes after CPB. The aim of the present study was to ascertain if and how continuous electroencephalogram (EEG) during CPB is affected by hematocrit level and what should be the minimum value to avoid significant frequency band shifts on the EEG. A comparative study design was used with 16 subjects undergoing elective mitral valve repair/replacement. EEG was continuously recorded during the surgical procedure (from anesthesia induction to 20 min after CPB end). Data were marked at relevant time points (T0: before CPB start; T1: after 30 min from CPB beginning; T2: at CPB end), and the following 2 min EEG analyzed with a fast Fourier transform to obtain relative power for delta, theta, alpha, and beta bands. A general linear model for repeated measure was used to study interactions of time (T0, T1, and T2, EEG frequency band, and topographical distribution. The relative powers for each electrode were calculated and represented using topographic maps. Power spectrum differences between time points (T2-T1; T2-T0; T1-T0) were calculated for each electrode, and differences >10%, considered indicative of neuronal sufferance, were included in further analysis. Cutoff hemoglobin values that maximize the proportion of correctly classified EEG band shifts were obtained by previous definition were obtained. At T2, diffuse EEG slowing in delta and theta bands was detected; a minor slowing over anterior regions was evident at T1 for the theta band. Decrements in EEG power greater than 10% were detected only for the delta band at T2. Hemoglobin concentration levels at which no slowing increase was evident were 9.4 mg/dL (Ht: 28.2%) at T1 and 9.2 mg/dL (Ht: 27.6%) at T2. EEG burst-suppression pattern related to a lesser degree of slowing at T2. In conclusion, we propose hemoglobin cutoff levels that prevent EEG slowing indicative of neuronal sufferance. In addition, burst-suppression EEG patterns offer higher central nervous system protection as measured on EEG.

In which patients is transcatheter aortic valve replacement potentially better indicated than surgery for redo aortic valve disease? Long-term results of a 10-year surgical experience.

BACKGROUND: Redo aortic valve replacement procedures have been reduced by the growing practice of trans-catheter aortic valve-in-valve procedures. We analyzed our long-term results of redo aortic valve replacement procedures during a 10-year period in an effort to define subgroups in which trans-catheter aortic valve-in-valve procedures may be better than surgery. METHODS: From 2002 to 2010, 131 redo aortic valve replacement procedures with at least 18 months of follow-up were prospectively enrolled. Hospital and follow-up outcome of the entire population and of high-risk subgroups were evaluated. RESULTS: Hospital mortality was 2.3%, major re-entry complications were seen in 1.5%, re-exploration for bleeding was seen in 9.2%, perioperative low cardiac output state (ie, low cardiac output syndrome) was seen in 9.9%, stroke was seen in 3.1%, prolonged ventilation was seen in 18.3%, pneumonia was seen in 4.6%, acute renal insufficiency was seen in 11.5%, intra-aortic counterpulsation (intra-aortic balloon pump) was seen in 9.2%, renal replacement therapy was seen in 4.6%, need for transfusions was seen in 60.3%, and permanent pacemaker implantation was seen in 2.3%. One hundred twenty-month actuarial survival, freedom from acute heart failure, reinterventions, stroke, and thromboembolisms were 61.5% ± 8.6%, 62.9% ± 6.9%, 97.8% ± 1.5%, 93.2% ± 3.0%, and 91.2% ± 3.2%, respectively. Patients aged >75 years had similar outcome to younger patients (nonsignificant P for all). Endocarditis resulted in higher hospital mortality (P = .034), low cardiac output state (P < .0001), intra-aortic balloon pump (P < .0001), prolonged ventilation (P = .011), pneumonia (P = .049), acute renal insufficiency (P = .004), lower actuarial survival (log-rank P = .0001), freedom from acute heart failure (P = .002), and re-intervention (P = .003). New York Heart Association functional class IV at admission resulted in a higher incidence of low cardiac output state (P < .0001), intra-aortic balloon pump (P = .0001), prolonged ventilation (P < .0001), pneumonia (P = .015), and a lower actuarial freedom from re-intervention (P = .0001). Higher need for permanent pacemaker implantation (P = .015) and lower freedom from acute heart failure (P = .019) emerged after urgencies/emergencies. CONCLUSIONS: Redo aortic valve replacement procedures achieves good results, especially in nonendocarditic or elective cases, and young or New York Heart Association functional class I/II patients. Indeed, endocarditis significantly affects outcome. New York Heart Association functional class IV and nonelective procedures might benefit from trans-catheter aortic valve-in-valve procedures.

An Unusual Complication of Surgery for Type A Dissection Treated by Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair.

A 58-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for massive swelling in an anterior cervical location. Nine years earlier, he underwent surgical repair of a complex type A aortic dissection. This procedure was complicated by a fistula between the anastomosis of the graft and the descending aorta, resulting in massive presternal swelling. Therefore, we performed thoracic endovascular repair with successful sealing of the prosthetic leak, achieving progressive reduction in the collection of fluid. We propose thoracic endovascular aortic repair as an alternative to open surgical repair for the treatment of complicated cases.

Emergency Thoracic Endovascular Aneurysm Repair in Acute Type B Dissection with Visceral Malperfusion.

A 46-year-old female patient was admitted to the emergency room with the sudden onset of abdominal pain, back pain, and paresthesia in the right leg. An emergent chest computed tomography (CT) showed an acute Type B aortic dissection. An emergency thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR) procedure was subsequently performed, for an evolving visceral malperfusion syndrome. We performed the procedure using an axillary approach because the small diameter of the true lumen precluded transfemoral endovascular access. This case illustrates that TEVAR permits the treatment of complicated acute Type B aortic dissection; specifically, technical variations can expand the applicability of endovascular procedures.

Late-onset choreoathetotic syndrome following heart surgery.

Choreoathetotic syndromes are frequently observed in children after congenital cardiopathy surgery. To report the case of an adult patient who developed a choreoathetotic syndrome after cardiac operation, probably related to a transitory hypometabolism of basal ganglia. A 52-year-old patient underwent heart surgery under circulatory arrest and deep hypothermia, for type III dissecting thoracic aorta aneurysm. Two weeks later she developed an acute choreic syndrome. The positron emission tomography using fluorodeoxyglucose (FDGC-PET) showed a bilateral hypometabolism of basal ganglia. After haloperidol administration, choreic syndrome improved and 6 months later FDGC-PET was normal. Choreoathetosis has been described as a rare complication after heart surgery. The authors suggest that this movement disorder may be related to hypothermia that can induce a reversible basal ganglia metabolic damage.