Early surgical intervention for unusually located cardiac fibroelastomas.

Papillary fibroelastomas are the second most common primary cardiac tumor in adults. Over 80% of fibroelastomas occur on the cardiac valves, usually on the left side of the heart, while the remaining lesions are typically scattered throughout the atria and ventricles. Although the optimal timing for surgery is controversial and depends on tumor size and location, prompt surgical resection is warranted in patients at high risk of embolism. A tumor on the cardiac valve can be removed using the slicing excision technique without leaflet injury. Here we present two cases of papillary fibroelastomas occurring on the ventricular surface of the aortic valve and in the right ventricle.

Bentall Operation in a Patient with a Unicommissural Unicuspid Aortic Valve.

A unicuspid aortic valve is a rare congenital malformation that frequently presents with valvular dysfunction and dilatation or aortic aneurysm, requiring combined aortic valve surgery and aortic repair. Some patients show severe valve calcification extending into the interventricular septum, possibly resulting in damage to the conduction system during debridement for valve replacement. We present a rare case of severe aortic stenosis with a unicommissural unicuspid aortic valve diagnosed by preoperative transesophageal echocardiography in a 36-year-old man. After composite graft replacement of the aortic valve, aortic root, and ascending aorta, a permanent pacemaker was placed because of postoperative complete heart block.

Risk Factors of Red Blood Cell Transfusion in Isolate off Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Perioperative transfusion of red blood cell (RBC) may cause adverse effects. Bloodless-cardiac surgery has been spotlighted to avoid those problems. Off pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery can decrease the transfusion. However, the risk factors of transfusions in OPCAB have not been investigated properly. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and thirteen patients (male:female=35:78, mean age=66.7±9.9 years) who received isolated OPCAB were retrospectively analyzed from March 2006 to September 2007. The threshold of RBC transfusion was 28.0% of hematocrit. Bilateral internal thoracic arteries graft were used for 99 patients (87.6%). One hundred and three (91.1%) and 35 patients (31.5%) took aspirin and clopidogrel just before surgery. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients (47.5%) received the RBC transfusion (mean 2.2±3.2 units). Mortality and major complications were not different between transfusion and no-transfusion group. But, ventilator support time, intensive care unit stay and hospitalization period had been reduced in no-transfusion group (p<0.05). In multivariate analysis, patients risk factors for RBC transfusion were preoperative low hematocrit (<37.5%) and clopidogrel medication. Surgical risk factors were longer graft harvesting time (>75 minutes) and total operation time (>5.5 hours, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: We performed the transfusion according to transfusion guideline; over 40% cases could conduct the OPCAB without transfusion. There were no differences in major clinical results between transfusion and non-transfusion group. In addition, when used together with accurate understanding of transfusion risk factors, it is expected to increase the proportion of patients that do not undergo transfusions.

Results of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Support before Coronary Reperfusion in Cardiogenic Shock with Acute Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: Despite aggressive treatment, the mortality rate of cardiogenic shock with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is high. We performed extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) prior to coronary reperfusion, and evaluated the early clinical results and risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From May 2006 to November 2009, we reviewed the medical records of 20 patients in cardiogenic shock with AMI (mean age 67.7±11.7 yrs, M : F 14 : 6). After initially performing ECMO using the CAPIOX emergency bypass system (EBS®Terumo, Tokyo, Japan), patients underwent coronary reperfusion (coronary artery bypass grafting, 13; percutaneous coronary intervention, 7). RESULTS: All patients were in a cardiogenic shock state, cardiopulmonary resuscitations (CPR) were performed for fourteen patients (mean CPR time 20.8±26.0 min). The mean time from vascular access to the initiation of ECMO was 17.2±9.4 min and mean support time was 3.8±4.0 days. Fourteen patients were able to be weaned from ECMO and ten patients were discharged (mean admission duration 50.1±31.6 days). Patients survived on average 476.6±374.6 days of follow-up. Longer CPR and support time, increased cardiac enzyme, lower ejection fraction, lower albumin, and major complications were the risk factors of mortality (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The early application of ECMO prior to coronary reperfusion and control of risk factors allowed for good clinical results in cardiogenic shock with AMI.

Clinical impact of computerised tomographic angiography performed for preoperative evaluation before coronary artery bypass grafting.

OBJECTIVE: In our institution, computerised tomographic (CT) angiography has been performed as a near-routine test before coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) to evaluate the aorta and its branches. We aimed to determine its impact on operative procedure and perioperative management. METHODS: From January 2006 through December 2008, neck-to-leg systemic arteries were evaluated by 64-slice multidetector CT scan in 284 patients before CABG. For them, medical records and cardiac surgery database were retrospectively reviewed to investigate the incidence of pathologic lesions of the aorta and its major branches, other incidental lesions and procedure- or management-related decision affected by CT angiography. RESULTS: In 36 patients (12.7%), cannulation and clamping of the ascending aorta were thought too dangerous because of severe atherosclerotic change. The use of cardiopulmonary bypass was inevitable in 10 of them, and postoperative mortality rate was significantly higher (3/10, 30%) than in the remaining patients (2/274, 0.7%). Conduit selection or grafting strategy was changed due to severe left subclavian artery stenosis or leg vein varicosity in 18 patients (6.3%). For the following problems, surgical interventions were performed in 34 patients (12.0%) concomitantly or during the same admission with CABG; > or = 90% stenosis in carotid (5.6%), iliofemoral (11.6%) or renal (4.6%) arteries, aortic aneurysm (14.4%, six of them met surgical indication) and incidental malignant neoplasm (2.8%). Counting all of the above, preoperative CT angiography affected risk assessment, CABG procedure itself, perioperative management or follow-up plan in 142 patients (50%). CONCLUSIONS: Because preoperative CT angiography considerably affected management in one half of patients, we recommend its use as a routine test before CABG, unless contraindicated.

Usefulness of regional cerebral perfusion combined with coronary perfusion during one-stage total repair of aortic arch anomaly.

BACKGROUND: We assessed whether regional cerebral perfusion is neurologically safe during long-term follow up, and evaluated the effect of our current combined coronary perfusion strategy by comparing outcomes of nonworking beating hearts and arrested hearts under regional cerebral perfusion. METHODS: From March 2000 to October 2008, 159 neonates or infants with an aortic arch anomaly underwent one-stage biventricular repair with continuous cerebral perfusion. Patients (group A, n = 111) under continuous cerebral perfusion with a nonworking beating heart using the dual-perfusion technique through the innominate artery and aortic root were compared with patients (group B, n = 48) under continuous cerebral perfusion with an arrested heart. RESULTS: There were three hospital mortalities. A transient neurologic complication occurred in 3 patients, who recovered completely. During a mean (+/-standard deviation) of 37.9 +/- 26.3 months (range, 0.5 to 95.4 months) of follow-up, 2 late deaths occurred without abnormal neurologic development. Group A had less myocardial ischemic time, which resulted in less total inotropic and vasopressin requirements, and also less delayed sternal closure, duration of ventilator care and chest tube drainage, amount of pleural effusion, and lengths of intensive care unit and hospital stay than group B, particularly in neonates and patients with complex anomalies. CONCLUSIONS: One-stage total arch repair under regional cerebral perfusion provides an excellent means of minimizing neurologic complications during long-term follow up. Our perfusion strategy for arch anomaly under continuous cerebral perfusion with a nonworking beating heart using the dual-perfusion technique may also minimize myocardial complications and morbidities, and should be recommended, particularly in neonates and patients with complex anomalies.