Does COVID-19 infection increase the risk of pulmonary embolism in ambulatory patients with deep vein thrombosis.

OBJECTIVES: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can lead to systemic coagulation activation and thrombotic complications including venous thromboembolism. This study compares the development of pulmonary embolism, post-thrombotic syndrome, and clinical outcomes of COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT). METHODS: One hundred and eight patients diagnosed with acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT) between June 2020 and February 2021 in our institution were included in this retrospective study. Thirty-nine patients had been previously diagnosed with COVID-19 and specified as the COVID-19 group. Sixty-nine patients did not have COVID-19 and specified as the non-COVID-19 group. Mean ages of both groups were 64.3 ± 15.8 and 60.1 ± 19.7 years, respectively (p = .37). RESULTS: The median duration from the onset of the COVID-19 to diagnosis of DVT was 22 (2-120) days in the COVID-19 group. The patients of two groups were mostly treated outpatient at rates of 94.9% vs 94.2%, respectively (p = .88). Pulmonary embolism was seen in six patients (15.4%) in the COVID-19 group and in three patients (4.3%) in the non-COVID-19 group (p = .04). Kaplan-Meir curves showed that patients with COVID-19 had significantly higher pulmonary embolism than those without COVID-19 (p = .015). The recurrence rate of DVT was 2.6% in the COVID-19 group (n = 1), and 4.3% in the non-COVID-19 group (n = 3), indicating no statistically significant difference (p = .63). Mortality was seen in six patients (15.4%) in the COVID-19 group, and in seven patients (10.1%) in the non-COVID-19 group. According to the Kaplan-Meir method, 10 months survival rates were 73.9 ± 10% in the COVID-19 group, and 66.3 ± 12.8% in the non-COVID-19 group with no statistical significance (p = .218). CONCLUSIONS: Our data draw attention to the fact that deep vein thrombosis should not be considered a safe and self-limited condition. Efficient preventive measures such as mobilization and prophylactic drug use should be considered to prevent DVT during the management of COVID-19.

Regional cervical plexus blockage for carotid endarterectomy in patients with cardiovascular risk factors.

BACKGROUND: Carotid artery disease is not rare in cardiac patients. Patients with cardiac risk factors and carotid stenosis are prone to neurological and cardiovascular complications. With cardiac risk factors, carotid endarterectomy operation becomes challenging. Regional anesthesia is an alternative option, so we aimed to investigate the operative results of carotid endarterectomy operations under regional anesthesia in patients with cardiac risk factors. METHODS: We aimed to analyze and compare outcomes of carotid endarterectomy under regional anesthesia with cardiovascular risk groups retrospectively. Between 2006 and 2014, we applied 129 carotid endarterectomy ± patch plasty to 126 patients under combined cervical plexus block anesthesia. Patients were divided into three groups (high, moderate, low) according to their cardiovascular risks. Neurological and cardiovascular events after carotid endarterectomy were compared. RESULTS: Cerebrovascular accident was seen in 7 patients (5.55%) but there was no significant difference between groups (P > .05). Mortality rate was 4.76% (n = 6); it was higher in the high risk group and was not statistically significant (P = .180). Four patients required revision for bleeding (3.17%). We did not observe any postoperative surgical infection. CONCLUSION: Carotid endarterectomy can be safely performed with regional cervical anesthesia in all cardiovascular risk groups. Comprehensive studies comparing general anesthesia and regional anesthesia are needed.

Embedded Left Anterior Descending Artery During Coronary Bypass Operations: A 15-year Experience.

BACKGROUND: Revascularisation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) is the most important part of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) operations. We analysed the results of CABG in patients with embedded LADs compared to age and gender-matched controls. METHODS: Among 4,102 patients undergoing primary on-pump CABG from January, 1999, through April, 2014, 92 had embedded LADs. Direct dissection (n= 19) or retrograde probe technique (n= 73) was utilised to expose the LAD. Controls had epicardial courses of the LAD. A retrospective study was performed and follow-up information was obtained. RESULTS: Cross clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times were longer (63.5 ± 8.5 vs. 46.6 ± 20, p<0.001; and 81.4 ± 21.4 vs. 60.1 ± 20.8, p<0.001, respectively) in the study group in which four patients had right ventricular injury (n = 3, direct dissection; n = 1, retrograde probe). The groups did not differ in terms of associated comorbidities, number of grafts, reoperation rate for bleeding, duration of intensive care unit stay, and duration of hospital stay. There were no hospital deaths in either group. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed similar survival rates postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with embedded LADs, surgical outcomes following on-pump CABG compare favourably with the age- and gender-matched controls.

Artificial Chordae Implantation vs Posterior Leaflet Preservation: A Comparison of Midterm Results After Mitral Valve Replacement.

BACKGROUND: Various techniques have been proposed for the preservation of the subvalvular apparatus (SVA) in mitral valve replacement. This study aimed to compare the midterm results of posterior leaflet preservation with the results of selective preservation of the SVA involving artificial chordae implantation in terms of left ventricular performance in patients undergoing mitral valve replacement. METHODS: In total, 127 patients were included in this study. Patients were allocated to 1 of 2 groups according to the techniques used to preserve the SVA. Patients in group 1 underwent posterior leaflet preservation: The anterior leaflet was completely resected, and the posterior leaflet was preserved. In group 2, which comprised patients with severe leaflet extension and subvalvular fusion, the mitral valve was excised completely and substituted with artificial chordae. All relevant preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were recorded. RESULTS: Mean (SD) ages in groups 1 and 2 were 63.1 (9.65) and 57.1 (12.3) years, respectively (P = .003). Mean (SD) follow-up time was 59.97 (23.63) months (range, 6-99 months). Left ventricular end-diastolic diameter decreased significantly after artificial chordae implantation (P < .001), while the decrease after posterior leaflet preservation was not statistically significant (P = .20). In both groups, there were statistically significant reductions (P < .001) in left ventricular end-systolic diameter and left atrium diameter in the postoperative period compared with respective preoperative levels. During follow-up, left ventricular ejection fraction was found to have increased beyond the preoperative levels in both groups, but the differences were not statistically significant (P > .05). CONCLUSION: Results of echocardiographic observations regarding the preservation of the SVA via artificial chordae implantation for mitral valve disease in this sample were satisfactory. Findings suggest that artificial chordae implantation should be considered when posterior leaflet preservation is not suitable.

Evaluation of the Patients with Recurrent Angina After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

INTRODUCTION: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the most common causes of recurrent angina after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and our treatment approaches applied in these patients. METHODS: We included all patients who underwent CABG, with or without percutaneous coronary intervention after CABG, at our hospital from September 2013 to December 2019. Patients were divided into two groups according to the time of onset of anginal pain after CABG. Forty-five patients (58.16 ± 8.78 years) had recurrent angina in the first postoperative year after CABG and were specified as group I (early recurrence). Group II (late recurrence) comprised 82 patients (58.05 ± 8.95 years) with angina after the first year of CABG. RESULTS: The mean preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction was 53.22 ± 8.87% in group I, and 54.7 ± 8.58% in group II (P=0.38). No significant difference was registered between groups I and II regarding preoperative angiographic findings (P>0.05). Failed grafts were found in 27.7% (n=28/101) of the grafts in group I as compared to 26.8% (n=51/190) in group II (P>0.05). Twenty-four (53.3%) patients were treated medically in group I, compared with 54 (65.8%) patients in group II (P=0.098). There was a need for intervention in 46.6% (n=21) of group I patients, and in 34.1% (n=28) of group II patients. CONCLUSION: Recurrent angina is a complaint that should not be neglected because most of the patients with recurrent angina are diagnosed with either native coronary or graft pathology in coronary angiography performed.

The Effectiveness of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Patients with Left Ventricular Dysfunction.

INTRODUCTION: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) remains a surgical challenge and is still controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of CABG in patients with LVD. METHODS: This retrospective study included a total of 160 consecutive patients (133 males, 27 females, mean age 62.1±10.12 years [range 37 to 86 years]) who had a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 45% determined by echocardiography and underwent elective isolated CABG between September 2013 and December 2018. Preoperative echocardiographic data, such as ejection fraction, left ventricular (LV) end-systolic diameter, and LV end-diastolic diameter, were collected and evaluated. Preoperatively, 85 (53.13%) patients were in New York Heart Association functional class III or IV and the mean LVEF was 38.65±5.72% (range 20 to 45). RESULTS: The overall hospital mortality was 5% (eight patients). Late follow-up was obtained in 152 (90%) cases (median follow-up time was 56,5 [3-87] months postoperatively). During follow-up, mortality developed in 11.3% (16 patients). Mean LVEF increased significantly from 38.78±5.59% before surgery to 43.29±8.46% after surgery (P<0.01). Mean late survival, freedom from coronary reintervention, and congestive heart failure rates were 86.3±3.3%, 88.7±3.9%, and 89.4±3.1%, respectively. CONCLUSION: In patients with LVD, CABG can be performed with low postoperative morbidity and mortality rates. Patients with LVD could benefit from coronary bypass surgery regarding postoperative LV systolic function and higher quality of life.

The effectiveness of dexamethasone on the prognosis of dialysis patients with severe COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of dexamethasone in dialysis patients with COVID-19 and whether it predicts mortality. METHODS: This is a comparative cross-sectional study of 113 consecutive patients with COVID-19 with severe pneumonia signs. The patients were divided into two groups according to the use of dexamethasone treatment: group 1 (n=45) included patients who were treated with dexamethasone and group 2 (n=68) who did not receive dexamethasone. RESULTS: The mean age of both groups was 67.0±10.6 and 67.2±13.0 years, respectively (p=0.947). With respect to demographic and laboratory findings, there were no significant differences between the two groups (p>0.05). The hospitalization time of patients in group 1 was longer than that in group 2 (11 [7-17] days vs. 8 [5.3-14] days, p=0.093]. The 28-day survival rate was 54.2% in the group receiving dexamethasone treatment and 79.5% in the group not receiving dexamethasone treatment (p=0.440). CONCLUSION: Dexamethasone did not reduce mortality rates and the requirement for intensive care unit in dialysis patients with COVID-19. Larger prospective randomized clinical trials are required to associate personalized medicine with the corticosteroid treatment to select suitable patients who are more likely to show a benefit.

Does Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor predict the prognosis of COVID-19 disease?

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to investigate whether macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) predicts the prognosis of COVID-19 disease. METHODOLOGY: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted on 87 confirmed COVID-19 patients. The patients were separated into two groups according to the admission in the ICU or in the ward. MIF was determined batchwise in plasma obtained as soon as the patients were admitted. Both groups were compared with respect to demographic characteristics, biochemical parameters and prediction of requirement to ICU admission. RESULTS: Forty seven patients in ICU, and 40 patients in ward were included. With respect to MIF levels and biochemical biomarkers, there was a statistically significant difference between the ICU and ward patients (p< 0.024). In terms of ICU requirement, the cut-off value of MIF was detected as 4.705 (AUC:0.633, 95%CI:0.561-0.79, p= 0.037), D-dimer was 789 (AUC:0.779, 95%CI: 0.681-0.877, p= 0.000), troponin was 8.15 (AUC: 0.820, 95%CI:0.729-0.911, p= 0.000), ferritin was 375 (AUC: 0.774, 95%CI:0.671-0.876, p= 0.000), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was 359.5 (AUC:0.843, 95%CI: 0.753-0.933, p= 0.000). According to the logistic regression analysis; when MIF level > 4.705, the patient's requirement to ICU risk was increased to 8.33 (95%CI: 1.73-44.26, p= 0.009) fold. Similarly, elevation of troponin, ferritin and, LDH was shown to predict disease prognosis (p< 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that MIF may play a role in inflammatory responses to COVID-19 through induction of pulmonary inflammatory cytokines, suggesting that pharmacotherapeutic approaches targeting MIF may hold promise for the treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia.

Does using Jackson-Pratt drain affect the incidence of sternal wound complications after open cardiac surgery?

BACKGROUND: TThis study aims to investigate the effect of the Jackson-Pratt drain on sternal wound complications in patients with a Body Mass Index of ≥30 kg/m2 undergoing open cardiac surgery via median sternotomy. METHODS: A total of 174 patients (124 males, 50 females; mean age 58.2±10.4 years; range, 33 to 78 years) with a Body Mass Index of ≥30 kg/m2 undergoing cardiac surgery via median sternotomy between January 2011 and December 2015 in our institution were retrospectively analyzed. Of the patients, 94 were inserted a Jackson-Pratt drain (JP group) following median sternotomy, while 80 patients received no drain (non-JP group). Pre-, intra, and postoperative outcomes of both groups including type of operation, length of hospital stay, and complications were compared. RESULTS: No significant difference in the age, gender, Body Mass Index, and potential risk factors was found between the groups. The median of stay in the intensive care unit was two days and the median time from operation to discharge was seven days in both groups. There was a statistically significant difference in the rate of sternal wound complications between the groups. Sternal wound complications occurred in two patients (2.1%) in the drained group, compared to nine patients (11.25%) in the non-drained group (p=0.01). CONCLUSION: Our study results show that Jackson-Pratt drain insertion after median sternotomy in patients with a Body Mass Index of ≥30 kg/m2 undergoing open cardiac surgery is a simple and reliable method to reduce the risk of postoperative sternal wound complications, compared to the conventional closure technique.

Durability of mitral valve repair: A single center experience.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to present clinical outcomes of mitral valve repair in patients with different etiologies. METHODS: Between June 2006 and August 2017, a total of 421 consecutive patients (266 males, 155 females; mean age 53.1±15.6 years; range, 5 to 89 years) who underwent mitral valve repair with or without concomitant cardiac procedures were retrospectively analyzed. All pre-, intra-, and postoperative data were collected. Echocardiographic examinations were performed at discharge and during follow-up. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate overall survival and from residual severe mitral regurgitation, endocarditis and reoperation-free survival rates. RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 58.9±35.1 months. Of the patients, 12 (2.8%) had previous cardiac operations. The most predominant pathology was degenerative disease in 265 patients (62.9%). Repair techniques included ring annuloplasty (n=366, 86.9%), artificial chordae implantation (n=185, 44%), and commissurotomy (n=38, 9%). Overall in-hospital mortality rate was 1.2% (n=5). Echocardiography before discharge showed no/trivial mitral regurgitation in 64.9% (n=270) and mild mitral regurgitation in 34.85% (n=145) of the patients. At the late postoperative period, transthoracic echocardiography revealed moderate mitral regurgitation in 23 patients (5.7%) and severe in 11 patients (2.7%). The mean late survival and freedom from endocarditis, reoperation, and recurrent severe mitral regurgitation rates were 92±0.03%, 98.5±0.07%, 98.1±0.01%, and 94.7±0.02%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study results suggest that mitral valve repair is a safe and effective procedure associated with favorable longterm outcomes in experienced centers.

Is trans-apical off-pump neochord implantation a safe and effective procedure for mitral valve repair?

OBJECTIVE: Trans-apical off-pump mitral valve repair is a new minimally invasive surgical technique for the correction of mitral regurgitation caused by mitral leaflet prolapse. The purpose of this study is to evaluate, using clinical and echocardiographic follow-up data, the mid-term results of patients undergoing this procedure. METHODS: A total of 26 patients diagnosed with severe mitral regurgitation underwent mitral valve repair with trans-apical off-pump neochord implantation using the NeoChord device at our hospital from July 2015 to July 2017. All patients were examined by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. Eighteen (69.2%) patients had type A anatomy, 4 (15.4%) had type B anatomy, and 4 (15.4%) had type C anatomy. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative demographic, echocardiographic, and clinical data were collected. RESULTS: The patients' age ranged from 33 to 76 years (mean: 56±10.1 years). The average preoperative EuroSCORE II was 1.04%±0.7%. Acute procedural success was achieved in 25 (96.15%) patients. There was only 1 early death (30-day mortality rate: 3.8%) due to postoperative low cardiac output syndrome. Transthoracic echocardiography examinations revealed trivial/mild mitral regurgitation in 87.5% of the patients and moderate regurgitation in 12.5% of the patients. During the follow-up period, transthoracic echocardiography examinations revealed trivial/mild mitral regurgitation (MR) in 14 (58.3%) patients. Six (25%) patients presented with moderate MR and 4 (16.7%) patients had severe MR. At the 30-month follow-up, freedom from residual severe MR was 78.8%±10.3% and freedom from reoperation was 87.5%±6.8%. CONCLUSION: Trans-apical off-pump mitral valve repair with neochord implantation may be a suitable treatment option in patients with isolated posterior mitral valve leaflet prolapse.

Effectiveness of Artificial Neochordae Implantation in Tricuspid Valve Repair.

Various techniques for treating tricuspid regurgitation have been described; however, because of scarce data about the long-term outcomes of different repairs, the optimal technique has not been established. We evaluated the effectiveness and durability of artificial neochordae implantation in the treatment of tricuspid regurgitation. From 2009 through 2014, 507 patients underwent tricuspid valve repair at our institution. Of those, 48 patients implanted with artificial neochordae were included in our study. The median age of the participants was 62 years (range, 4-77 yr) and 50% were women. Thirty patients (63%) were in New York Heart Association functional class III, and 11 (23%) were in class II. The cause of tricuspid regurgitation was functional in 33 patients (69%) and rheumatic in 15 (31%). In 46 patients, neochordae implantation was performed in addition to Kay annuloplasty (n=13) or ring annuloplasty (n=33). Forty-two patients were discharged from the hospital with absent or mild tricuspid regurgitation. The mean follow-up period was 44.3 ± 20.2 months. Follow-up echocardiograms revealed that tricuspid regurgitation was absent, minimal, or mild in 38 patients (80.8%), moderate in 7, and severe in 2. Our results indicate that the use of artificial neochordae implantation as an adjunct procedure to annuloplasty leads to effective and durable repair in comparison with conventional techniques for treating tricuspid regurgitation.

Evaluation of the Patients with Recurrent Angina After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

ABSTRACT Introduction: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the most common causes of recurrent angina after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and our treatment approaches applied in these patients. Methods: We included all patients who underwent CABG, with or without percutaneous coronary intervention after CABG, at our hospital from September 2013 to December 2019. Patients were divided into two groups according to the time of onset of anginal pain after CABG. Forty-five patients (58.16 ± 8.78 years) had recurrent angina in the first postoperative year after CABG and were specified as group I (early recurrence). Group II (late recurrence) comprised 82 patients (58.05 ± 8.95 years) with angina after the first year of CABG. Results: The mean preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction was 53.22 ± 8.87% in group I, and 54.7 ± 8.58% in group II (P=0.38). No significant difference was registered between groups I and II regarding preoperative angiographic findings (P>0.05). Failed grafts were found in 27.7% (n=28/101) of the grafts in group I as compared to 26.8% (n=51/190) in group II (P>0.05). Twenty-four (53.3%) patients were treated medically in group I, compared with 54 (65.8%) patients in group II (P=0.098). There was a need for intervention in 46.6% (n=21) of group I patients, and in 34.1% (n=28) of group II patients. Conclusion: Recurrent angina is a complaint that should not be neglected because most of the patients with recurrent angina are diagnosed with either native coronary or graft pathology in coronary angiography performed.

Should Sinus of Valsalva be Replaced in Patients with Dilated Ascending Aorta and Aortic Valve Diseases?

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to investigate the change in the dimension of sinus of Valsalva in patients who underwent supracoronary ascending aorta replacement with aortic valve replacement. METHODS: A total of 81 patients who underwent supracoronary ascending aorta replacement with aortic valve replacement were included. Ten of 81 patients died during the follow-up. The patients were divided into three groups according to the aortic valve diseases. Group I (n=17) included patients with bicuspid valves, group II (n=30) included patients with stenotic degenerative valves, and patients with aortic regurgitation constituted group III (n=24). In preoperative and follow-up periods, the sinus of Valsalva diameter of the patients was evaluated by echocardiographic examination. The mean age was 54.1±15.1 years. Twenty-eight (34.6%) patients were female and 12 (14.8%) patients were in New York Heart Association functional class III. RESULTS: There was no early mortality. Late mortality was developed in 10 (12.4%) patients, 8 (9.9%) due to non-cardiac reasons. Late follow-up was obtained in 71 patients with a mean of 60±30.1 months postoperatively. During follow-up, the increase in the diameter of the sinus of Valsalva was significant in Group I (P<0.01), while in Group II and III it was insignificant (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: To avoid the risks associated with sinus of Valsalva dilatation, it is reasonable to replace the sinus of Valsalva in the setting of aortic valve replacement and ascending aorta replacement for bicuspid aortic valve with a dilated ascending aorta and relatively normal sinuses of Valsalva in young patients.

The Effectiveness of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Patients with Left Ventricular Dysfunction

ABSTRACT Introduction: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) remains a surgical challenge and is still controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of CABG in patients with LVD. Methods: This retrospective study included a total of 160 consecutive patients (133 males, 27 females, mean age 62.1±10.12 years [range 37 to 86 years]) who had a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 45% determined by echocardiography and underwent elective isolated CABG between September 2013 and December 2018. Preoperative echocardiographic data, such as ejection fraction, left ventricular (LV) end-systolic diameter, and LV end-diastolic diameter, were collected and evaluated. Preoperatively, 85 (53.13%) patients were in New York Heart Association functional class III or IV and the mean LVEF was 38.65±5.72% (range 20 to 45). Results: The overall hospital mortality was 5% (eight patients). Late follow-up was obtained in 152 (90%) cases (median follow-up time was 56,5 [3-87] months postoperatively). During follow-up, mortality developed in 11.3% (16 patients). Mean LVEF increased significantly from 38.78±5.59% before surgery to 43.29±8.46% after surgery (P<0.01). Mean late survival, freedom from coronary reintervention, and congestive heart failure rates were 86.3±3.3%, 88.7±3.9%, and 89.4±3.1%, respectively. Conclusion: In patients with LVD, CABG can be performed with low postoperative morbidity and mortality rates. Patients with LVD could benefit from coronary bypass surgery regarding postoperative LV systolic function and higher quality of life.

Changes in Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity and the Predictors of Improvement in Arterial Stiffness Following Aortic Valve Replacement.

BACKGROUND: The interaction between valvular aortic stenosis (AS) and arterial stiffness, as well as the impact of aortic valve replacement (AVR) on arterial stiffness, remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the degree of AS severity on non-invasive pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurements. We also searched whether the AVR procedure favorably affects PWV. METHODS: In all, 38 patients undergoing AVR for chronic AS were included. The degree of aortic stiffness was measured with PWV at both baseline and 6 months after AVR. Improvement in aortic stiffness was defined as the absolute decrease in PWV at 6 months compared to the baseline value. RESULTS: The study population had a mean age of 59 ± 16 years, mean aortic gradient of 47.1 ± 6.4 mmHg, and mean aortic valve area (AVA) index of 0.45 ± 0.11 cm² /m² . Baseline PWV values correlated positively with the mean aortic gradient (r = 0.350, p = 0.031) and negatively with the AVA index (r = -0.512, p = 0.001). The mean PWV improved in 20 patients (53%) and worsened in 18 patients (47%). The baseline New York Heart Association (NYHA) class (odds ratio [OR] = 1.023, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.005-1.041, p = 0.041) and AVA index (OR = 1.040, 96% CI = 1.023-1.057, p = 0.028) emerged as the independent predictors of improvement in PWV following AVR. CONCLUSION: The severity of AS was significantly associated with baseline PWV. In general, the mean PWV did not change with AVR. Baseline NYHA class and the AVA index independently predicted PWV improvement following AVR. Since the change in PWV after AVR was polarized based on the patients' characteristics, such as preoperative NYHA functional class or AVA index, further studies are needed to confirm clinical significance of PWV change following AVR in severe AS patients.

Simultaneous acute deep vein thrombosis and acute brucellosis. A case report.

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease common in developing countries. Vascular complications, including arterial and venous, associated with Brucella infection have rarely been reported. A case of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) developing after a diagnosis of acute brucellosis in a young milkman is presented. A 26-year-old man presented with pain in the right leg. The patient's medical history included a diagnosis of brucellosis in our hospital where he had presented with complaints of weakness and fever. Peripheral venous Doppler ultrasound showed DVT, and the patient was treated with anticoagulants. The patient was discharged with warfarin therapy and anti-brucellosis treatment. Although rare, some infectious agents may cause vascular pathologies. Patients presenting with symptoms of DVT or similar vascular pathologies should be assessed for infectious agents, particularly in those coming from Brucella-endemic areas.

The effectiveness of dexamethasone on the prognosis of dialysis patients with severe COVID-19

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of dexamethasone in dialysis patients with COVID-19 and whether it predicts mortality. METHODS: This is a comparative cross-sectional study of 113 consecutive patients with COVID-19 with severe pneumonia signs. The patients were divided into two groups according to the use of dexamethasone treatment: group 1 (n=45) included patients who were treated with dexamethasone and group 2 (n=68) who did not receive dexamethasone. RESULTS: The mean age of both groups was 67.0±10.6 and 67.2±13.0 years, respectively (p=0.947). With respect to demographic and laboratory findings, there were no significant differences between the two groups (p>0.05). The hospitalization time of patients in group 1 was longer than that in group 2 (11 [7-17] days vs. 8 [5.3-14] days, p=0.093]. The 28-day survival rate was 54.2% in the group receiving dexamethasone treatment and 79.5% in the group not receiving dexamethasone treatment (p=0.440). CONCLUSION: Dexamethasone did not reduce mortality rates and the requirement for intensive care unit in dialysis patients with COVID-19. Larger prospective randomized clinical trials are required to associate personalized medicine with the corticosteroid treatment to select suitable patients who are more likely to show a benefit.

Mitral valve surgery using video-assisted right minithoracotomy and deep hypothermic perfusion in patients with previous cardiac operations.

BACKGROUND: Redo-sternotomy for mitral valve (MV) surgery may be complex and attendant complications can be avoided using anterolateral right thoracotomy, deep hypothermia (20°C, nasopharyngeal) with low flow cardiopulmonary perfusion. Video-assisted minithoracotomy technique is a further improvement. METHODS: We performed 20 consecutive MV operations in patients with previous cardiac surgery using video-assisted right minithoracotomy, femoro-femoral bypass, deep hypothermia, low flow cardiopulmonary bypass without aortic cross-clamping. The mean follow-up was 30 ± 17.8 mo. Data is presented as the mean ± standard deviation of the mean. RESULTS: There were 11 males and 9 females (age, 62.3 ± 12.1; ejection fraction 50.1 ± 11.2). Operations included MV replacement (n = 11), MV repair (n = 5), and MV re-replacement (n = 4). There were no hospital deaths, and the mean hospital stay was 8 ± 2.9 days. There were no postoperative strokes or need for mechanical circulatory support. The mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 152 ± 28 minutes. Two patients (10%) required inotropic support beyond 24 hrs. All patients were free from inotropic support at 48 hours. The mean number of transfused red cell units was 2.8 ± 0.8 (range, 2 to 4). One patient died in another institution six months postoperatively following surgery for acute type III aortic dissection. At 30 ± 17.8 months follow-up all patients were found to be in NYHA Class I or II. CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive video-assisted MV surgery using deep hypothermia, low-flow cardiopulmonary bypass without aortic clamping can result in excellent clinical outcomes in patients with previous cardiac surgery via a median sternotomy. This technique offers reproducible results, good myocardial protection (as evidenced by the low rate of inotropic support that patients needed postoperatively), and low rates of complications.

Trends in mechanical aortic valve replacement surgery in a large, multi-surgeon, single hospital practice.

INTRODUCTION: In recent decades, new high-performance prostheses have been invented for use with small aortic annuli, and they have helped avoid patient prosthesis mismatch (PPM) without the need for aortic annular enlargement. The purpose of this study is to examine the trends in mechanical aortic valve replacement surgery in a large, multi-surgeon, single hospital practice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between January 1999 and January 2008, 1337 consecutive patients underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) with or without concomitant aortic annulus enlargement. Patients with aortic dissections and patients undergoing Bentall and Ross procedures were excluded from the analysis. Patients were grouped according to the used aortic valve size. The data were collected and analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects was 54.37 ± 17.35 (range: 10-84), and 881 of them were men (65.8%). The number of aortic root enlargement procedures decreased over the years (p < 0.05); particularly, the decline of the Nicks procedures was statistically significant (p < 0.05). In 2008, the most frequently used valve size was 23, which stands in contrast with the smaller size preferred in 1999 (p < 0.05). The primary pathophysiology leading to aortic valve replacement, i.e. aortic stenosis, did not change over the years (p > 0.05). Although the use of combined surgery increased in time, there was no statistical relationship with any increase in mortality rates (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that avoiding the procedure of aortic root enlargement and implanting high-performance prostheses with larger valves is safe.