Articles

Successful management of an aortoesophageal fistula caused by a fish bone – case report and review of literature

We report a case of aortoesophageal fistula (AEF) caused by a fish bone that had a successful outcome. Aortoesophageal fistula is a rare complication of foreign body ingestion from which few patients survive. ...

Authors: Stephen L. Kelly, Paul Peters, Murray J. Ogg, Alan Li and Bernard M. Smithers

Predictors of packed red cell transfusion after isolated primary coronary artery bypass grafting – The experience of a single cardiac center: A prospective observational study

Preoperative patients' characteristics can predict the need for perioperative blood component transfusion in cardiac surgical operations. The aim of this prospective observational study is to identify perioper...

Authors: Elsayed M. Elmistekawy, Lee Errett and Hosam F. Fawzy

Sternal plating for primary and secondary sternal closure; can it improve sternal stability?

Sternal instability with mediastinitis is a very serious complication after median sternotomy. Biomechanical studies have suggested superiority of rigid plate fixation over wire cerclage for sternal fixation. ...

Authors: Hosam Fawzy, Nasser Alhodaib, C. David Mazer, Alana Harrington, David Latter, Daniel Bonneau, Lee Errett and James Mahoney

Giant right coronary artery aneurysm- case report and literature review

Authors: Neerod K. Jha, Husam Z. Ouda, Javed A. Khan, Gregory P. Eising and Norbert Augustin

Aortic root surgery in septuagenarians: impact of different surgical techniques

To evaluate the impact and safety of different surgical techniques for aortic root replacement (ARR) on early and late morbidity and mortality in septuagenarians undergoing ARR.

Authors: Nawid Khaladj, Rainer Leyh, Malakh Shrestha, Sven Peterss, Axel Haverich and Christian Hagl

Torsion of right middle lobe after a right upper lobectomy

Lobar torsion after lung resection is a quite rare complication. A 50-year-old woman presented typical features on chest radiographs and CT(computed tomography) scan of lobar torsion after a right upper lobect...

Authors: Chih-Hao Chen, Tzu-Ti Hung, Tung-Ying Chen and Hung-Chang Liu

Spontaneous left main coronary artery dissection complicated by pseudoaneurysm formation in pregnancy: role of CT coronary angiography

We report a case of a 26-year-old female, who presented at 34 weeks of an uncomplicated pregnancy with an acute ST elevation anterior wall myocardial infarction. Cardiac catheterization suggested a left main c...

Authors: Shahid Rahman, Mohammed Abdul-Waheed, Tarek Helmy, Lynn C. Huffman, Vipin Koshal, Julian Guitron, Walter H. Merrill, David F. Lewis, Stephanie Dunlap, Yukitaka Shizukuda, Neal L. Weintraub, Cristopher Meyer and Mehmet Cilingiroglu

Aortic distensibility and coronary artery bypass graft patency

Aortic distensibility is an elasticity index of the aorta, and reflects aortic stiffness. Coronary artery disease has been found to be substantially associated with increased aortic stiffness. In this study we...

Authors: Bülent Özdemir, Murat Biçer, Levent Özdemir, İbrahim Baran, Aysel Aydın Kaderli, Tunay Şentürk, Ali Emül, Zeynel Abidin Yetgin, Sümeyye Güllülü and Ali Aydınlar

Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) as a safe alternative for the resection of pulmonary metastases: a retrospective cohort study

VATS has become a preferred method for benign surgical conditions, yet still remains controversial for malignancies. The purpose of this study was to review our results of pulmonary metastasectomies using both...

Authors: Marilee Carballo, Mary S. Maish, Dawn E. Jaroszewski and Carmack E. Holmes

Successful management of multiple permanent pacemaker complications – infection, 13 year old silent lead perforation and exteriorisation following failed percutaneous extraction, superior vena cava obstruction, tricuspid valve endocarditis, pulmonary embolism and prosthetic tricuspid valve thrombosis

A 59 year old man underwent mechanical tricuspid valve replacement and removal of pacemaker generator along with 4 pacemaker leads for pacemaker endocarditis and superior vena cava obstruction after an earlier...

Authors: Pankaj Kaul, Krishna Adluri, Kalyana Javangula and Wasir Baig

Diagnosing left ventricular aneurysm from pseudo-aneurysm: a case report and a review in literature

Rupture of the free wall of the left ventricle (LV) is a catastrophic complication occurring in 4% of patients after myocardial infarction (MI) and in 23% of those who die of MI. Rarely the rupture is containe...

Authors: Giampaolo Zoffoli, Domenico Mangino, Andrea Venturini, Alberto Terrini, Angiolino Asta, Chiara Zanchettin and Elvio Polesel

Two stage hybrid approach for complex aortic coarctation repair

Management of an adult patient with aortic coarctation and an associated cardiac pathology poses a great surgical challenge since there are no standard guidelines for the therapy of such complex pathology. Deb...

Authors: Efstratios Koletsis, Stella Ekonomidis, Nikolaos Panagopoulos, George Tsaousis, James Crockett and Matthew Panagiotou

"Acute pseudo-pericardial tamponade": the compression of the thoracal inferior vena cava – a case report

We describe a case of 68-year-old woman which was admitted to our hospital for mitral valve replacement (MVR), in whom acute compresion of the vena cava inferior developed after repair of lacerated atrio-caval...

Authors: Raif Cavolli, Kaan Kaya and Altay Omer Elalmis

Magnesium sulphate and amiodarone prophylaxis for prevention of postoperative arrhythmia in coronary by-pass operations

The aim of this study was to investigate the use of prophylactic magnesium sulphate and amiodarone in treating arrhythmias that may occur following coronary bypass grafting operations.

Authors: Osman Tiryakioglu, Sinan Demirtas, Hasan Ari, Selma Kenar Tiryakioglu, Kagan Huysal, Ozer Selimoglu and Ahmet Ozyazicioglu

Coronary artery bypass grafting and concomitant excision of chest wall chondrosarcoma

Coexistence of coronary artery disease and cancer with both requiring surgical treatment at the same time is rare. A 52 year male undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting was incidentally discovered...

Authors: Pankaj Kaul, David JR Duthie, Somsekhar Ganti and Radhika Ramnath

Retention of work capacity after coronary artery bypass grafting. A 10-year follow-up study

Authors: Ville Hällberg, Matti Kataja, Matti Tarkka and Ari Palomäki

The concept of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) after poststernotomy mediastinitis – a single center experience with 54 patients

Deep sternal infections, also known as poststernotomy mediastinitis, are a rare but often fatal complication in cardiac surgery. They are a cause of increased morbidity and mortality and have a significant soc...

Authors: Ina C Ennker, Anita Malkoc, Detlef Pietrowski, Peter M Vogt, Juergen Ennker and Alexander Albert

Unusual tumours of the heart: diagnostic and prognostic implications

Metastases to the heart are extremely uncommon. We describe three unusual cases along with their management. A review of the current literature concerning cardiac secondaries is included.

Authors: Zeena Makhija, Ranjit Deshpande and Jatin Desai

Experiences with surgical treatment of ventricle septal defect as a post infarction complication

Complications of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with mechanical defects are associated with poor prognosis. Surgical intervention is indicated for a majority of these patients. The goal of surgical interven...

Authors: Kasim Oguz Coskun, Sinan Tolga Coskun, Aron Frederik Popov, Jose Hinz, Jan Dieter Schmitto, Kerstin Bockhorst, Kathrin Monika Stich and Reiner Koerfer

A stitch in time saves nine: closing the hole after removal of the aortic root cannula

On completion of the surgical procedure the hole in the ascending aorta has to be closed after withdrawal of the aortic root cannula. The aorta is usually pinched by a double transversal stitch or it is crumpl...

Authors: Ernesto Tappainer

Acute aortic dissection type A discloses Corpus alienum

We report an unusual case of an aortic type A dissection with a corpus alienum which compresses the right ventricle. The patient successfully underwent an aortic root replacement in deep hypothermia with re-im...

Authors: Aron Frederik Popov, Mersa Mohammed Baryalei, Jan Dieter Schmitto, Jose Hinz, Christoph Hermann Wiese, Björn Raab, Philipp Kolat, Friedrich Albert Schoendube and Ralf Seipelt

Septic rupture of the ascending aorta after aortocoronary bypass surgery

We describe an exceptional case of non-fatal septic rupture of the ascending aorta in a patient with sternal dehiscence, deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) and pleural empyema after aortocoronary bypass surge...

Authors: Christof M Sommer, Tobias Heye, Ulrike Stampfl, Ursula Tochtermann, Boris A Radeleff, Hans U Kauczor and Goetz M Richter

The prevalence of elevated hemoglobin A1c in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery

Diabetes mellitus has become a major health issue in the United States and contributes to morbidity and mortality from coronary artery disease. Despite lifestyle changes and medications that have been shown to...

Authors: Milo Engoren, Robert H Habib, Anoar Zacharias, Thomas A Schwann, Christopher J Riordan, Samuel J Durham and Aamir Shah

Contegra conduit for reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract: a review of published early and mid-time results

The valved conduit Contegra (bovine jugular vein) has being implanted for more than 7 years in the right ventricular outflow tract and it is noted that the available reports have been mixed. The aim of this st...

Authors: Aristotle D Protopapas and Thanos Athanasiou

Cardiogenic shock as a complication of acute mitral valve regurgitation following posteromedial papillary muscle infarction in the absence of coronary artery disease

A 48 year old man was transferred to our department with cardiogenic shock, pyrexia, a high white cell count and significant serum troponin T level. Clinical evaluation revealed severe mitral regurgitation sec...

Authors: Federico Bizzarri, Consalvo Mattia, Massimo Ricci, Flaminia Coluzzi, Vincenzo Petrozza, Giacomo Frati, Giuseppe Pugliese and Luigi Muzzi

Antegrade selective cerebral perfusion in patients with "bovine aortic arch": is it easier?

Authors: Federico Bizzarri, Consalvo Mattia, Matteo Di Nardo, Emanuele Di Marzio, Massimo Ricci, Flaminia Coluzzi, Giacomo Frati, Paolo Pagliaro, Luigi Muzzi and Vincenzo Petrozza

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum: diagnostic and therapeutic interventions

The objective of this case series is to review our experience with spontaneous pneumomediastinum, review the available literature, and refine the current clinical approach to this uncommon condition.

Authors: Faisal Al-Mufarrej, Jehangir Badar, Farid Gharagozloo, Barbara Tempesta, Eric Strother and Marc Margolis

Higher cerebral oxygen saturation may provide higher urinary output during continuous regional cerebral perfusion

We examined the hypothesis that higher cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO₂) during RCP is correlated with urinary output.

Authors: Takashi Miyamoto, Kagami Miyaji, Hirotsugu Okamoto, Satoshi Kohira, Takahiro Tomoyasu, Nobuyuki Inoue and Kuniyoshi Ohara

Protective efficiacy of taurine against pulmonary edema progression: experimental study

Re-expansion pulmonary edema (RPE) is an acute, rare and potentially lethal complication [1,2]. Its beginning is sudden and dramatic. The mechanism is not yet fully understood [1]. Some authors suggest that it...

Authors: Orhan Yucel, Zeki Ilker Kunak, Enis Macit, Armagan Gunal, Alper Gozubuyuk, Husamettin Gul and Onur Genc

Should we perform systematic electrophysiological study in Steinert's disease?

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (Steinert's disease) is a multisystem disorder with autosomal dominant inheritance. This disease is associated with the presence of an abnormal expansion of a cytosine thymine-guanine...

Authors: Abdallah Fayssoil

Novel thoracoscopic approach to posterior mediastinal goiters: report of two cases

Trans-cervical resection of posterior mediastinal goiters is usually very difficult, requiring a high thoracotomy. Until recently, using conventional video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery to resect such tumors ...

Authors: Faisal Al-Mufarrej, Marc Margolis, Barbara Tempesta, Eric Strother and Farid Gharagozloo

Echocardiographic evaluation of mitral geometry in functional mitral regurgitation

We sought to evaluate the geometric changes of the mitral leaflets, local and global LV remodeling in patients with left ventricular dysfunction and varying degrees of Functional mitral regurgitation (FMR).

Authors: Anita Sadeghpour, Firoozeh Abtahi, Majid Kiavar, Maryam Esmaeilzadeh, Niloofar Samiei, Seyedeh Zahra Ojaghi, Hooman Bakhshandeh, Majid Maleki, Feridoun Noohi and Ahmad Mohebbi

Cardiac Valvular Inflammatory Pseudotumor

Inflammatory pseudotumors are quasineoplastic lesions that occur in the lungs as well as other extrapulmonary sites. The heart is an uncommon site of origin. We report a valvular pseudotumor that produced chro...

Authors: Pradeep Vaideeswar, Anil M. Patwardhan and Pragati A. Sathe

Fatigue testing of three peristernal median sternotomy closure techniques

Failure of a sternotomy closure because of closure system fatigue is a complication that may result in dehiscence and put the individual at risk for serious complications. The purpose of this study was to asse...

Authors: Cameron Wangsgard, David J Cohen and Lanny V Griffin

A novel survival model of cardioplegic arrest and cardiopulmonary bypass in rats: a methodology paper

Given the growing population of cardiac surgery patients with impaired preoperative cardiac function and rapidly expanding surgical techniques, continued efforts to improve myocardial protection strategies are...

Authors: Fellery de Lange, Kenji Yoshitani, Mihai V Podgoreanu, Hilary P Grocott and G Burkhard Mackensen

Excision of sympathetic ganglia and the rami communicantes with histological confirmation offers better early and late outcomes in Video assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy

Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Sympathectomy (VATS) is an established minimally invasive procedure for thoracic sympathetic blockade in patients with hyperhidrosis, facial flushing and intractable angina. Variou...

Authors: Sridhar Rathinam, Prakash Nanjaiah, Sivakumar Sivalingam and Pala B Rajesh

Unexpected limited chronic dissection of the ascending aorta

We report a rare case of a limited chronic dissection of the ascending aorta that was accidentally discovered at operation performed for severe aortic stenosis and moderate to severe dilatation of the ascendin...

Authors: Andrea Venturini, Giampaolo Zoffoli, Domenico Mangino, Raimondo Ascione, Alberto Terrini, Angiolino Asta, Gianni Angelini and Elvio Polesel

Does physiotherapy reduce the incidence of postoperative complications in patients following pulmonary resection via thoracotomy? a protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Postoperative pulmonary and shoulder complications are important causes of postoperative morbidity following thoracotomy. While physiotherapy aims to prevent or minimise these complications, currently there ar...

Authors: Julie C Reeve, Kristine Nicol, Kathy Stiller, Kathryn M McPherson and Linda Denehy

Survival benefit of coronary-artery bypass grafting accounted for deaths in those who remained untreated

Currently there are no direct estimates of mortality reduction afforded by coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) that take into account the deaths among patients for whom coronary revascularization was indica...

Authors: Boris G Sobolev, Guy Fradet, Robert Hayden, Lisa Kuramoto, Adrian R Levy and Mark J FitzGerald

Pulmonary valve endocarditis caused by right ventricular outflow obstruction in association with sinus of valsalva aneurysm: a case report

Right-sided infective endocarditis is uncommon. This is primarily seen in patients with intravenous drug use, pacemaker or central venous lines, or congenital heart disease. The vast majority of cases involve ...

Authors: Katsufumi Nishida, Osamu Fukuyama and Dean S Nakamura

Hydroxyethyl starch versus Ringer solution in cardiopulmonary bypass prime solutions (a randomized controlled trial)

In our study we compared the Ringer solution, which is the standard prime solution of our department, with the HES (Hydroxyethyl starch) 130-0.4 solution, which can be a potential alternative prime solution wi...

Authors: Osman Tiryakioğlu, Gürdeniz Yıldız, Hakan Vural, Tugrul Goncu, Ahmet Ozyazıcıoglu and Şenol Yavuz

The effect of a large proximal haemodialysis arterio-venous fistula on weaning off cardiopulmonary bypass: case report

An increasing number of renal dialysis-dependent patients with Arterio-Venous fistulae are undergoing cardiac surgery.

Authors: Brian Nyawo, Amit Pawale, Leena Pardeshi, David Talbot and Jonathan Forty

Aberrant right subclavian artery and calcified aneurysm of kommerell's diverticulum: an alternative approach

We report a 72 year-old man with dysphagia and dizziness. Aortography and Computed tomographic scans revealed the aberrant right subclavian artery arising from a calcified aneurysm of the Kommerell's diverticu...

Authors: Jose Rubio J Alvarez, Sierra JL Quiroga, Adrio B Nazar, Martinez JM Comendador and Garcia J Carro

Transvenous right ventricular pacing in a patient with tricuspid mechanical prosthesis

We report a patient in whom permanent endocardial pacing was accomplished by passage of the electrode through a mechanical tricuspid valve. Echocardiography study showed a minimal tricuspid regurgitation.

Authors: Juan Sierra and José Rubio

Coronary artery fistula; coronary computed topography – The diagnostic modality of choice

Coronary artery fistulae (CAF) are rare anomalies. They are vascular communications between the coronary arteries and other cardiac structures, either cardiac chambers or great vessels. There can be considerab...

Authors: SA Early, TB Meany, HM Fenlon and J Hurley

Peri-operative data on the nuss procedure in children with pectus excavatum: independent survey of the first 20 years' data

To review the literature and assess the cumulative data on the Nuss operation in children on its twenty years' anniversary: The Nuss procedure corrects the pectus excavatum by minimal access semi-permanent ins...

Authors: Aristotle D Protopapas and Thanos Athanasiou

Intra-abdominal pectus bar migration – a rare clinical entity: case report

We present the case of a 20-year-old male who underwent successful surgical correction of pectus excavatum with the Highly Modified Ravitch Repair (HMRR). At 29 months the attempted operative removal of the Ra...

Authors: Ramon Tahmassebi, Hutan Ashrafian, Caner Salih, Ranjit P Deshpande, Thanos Athanasiou and Julian E Dussek

On-pump beating heart coronary surgery for high risk patients requiring emergency multiple coronary artery bypass grafting

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with aortic cross-clamping and cardioplegic arrest remains the method of choice for patients requiring standard myocardial revascularization. Therefore, very high-risk patients pre...

Authors: Enrico Ferrari, Nicolas Stalder and Ludwig K von Segesser

Effects of retinoic acid on compensatory lung growth

We investigated the effect of Retinoic acid in the growth of contralateral lung after pneumonectomy.

Authors: Sami Karapolat, Aydin Sanli, Ahmet Onen, Unal Acikel and Oya Sivrikoz

Successful surgical treatment of a giant coronary artery aneurysm presenting with recurrent profuse haemoptysis

We present the case of successful resection of a giant aneurysm of the LAD presenting with recurrent severe haemoptysis in a 72-year old man. He was admitted to a regional hospital with fever, recurrent bloody...

Authors: Opoku-Ware Mensah, Philip AR Hayward, Michael Koeppe and Christof Huth