Innovations : technology and techniques in cardiothoracic and vascular surgery
-
Innovations (Phila) · May 2012
Comparative StudyThe Swan-Ganz catheter as a teaching tool for the anesthesiologist learning minimally invasive cardiac surgery.
To perform minimally invasive cardiac surgery through the smallest possible wound and with the least number of incisions in the heart or aorta, the necessary cannulations to undergo cardiopulmonary bypass must be done through peripheral vessels. A difficult skill to learn for the cardiac anesthesiologist is how to safely and efficiently position the coronary sinus catheter (Endoplege; Edwards Lifesciences LLC, Irvine, CA USA) required for retrograde cardioplegia administration. ⋯ The Swan-Ganz catheter can be used as a training tool to develop some of the necessary skills to place catheters into the coronary sinus with transesophageal echocardiography guidance.
-
Coronary sinus cannulation for retrograde cardioplegia administration during cardiac surgery is common practice. Several of the cannulas that are placed by the cardiac surgeon on open procedures are now placed by the cardiac anesthesiologist during minimally invasive cardiac surgery, including the coronary sinus catheter. The understanding of the cardiac venous anatomy is very important during coronary sinus catheter placement. We present a case where a percutaneously placed coronary sinus catheter was inadvertently placed into the middle cardiac vein but detected with the use of fluoroscopy.
-
Innovations (Phila) · Jan 2012
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyThe early inflammatory response in a mini-cardiopulmonary bypass system: a prospective randomized study.
The aim of this study was to compare the early systemic inflammatory response of the Resting Heart System (RHS; Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN USA), a miniaturized cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) system, with two groups using a standard extracorporeal circulation system during on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. ⋯ The Medtronic RHS may induce less systemic inflammation than conventional CPB systems, particularly when cardiotomy suction was used, but it did not result in improved clinical benefit.
-
Innovations (Phila) · Jan 2012
ReviewRobotic totally endoscopic multivessel coronary artery bypass grafting: procedure development, challenges, results.
Closed-chest totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting (TECAB) is feasible using robotic technology. During the early phases, TECAB was restricted to single bypass grafts to the left anterior descending artery system. Because most patients referred for coronary artery bypass surgery have multivessel disease, development of endoscopic multiple bypass grafting is mandatory. ⋯ Time requirements for multivessel TECAB are significant, and conversion rates to larger thoracic incisions are higher than those observed for single-vessel TECAB. Clinical short- and long-term outcomes, however, seem to meet the standards of open coronary bypass surgery through sternotomy. The main advantages of multivessel TECAB are a completely preserved sternum, use of double internal mammary artery even in risk groups, and a remarkably short recovery time.
-
Innovations (Phila) · Jan 2012
Surgical treatment of isolated (lone) atrial fibrillation with Gemini-S Ablation and Left Atrial Appendage Excision (GALAXY procedure).
Surgical ablation with radiofrequency is a safe and effective treatment for atrial fibrillation. Recent advances in instrumentation have allowed for the application of bipolar radiofrequency through a minimally invasive approach using small bilateral thoracotomies for pulmonary vein isolation, destruction of autonomic ganglia, and excision of the left atrial appendage (GALAXY procedure). ⋯ The GALAXY procedure is a safe and effective, minimally invasive method for treatment of isolated (lone) atrial fibrillation. The operation provides excellent short-term freedom from atrial fibrillation and should be considered in patients with isolated paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.