The Thoracic and cardiovascular surgeon
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Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · Apr 2003
Case ReportsIsolated coronary artery rupture after blunt chest trauma.
After blunt chest trauma, a patient with chronic coronary heart disease sustained an isolated rupture of the right coronary artery. All findings suggested a heart contusion complicated by a non-compromising pericardial effusion and aggravated by anticoagulation with phenprocoumon. After right-ventricular failure occurred, emergency coronary revascularization could not prevent a fatal outcome. This case emphasizes that a coronary artery lesion may be considered in those cases of thoracic trauma with preexisting coronary calcification.
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Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · Apr 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialThe effects of intracoronary administration of vitamin E on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury during coronary artery surgery.
Vitamin E has a strong antioxidant capacity, and has been used in several ischemia-reperfusion studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of water-soluble vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) on myocardial protection during coronary artery surgery. ⋯ Administration of vitamin E into the coronary arteries before removal of the aortic cross-clamp can reduce myocardial cell injury and protect the myocardium from ischemia-reperfusion injury.