European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Sep 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialPreventive analgesia in thoracic surgery: controlled, randomized, double-blinded study.
Preventive analgesia is defined as a treatment that is commenced before the surgical procedure in order to diminish the physiological consequences of afferent nociceptive transmission caused by the procedure and prevent central sensitization. The analysis of randomized studies of preventive analgesia is controversial. The aim of this study was to check the analgesic efficacy of preoperative administration of dextromethorphan associated with intercostal nerve block with levobupivacaine in thoracotomy patients who refused or had a contraindication to epidural analgesia. ⋯ Results indicate that preoperative administration of dextromethorphan associated with preoperative IB with levobupivacaine provided preventive analgesia, decreasing analgesic administration during the early postoperative period compared with placebo and/or postoperative IB. This study failed in detecting any effect of preventive analgesia on functional items and post-thoracotomy syndrome.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Sep 2015
Review Meta Analysis Comparative StudyOutcomes of mitral valve repair compared with replacement in patients undergoing concomitant aortic valve surgery: a meta-analysis of observational studies.
Long-term superiority of mitral valve (MV) repair compared with replacement is well established in degenerative MV disease. In rheumatic heart disease, its advantages are unclear and it is often performed in conjunction with aortic valve (AV) replacement. Herein, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing outcomes of MV repair vs replacement in patients undergoing concomitant AV replacement. ⋯ In a separate analysis of studies with exclusively rheumatic patients (n = 1106), the early as well as late mortality benefit of MV repair was lost (RR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.44-1.90, P = 0.81 and RR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.39-1.22, P = 0.199, respectively), whereas the MV reoperation rate became significantly higher (RR: 5.10, 95% CI: 1.62-16.05, P = 0.005) with MV repair. In patients undergoing concomitant mitral and AV surgery, MV repair is associated with improved early and late survival without any increased risk for mitral valve reoperation. However, in patients with rheumatic heart disease MV repair does not impart any survival advantage while the risk for MV reoperation remains significantly higher.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Sep 2015
Comparative StudyOutcomes after aortic arch reconstruction for infants: deep hypothermic circulatory arrest versus moderate hypothermia with selective antegrade cerebral perfusion.
Optimal cerebral and visceral protection is crucial in aortic arch surgery. The main method for this protection has traditionally been deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA). Recently, antegrade cerebral perfusion with moderate hypothermia has become the preferred strategy for adult patients and some children undergoing aortic arch surgery. Continuous cerebral perfusion should reduce the incidence of neurological complications, but the degree of damage to organs and systems resulting from the lack of blood flow distal to the aortic arch remains unclear. Here, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of methods of protecting the brain and internal organs during aortic arch surgery in infants. ⋯ Aortic arch reconstruction accompanied by SACP has a lower risk of neurological complications compared with DHCA. However, the high incidence of renal complications with SACP requires further study.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Sep 2015
Unilateral chronic lung allograft dysfunction is a characteristic of bilateral living-donor lobar lung transplantation.
Living-donor lobar lung transplantation (LDLLT) has been established as a life-saving procedure for critically ill patients who cannot wait for cadaveric lung transplantation. Chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) is the main cause of late morbidity and mortality in lung transplantation. Studies on CLAD in cadaveric lung transplantation have been extensively reported, but few reports have been reported concerning CLAD after LDLLT. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, characteristics and prognosis of CLAD after LDLLT. ⋯ Despite a relatively short observation time, CLAD developed in approximately one-fifth of the patients who survived more than 3 months after LDLLT. In bilateral LDLLT, CLAD developed unilaterally in most cases, which might be beneficial in the long term because the unaffected contralateral lung may function as a reservoir.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Sep 2015
Platelet dysfunction and acquired von Willebrand syndrome in patients with left ventricular assist devices.
Unexplained bleeding events are a severe complication in patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). Platelet dysfunction and acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AVWS) may contribute to bleeding tendencies. Yet, comprehensive data with respect to platelet function and AVWS in LVAD patients in terms of bleeding events are scarce. ⋯ According to our data, platelet aggregation is often impaired in LVAD patients even without an implanted LVAD. Additionally, appearance of AVWS seems to be closely linked to LVAD implantation.