European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Jul 2006
Twenty years experience of surgical aortic valvotomy for critical aortic stenosis in early infancy.
To examine early and long-term results of surgical aortic valvotomy in neonates and infants aged less than 3 months. ⋯ Primary surgical aortic valvotomy in early infancy carries a low early and late mortality, a low occurrence of significant aortic regurgitation and a low early recurrence of aortic stenosis. In great majority of cases, reintervention can be delayed to allow implantation of an adult-sized prosthesis, when required.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Jul 2006
A single nucleotide polymorphism of macrophage migration inhibitory factor is related to inflammatory response in coronary bypass surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass.
Cardiac surgery causes induction and release of inflammatory mediators that may be regulated by genetic background. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a proinflammatory mediator that is known to be up-regulated in patients undergoing cardiac operations. Here we analyzed genotype distribution and allele frequency of the MIF-173*G/C single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and MIF plasma levels in patients undergoing surgical revascularization with (on-pump, n=45) and without (off-pump, n=34) cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). ⋯ Patients carrying the C-allele showed significantly increased levels of the proinflammatory cytokine MIF compared to G/G homozygous when revascularization was carried out using CPB. The G/C genotype may be associated with a severe inflammatory reaction and therefore preoperative screening could be beneficial for patients undergoing cardiac surgery using CPB.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Jul 2006
Intraoperative mapping of the right atrial free wall during sinus rhythm: variety of activation patterns and incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation.
The atrial conduction properties associated with cardiac disease are speculated as the background of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF). We examined the atrial conduction patterns and conduction properties during sinus rhythm (SR) in patients that had undergone cardiac operations and evaluated the incidence of POAF in all patients. ⋯ Cardiac surgery patients exhibited a variety of sinus activation patterns, which also provided an arrhythmogenic substrate for POAF. A better understanding of the sinus activation using an intraoperative mapping system may provide benefit in the clinical management of POAF.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Jul 2006
P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibition attenuates pulmonary inflammatory response in a rat cardiopulmonary bypass model.
Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) produces an inflammatory response associated with pulmonary dysfunction. P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (P38MAPK) have been shown to mediate pulmonary inflammatory response after CPB, we examined the effect of SB203580, a specific p38 MAPK inhibitor, on CPB-induced pulmonary inflammatory response. ⋯ These findings suggested that (1) p38 MAP kinase activation is one of the important aspects of the signaling event that mediate the release of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta and contributes to CPB-induced pulmonary inflammatory response, (2) SB203580 selectively inhibiting p38 MAP kinase activation efficaciously reduces pulmonary inflammatory response after CPB, and (3) p38 MAP kinase influence the activation of NF-kappaB in the lung during and after CPB.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Jul 2006
ReviewThe role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of sternal wound infection.
Sternal wound dehiscence and infection are major problems for patients and health care providers. A range of risk factors, including diabetes, obesity and internal thoracic artery harvest, has been implicated. Several pathophysiological mechanisms, which may account for the development of infection, have been proposed. ⋯ It has been suggested that there may be a role for hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of sternal infection. The theoretical mechanisms would seem plausible, but at present there is only limited evidence to support its use. This review addresses the theory and evidence supporting the role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of sternal wound infection.