Journal of cardiac surgery
-
Clinical Trial
Relationship between left atrial volume and atrial fibrillation following coronary artery bypass grafting.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common complication of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). However, limited information is available about the role of preoperative echocardiographic left atrial evaluation to predict AF occurrence after CABG. Thus, we prospectively compared the ability of echocardiographic measurements of left atrial volume to predict AF in this setting. ⋯ Preoperative echocardiographic evaluation of patients with isolated CABG demonstrated that left atrium volume measurements were independently correlated to the occurrence of POAF. Further investigations should focus on the opportunity to target prophylactic antiarrhythmic treatments to patients with large left atrial volumes.
-
Aortoesophageal fistula is a rare manifestation of thoracic aortic surgery or esophageal disease. We describe a patient who underwent emergent endovascular repair of an aortoesophageal fistula due to a ruptured penetrating ulcer of the descending thoracic aorta and review the literature on this subject.
-
Review Case Reports
Endovascular stent graft placement in the treatment of a ruptured tuberculous pseudoaneurysm of the descending thoracic aorta secondary to Pott's disease of the spine.
Ruptured thoracic aortic tuberculous pseudoaneurysms as a complication of mycobacterium tuberculosis infection of the spine are rare. Conventional treatment of a ruptured tuberculous pseudoaneurysm involves surgery with graft interposition or patch repair. We report successful repair of a ruptured tuberculous pseudoaneurysm of the descending thoracic aorta by endovascular stent graft placement and provide a literature review of such entities.
-
Comparative Study
The role of the minimally invasive beating heart technique in reoperative valve surgery.
We reviewed our experience to assess potential advantages of minimally invasive surgery without aortic clamping over conventional median sternotomy and cardioplegic arrest during reoperative valve surgery. ⋯ Redo valve surgery with an unclamped aorta is feasible, effective, and at least as safe as surgery using cardioplegic arrest. There was, however, no difference in biochemical or clinical outcomes from conventional surgery using aortic clamping and cardioplegic techniques.
-
This study assesses surgical procedures, operative outcome, and early and intermediate-term results of infective valve endocarditis in children with congenital heart disease. ⋯ Mitral and tricuspid valve repairs can be performed with low morbidity/mortality rates and satisfactory intermediate-term results in children with infective valve endocarditis.