The heart surgery forum
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The heart surgery forum · Oct 2012
Comparative StudyManaging port-site bleeding during less invasive coronary artery bypass grafting.
Robotic-assisted coronary artery bypass grafting (r-CABG) requires the placement of ports bluntly through the chest wall. When removed, these ports create bleeding sites that can be difficult to detect and treat. This study evaluated whether a topical hemostatic agent placed locally within these sites helps to reduce bleeding and blood product requirements. ⋯ There was significantly reduced postoperative bleeding and less exposure to blood products in the hemostat group. These findings suggest that undetected bleeding from sites used for port access serves as an underappreciated source of morbidity after r-CABG.
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The heart surgery forum · Oct 2012
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyIs prophylactic intravenous administration of a proton pump inhibitor necessary for perioperative management of cardiac surgery?
Mortality from gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage caused by antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy (or both) is quite high after cardiac surgery. We previously reported that proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy is indispensable in preventing postoperative GI complications. PPIs are usually administered intravenously immediately after surgery and subsequently by oral formulations. We conducted a prospective study to evaluate whether intravenous PPI followed by oral administration is more efficient as prophylaxis than oral-only administration. ⋯ No additional benefits of intravenous PPIs over oral formulations were demonstrated. Oral PPIs alone were effective and economical as prophylaxis against GI complications. Intravenous PPIs might be unnecessary in selected patients after cardiac surgery.
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The heart surgery forum · Oct 2012
Comparative StudyDoes payer status impact clinical outcomes after cardiac surgery? A propensity analysis.
Medicaid patients bear proportionately greater financial responsibility for the cost of outpatient care and medication than non-Medicaid patients. We hypothesized that this difference in provision of continuing care would be associated with adverse clinical outcomes after cardiac surgery. ⋯ Comorbidity and lower socioeconomic status appear to be more important predictors of late mortality after cardiac surgery than payer status, which does not have a significant impact on survival.
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The heart surgery forum · Oct 2012
Case ReportsA surgical strategy for cor triatriatum atrial septal defect--A1 lam subclass.
Atrial fibrillation and a heart murmur were diagnosed in a 68-year-old woman during a routine medical examination. She presented 2 years later with pulmonary edema. A transthoracic echocardiography examination revealed a tunneled atrial septal defect (ASD) and severe tricuspid regurgitation. ⋯ The intraoperative transesophageal and predischarge imaging evaluations confirmed an excellent repair. The patient made a swift recovery and demonstrated improvement in her symptoms at follow-up. This previously undescribed technique eliminates the need for a prosthetic implant and is applicable in >80% of cor triatriatum cases in which an ASD exists.
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The heart surgery forum · Aug 2012
Simple technique to verify CO(2) diffusion with the CarbonAid™ device.
It has become common practice in cardiac surgery to flood the operative field with CO(2) to facilitate deairing of the heart. However, CO(2) delivery is variable and verification of CO(2) delivery can be challenging. We report a simple, reliable method to confirm CO(2) delivery. This technique ensures that the benefits of CO(2) delivery are provided to the patient during the operation.