Interactive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Aug 2009
How to replace an extracorporeal life support without interruption of the cardiopulmonary assistance.
The extracorporeal life support (ECLS) allows a maximum of a few weeks of cardio-respiratory assistance. Using standard ECLS, the circuit must be replaced after a few days or sometimes more frequently, in case of dysfunction. Classically, the replacement needs the interruption of the support inducing a temporarily hemodynamic instability. ⋯ We describe the original modification, the complete procedure and our results. This method has been used in 34 ECLS replacements in 14 patients without any incident or thrombo-embolic events. This simple technique is safe, reliable, and avoids the hemodynamic instability induced by classical replacements.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Aug 2009
Prognosis of patients undergoing cardiac surgery and treated with intra-aortic balloon pump counterpulsation prior to surgery: a long-term follow-up study.
The aim of this study was to evaluate short- and long-term outcome in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), who received an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) prior to surgery. Between January 1990 and June 2004, all patients (n=154) who received an IABP prior to on-pump CABG in our center were included. Patients received the IABP for vital indications (i.e. either unstable angina refractory to medical therapy or cardiogenic shock; group 1: n=99) or for prophylactic reasons (group 2: n=55). ⋯ A decrease in 30-day mortality occurred in group 2 (median predicted mortality was 7.2% and observed was 0%). Cumulative 1-, 5-, and 6-year survival was 82.8+/-3.8%, 70.1+/-4.9%, and 67.3+/-5.1% for group 1 vs. 98.2+/-1.8%, 84.0+/-5.6% and 84.0+/-5.6% for group 2 (Log-rank: P=0.02). Logistic EuroSCORE (HR 1.03 [1.01-1.05], P=0.007) was an independent predictor of long-term all-cause mortality.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Aug 2009
Multicenter Study Clinical TrialThe role of thoracoscopy for the diagnosis of hidden diaphragmatic injuries in penetrating thoracoabdominal trauma.
Patients with a thoracoabdominal stab wound may have hidden diaphragmatic injuries that could finally lead to chronic diaphragmatic hernia. In this study, we analyzed 30 patients with penetrating thoracoabdominal injuries that were stable hemodynamically and did not need emergency exploration. They underwent thoracoscopy in order to find a probable diaphragmatic injury from March 2005 to October 2007. ⋯ We performed thoracoabdominal CT-scan 6 months later and chronic diagrammatic hernias were not reported. Diagnostic accuracy of thoracoscopy was 100%. Owing to the high diagnostic accuracy rate, minimal invasiveness and therapeutic potency of thoracoscopy we recommend it to be performed in all clinically stable patients with penetrating thoracoabdominal penetrating injury especially in the 8th intercostal space.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Aug 2009
Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration of undiagnosed intrathoracic lesions.
Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial fine-needle aspiration (EBUS-FNA) is a minimally invasive method used routinely for mediastinal staging of patients with lung cancer. We have used it in 135 consecutive patients with a radiologically suspicious intrathoracic lesion that remained undiagnosed despite bronchoscopy and CT-guided fine-needle aspiration (CT-FNA). There was no operative mortality or surgical complications. ⋯ However, a final diagnosis was only reached in 45% of the patients and further investigations led to malignancy in 13. We believe that EBUS-FNA represents a good alternative to more invasive diagnostic procedures when conventional methods fail, even though the diagnostic yield is lower compared with mediastinal staging in patients with known lung cancer. In almost half of the cases, EBUS-FNA provides the final diagnosis without exposing the patient to the risk of complications from more invasive procedures.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Aug 2009
ReviewIs ministernotomy superior to conventional approach for aortic valve replacement?
A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was: is ministernotomy superior to conventional approach for aortic valve replacement (AVR)? Altogether, more than 115 papers were found using the reported search, of which six represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. ⋯ We conclude that ministernotomy can be performed safely for AVR, without increased risk of death or other major complication; however, few objective advantages have been shown. Ministernotomy can be offered on the basis of patient choice and cosmesis rather than evident clinical benefit.