Interactive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Oct 2012
ReviewIs recombinant activated factor VII effective in the treatment of excessive bleeding after paediatric cardiac surgery?
A best evidence topic in paediatric cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was whether recombinant activated factor VII was effective for the treatment of excessive bleeding after paediatric cardiac surgery. Altogether 150 papers were found using the reported search; 13 papers were identified that provided the best evidence to answer the question. ⋯ However, the rFVIIa was used prophylactically. The other observed that there were no increase in thromboembolic events rather rFVIIa was effective in decreasing excessive bleeding that may complicate cardiac surgery in children. In conclusion, the studies were in support of the notion that the use of rFVIIa was effective in decreasing excessive bleeding which may complicate paediatric cardiac surgery, and care should be exercised when using it in the children on ECMO circuit.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Oct 2012
ReviewIs routine postoperative enteral feeding after oesophagectomy worthwhile?
A best evidence topic in surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was whether, in patients undergoing an oesophagectomy for cancer, immediate postoperative enteral feeding (via percutaneous jejunostomy or nasojejunostomy) provides better patient outcomes as compared to waiting until oral feeding can be instituted. Four randomized controlled trials represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. ⋯ Mortality was higher in the jejunostomy group, although the team did not attribute the deaths to the catheter. They found both methods equally effective in providing postoperative nutrition. In summary, all the trials concluded that routine postoperative enteral nutrition was feasible, but there was no evidence suggesting that it conferred any clinical benefits.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Oct 2012
Case ReportsA staged approach to transcatheter aortic valve implantation and mitral valve-in-valve implantation for a degenerated bioprosthesis in a high-risk patient.
Recently, small case series have described the successful off-label use of transcatheter valve implantation in patients with degenerated bioprosthetic valves in the mitral position. We report here the case of a 78-year old female patient who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation for severe aortic stenosis and transapical valve-in-valve implantation for a degenerated mitral bioprosthesis. ⋯ Following accurate patient selection and evaluation by an experienced multidisciplinary team, the transcatheter approach to double-valve implantation in the aortic and mitral positions may represent a viable treatment option for those high-risk patients who would otherwise be inoperable. We preferred a two-step approach, considering a single procedure to be high-risk.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Oct 2012
Case ReportsDelayed visceral malperfusion after Bentall procedure for type A acute aortic dissection.
Rapid restoration of flow into the true lumen and obliteration of a false lumen is considered the optimal approach to treating malperfusion syndrome due to acute aortic dissection. However, organ malperfusion can occasionally persist after proximal aortic graft replacement despite redirecting blood flow into the true lumen. A 35-year old man underwent the modified Bentall procedure for Stanford type A acute aortic dissection without organ malperfusion. ⋯ We immediately performed a left axillary-to-bilateral femoral artery bypass. The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged on postoperative day 28. Although organ malperfusion persisting after proximal aortic graft replacement despite redirecting blood flow into the true lumen is rare, close observation remains imperative after central repair of type A dissection.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Oct 2012
Efficacy of intraoperative, single-bolus corticosteroid administration to prevent postoperative acute respiratory failure after oesophageal cancer surgery.
Respiratory failure from acute lung injury (ALI), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and pneumonia are the major cause of morbidity and mortality following an oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer. This study was performed to investigate whether an intraoperative corticosteroid can attenuate postoperative respiratory failure. ⋯ Intraoperative corticosteroid administration was associated with a decreased risk of acute respiratory failure following an oesophagectomy. The laboratory data suggest that corticosteroids may attenuate the stress-induced inflammatory responses after surgery.