Interactive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Nov 2009
ReviewDoes intermittent cross-clamp fibrillation provide equivalent myocardial protection compared to cardioplegia in patients undergoing bypass graft revascularisation?
A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was: does intermittent cross-clamp fibrillation provide equivalent myocardial protection compared to cardioplegia in patients undergoing bypass graft revascularisation? Altogether, 58 papers were found using the reported search, of which 13 represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. The authors, journal, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes and results of these papers are tabulated. ⋯ The ischaemic duration associated with intermittent cross-clamp fibrillation is invariably shorter than that associated with cardioplegic arrest, and this may be one explanation for the comparable outcomes. There may also be an element of preconditioning protection during the intermittent cross-clamp fibrillation method, as has been shown experimentally. During elective CABG in patients with no clinical evidence of aortic or cerebro-vascular disease, the incidence of peri-operative microemboli (ME) and postoperative neuropsychological disturbances are shown to be comparable with both techniques of myocardial preservation.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Nov 2009
ReviewIn patients with acute aortic intramural haematoma is open surgical repair superior to conservative management?
A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was: in patients with acute aortic intramural haematoma (IMH) is open surgical repair superior to conservative management. IMH is defined as a clinical condition related to but pathologically distinct from aortic dissection. ⋯ We conclude that surgical treatment of aortic IMH involving the ascending aorta with open distal replacement of ascending aorta results in lower mortality and longer survival compared to conservative management. IMH affecting the descending aorta can be managed with medical or endovascular interventional approach. In this latter group, serial imaging of the aorta is recommended, as aneurysm formation is not uncommon.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Nov 2009
ReviewMinisternotomy approach for surgery of the aortic root and ascending aorta.
Different minimally invasive approaches have been proposed for cardiac surgery. Between those, the ministernotomy finds wide consensus for the treatment of the aortic disease, being both the upper reversed T and the upper J the mostly used type of incisions. The authors review the literature on the use of ministernotomy in the treatment of the ascending aorta and arch pathology. ⋯ Those advantages include: reduced postoperative bleeding and pain, lower risk of mediastinitis, better aesthetic results, and faster respiratory function recovery. This is true not only for first time surgery, but also, and especially, for redo cases, where the limited exposure will reduce risks correlated to the surgical dissection of redo surgery. The ministernotomy approach for aortic root and ascending aorta surgery could in the future be more extensively used, offering greater benefits to cardiac surgical patients.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Nov 2009
Primary sternal plating to prevent sternal wound complications after cardiac surgery: early experience and patterns of failure.
Sternal closure with rigid titanium plates (primary sternal plating) may reduce sternal wound complications in high-risk patients. We began performing primary sternal plating for the following indications: obesity, manual laborer, osteoporotic sternum, or intraoperative transverse sternal fracture. Patients receiving plate closure were compared to a risk-matched control group receiving wire closure. ⋯ No early sternal wound complications occurred in the plate group, compared to 12 (12%) in the wire group (P=0.067). The incidence of late sternal wound complications was 10% in both groups (P=1.0). Primary sternal plating appears to provide benefits over wire closure during the early postoperative period, but may not prevent late wound complications in patients with osteoporosis or extreme obesity.