Texas Heart Institute journal
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Case Reports
Coronary ostial stenosis after aortic valve replacement: successful treatment of 2 patients with drug-eluting stents.
Coronary ostial stenosis is a rare but potentially serious sequela after aortic valve replacement. It occurs in the left main or right coronary artery after 1% to 5% of aortic valve replacement procedures. The clinical symptoms are usually severe and may appear from 1 to 6 months postoperatively. ⋯ Both patients were asymptomatic on 6-to 12-month follow-up. We attribute the coronary ostial stenosis to the selective ostial administration of cardioplegic solution during surgery. We conclude that retrograde administration of cardioplegic solution through the coronary sinus may reduce the incidence of postoperative coronary ostial stenosis, and that stenting may be an efficient treatment option.
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Case Reports
Endocarditis with left ventricular cutaneous fistula after aortic root replacement with a valved conduit.
Infection after aortic root replacement is uncommon, and it can be fatal. Herein, we present the case of a patient who underwent aortic root replacement with a valved conduit and coronary reimplantation. Prosthetic valve endocarditis and left ventricular cutaneous fistula ensued. ⋯ The fistula coursed from the valved conduit through the left ventricular outflow tract, behind the left main coronary artery, and to the skin at the upper sternum. Safe surgical entry into the chest was crucial, due to the free communication between the left ventricle, mediastinum, and skin. We discuss our surgical approach to this unusual combination of conditions, and the postoperative treatment of the patient.
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Case Reports
Pericardial tamponade and right-to-left shunt through patent foramen ovale after epicardial pacing-wire removal.
After cardiac operations, careful management substantially reduces the risks of negative complications during or after the removal of temporary epicardial pacing wires. Herein, we report the case of a 58-year-old man who, 4 days after undergoing aortic root replacement, developed pericardial tamponade after the removal of temporary epicardial pacing wires. Consequent to the tamponade, a right-to-left shunt developed through a previously undiagnosed patent foramen ovale. The patient underwent emergency surgery to repair myocardium that had ruptured due to the removal of the wires, and he recovered uneventfully.
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During carotid endarterectomy, the use of locoregional anesthesia to achieve a combined superficial and deep cervical plexus block can cause cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurologic complications. Seeking to reduce risk and find an easier procedure, we applied locoregional anesthesia and an intermediate cervical plexus block in a series of patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy. From 2006 through 2007, 183 patients underwent primary carotid endarterectomy at our hospital. ⋯ Postoperatively, 2 patients experienced strokes and 1 sustained a myocardial infarction (total rate, 1.6%). We found the intermediate cervical plexus block to be feasible, effective, and safe, with low perioperative and postoperative complication rates. Herein, we report our findings.