Texas Heart Institute journal
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Case Reports
Vasoplegic syndrome after off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery: an unusual complication.
We report the case of a 65-year-old man who developed norepinephrine-resistant vasoplegic syndrome after elective off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB). The failure of norepinephrine to improve the patient's hemodynamics prompted us to start treatment with vasopressin; within 30 minutes, the hemodynamics began to improve. ⋯ To our knowledge, ours is the 1st report of vasopressin use for vasodilatory shock after OPCAB in the English-language medical literature. Herein, we discuss the pathophysiology and management of vasoplegic syndrome--which is controversial--with special emphasis on the use of vasopressin in this situation.
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Case Reports
Management of intramural hematoma of the ascending aorta and aortic arch: the risks of limited surgery.
We present the case of a 57-year-old woman who had an intramural hematoma of the ascending aorta and aortic arch. After initial blood pressure control and imaging studies, the patient underwent limited surgical repair that consisted of ascending aortic replacement. ⋯ Current world medical literature regarding thoracic aortic intramural hematoma is presented. This case supports the treatment of intramural hematomas of the ascending aorta and arch by surgical replacement of both segments with a Dacron graft, with the patient under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest.
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Rupture of the pericardium with luxation of the heart after blunt trauma is a fairly rare condition but carries a high mortality rate. In this report, we describe our experience with a case of right luxation of the heart in a young patient with multiple injuries due to an automobile accident. The patient, who was in hemodynamic failure, underwent successful emergency surgical treatment to replace the heart in its anatomic site. We discuss the diagnosis and management of this dangerous event.
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Case Reports
Aortic insufficiency in a patient with Marfan syndrome after aortic root reconstruction with a tailored-sinus graft.
A patient with Marfan syndrome underwent valve-preserving aortic root reconstruction with a Robicsek-Thubrikar graft. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography showed aortic insufficiency after extracorporeal circulation was discontinued. Placing 3 subcommissural annuloplasty sutures corrected the severe aortic insufficiency. Herein, we discuss the mechanism and prevention of aortic regurgitation after aortic root replacement with a new graft that contains pre-designed aortic sinuses.