Journal of cardiac surgery
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Topical cooling for myocardial protection: the results of a prospective randomized study of the "shallow technique".
Respiratory distress following cardiac surgery is a troublesome complication. In several cases it is associated to cool-related phrenic nerve injury (PNI) after adoption of iced slush or hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. We compare two different strategies for myocardial protection: the "shallow technique" (ST) (dripping and prompt removal of cold saline solution from the epicardial surface) plus normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass, versus mild hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass plus iced slush. ⋯ ST likely reduces the incidence of postoperative PNI and might be protective mainly in the event of ITA harvest. It should be considered as a valuable tool for myocardial protection protocols.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Higher levels of serum cytokines and myocardial tissue markers during on-pump versus off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery.
Increased Troponin I levels and pro-inflammatory cytokines have been reported in most patients undergoing cardiac surgery, ascribed to the type and extent of surgery, reperfusion injury, and the method of myocardial protection. We investigated their levels in patients undergoing on-pump (CCAB) or off-pump (OPCAB) coronary artery bypass surgery and whether these correlated with the extent of myocardial injury. One hundred twenty patients were prospectively randomized to undergo OPCAB (n = 60) or CCAB (n = 60). ⋯ Thus, OPCAB surgery is associated with reduced levels of Troponin I and activation of cytokines, compared to those in the CCAB group. High levels of these factors could correlate with myocardial damage during coronary artery bypass surgery. This finding warrants further laboratory and clinical confirmation in the future.