J Cardiothorac Surg
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J Cardiothorac Surg · Jan 2011
Case ReportsAbdominal only CPR during cardiac arrest for a patient with an LVAD during resternotomy: a case report.
We present a case in which a patient with a previous sternotomy and left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation developed cardiac arrest during resternotomy for LVAD exchange. The surgeon refused chest compressions for fear of potential damage to the inflow cannula directly beneath the sternum. The perioperative team had no alternatives to external cardiac massage other than rapid deployment of extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation for mechanical support, so the anesthesiologist advised the nursing personnel to perform abdominal only cardiopulmonary resuscitation while the surgeon performed a femoral bypass to cannulate the groin for extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation support.
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J Cardiothorac Surg · Jan 2011
Randomized Controlled TrialSafety and effectiveness of two treatment regimes with tranexamic acid to minimize inflammatory response in elective cardiopulmonary bypass patients: a randomized double-blind, dose-dependent, phase IV clinical trial.
In cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) patients, fibrinolysis may enhance postoperative inflammatory response. We aimed to determine whether an additional postoperative dose of antifibrinolytic tranexamic acid (TA) reduced CPB-mediated inflammatory response (IR). ⋯ Prolonged inhibition of fibrinolysis, using an additional postoperative dose of tranexamic acid reduces inflammatory response and postoperative bleeding (but not transfusion requirements) in CPB patients. A question which remains unanswered is whether the dose used was ideal in terms of safety, but not in terms of effectiveness.
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J Cardiothorac Surg · Jan 2011
Comparative StudyThe accuracy of echocardiography versus surgical and pathological classification of patients with ruptured mitral chordae tendineae: a large study in a Chinese cardiovascular center.
The accuracy of echocardiography versus surgical and pathological classification of patients with ruptured mitral chordae tendineae (RMCT) has not yet been investigated with a large study. ⋯ Echocardiography is a reliable method for diagnosing RMCT and is useful for classification. Echocardiography can be used to guide surgical procedures and for preliminary determination of RMCT pathological types.
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J Cardiothorac Surg · Jan 2011
Comparative StudyPredicting outcome of rethoracotomy for suspected pericardial tamponade following cardio-thoracic surgery in the intensive care unit.
Pericardial tamponade after cardiac surgery is difficult to diagnose, thereby rendering timing of rethoracotomy hard. We aimed at identifying factors predicting the outcome of surgery for suspected tamponade after cardio-thoracic surgery, in the intensive care unit (ICU). ⋯ Clots and fluids in the pericardial space causing regional tamponade and responding to surgical evacuation after primary cardio-thoracic surgery, are difficult to diagnose preoperatively, by clinical, haemodynamic and even echocardiographic evaluation in the ICU. Only absence of heparin treatment, a large positive fluid balance and low cardiac index predicted a favourable haemodynamic response to rethoracotomy. These data might help in deciding and timing of reinterventions after primary cardio-thoracic surgery.
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J Cardiothorac Surg · Jan 2011
Logistic Organ Dysfunction Score (LODS): a reliable postoperative risk management score also in cardiac surgical patients?
The original Logistic Organ Dysfunction Sore (LODS) excluded cardiac surgery patients from its target population, and the suitability of this score in cardiac surgery patients has never been tested. We evaluated the accuracy of the LODS and the usefulness of its daily measurement in cardiac surgery patients. The LODS is not a true logistic scoring system, since it does not use β-coefficients. ⋯ Although the LODS has not previously been validated for cardiac surgery patients it showed reasonable accuracy in prediction of ICU mortality in patients after cardiac surgery.