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The Annals of thoracic surgery 01/2012; 93(1):114-5. · 3.74 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Tricuspid valve injury causing severe tricuspid regurgitation is the most common cardiac complication following blunt chest trauma. We present four cases with different clinical presentations that included pleural effusion, arrhythmias, cyanosis, peripheral edema and dyspnea, with varying onset of symptoms. Echocardiographic evaluation and intraoperative findings in these patients revealed a broad spectrum of injury to the tricuspid valve including papillary muscle and chordal rupture, chordal elongation and leaflet perforation. Because surgical treatment is required in most patients and since the diagnosis is often delayed, we believe that early echocardiographic evaluation is required in all patients with blunt chest trauma, in particular if clinical symptoms of right heart failure are present.
Wiener klinische Wochenschrift 09/2008; 120(15-16):499-503. · 0.81 Impact Factor
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Tamas Szerafin,
Konrad Hoetzenecker,
Stefan Hacker,
Ambrus Horvath,
Andreas Pollreisz,
Péterffy Arpád,
Andreas Mangold,
Tina Wliszczak,
Martin Dworschak, Rainald Seitelberger,
Ernst Wolner,
Hendrik J Ankersmit
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ABSTRACT: The secretion of heat shock protein (HSP) 27, HSP60, HSP70, HSP90alpha, 20S proteasome, and their correlations to proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 is unknown in patients undergoing on-pump versus off-pump coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) operation.
Forty patients were included in this explorative study (on- versus off-pump CABG, each n = 20). Serum samples were obtained before and 30 minutes, 60 minutes, and 24 hours after CABG operation. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique was utilized to determine soluble HSP27, 60, 70, and 90alpha, 20S proteasome, and levels of interleukin-6.
Serum levels of HSP are increased in patients undergoing on-pump CABG operation as compared with off-pump CABG technique. These differences were highly significant for HSP27, 70, and 90alpha at 60 minutes after initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass (all, p < 0.001). Concentrations of soluble 20S proteasome were increased 24 hours after operation in on- and off-pump CABG patients (p < 0.001) and correlated significantly with the serum content of HSP 27, 70, and 90alpha at 60 minutes after initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass (p < 0.001). No correlation was found when comparing interleukin-6 levels with intravascular leakage of HSP and 20S proteasome after CABG operation.
We conclude from our data that the innate immune system is activated owing to spillage of known immune modulatory and apoptosis-associated proteins after CABG operation.
The Annals of thoracic surgery 02/2008; 85(1):80-7. · 3.74 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Surgical methods for treatment of tricuspid valve (TV) endocarditis include complete TV excision, TV replacement, and the use of various reconstructive techniques even in cases of severe TV destruction and incompetence. This study summarizes our experience with TV reconstruction and replacement in patients with severe TV endocarditis.
Between October 1997 and July 2004, TV reconstruction was performed in 18 patients (mean age, 38 +/- 17 years; 7 women, 11 men), and TV replacement in 4 patients (mean age, 48 +/- 22 years; 2 women, 2 men). All patients presented with active endocarditis and severe TV incompetence. Reconstructive techniques included debridement of vegetations, complete resection of infected or destroyed leaflet tissue, leaflet reconstruction with pericardial tissue, sliding plasty of residual valve tissue and bicuspid valve formation with construction of a new commissure, and consecutive ring annuloplasty in all patients.
There were no perioperative deaths. Late mortality was 0% for patients with TV reconstruction and 25% (n = 1) in the TV replacement group. At the latest follow-up (78% complete; mean, 53 +/- 18 months), 11 patients had no recurrent TV incompetence. Three patients presented with TV incompetence grade I or II. Two patients with TV reconstruction had recurrent TV endocarditis between 3 and 18 month postoperatively, including new vegetations in both patients and an additional pleural empyema in one. In all cases, conservative treatment was successful and no reoperation was required.
The results of our study clearly demonstrate that in patients with severe TV endocarditis, complex reconstructive techniques yield excellent midterm results with regard to freedom of recurrence of endocarditis and valvular competence and should be considered as the primary surgical option in these patients. Tricuspid valve replacement should only be performed in cases of severe TV destruction that renders reconstructive techniques impossible.
The Annals of thoracic surgery 01/2008; 84(6):1943-8. · 3.74 Impact Factor
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Jean Ninet,
Xavier Roques, Rainald Seitelberger,
Claude Deville,
Jose Luis Pomar,
Jacques Robin,
Olivier Jegaden,
Francis Wellens,
Ernst Wolner,
Catherine Vedrinne,
Roman Gottardi,
Javier Orrit,
Marc-Alain Billes,
Drew A Hoffmann,
James L Cox,
Gerard L Champsaur
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ABSTRACT: A simplified alternative to the Cox maze procedure to treat atrial fibrillation with epicardial high-intensity focused ultrasound was evaluated clinically, and the initial clinical results were assessed at the 6-month follow-up visit.
From September 2002 through February 2004, 103 patients were prospectively enrolled in a multicenter study. Atrial fibrillation duration ranged from 6 to 240 months (mean, 44 months) and was permanent in 76 (74%) patients, paroxysmal in 22 (21%) patients, and persistent in 5 (5%) patients. All patients had concomitant operations, and ablation was performed epicardially on the beating heart before the concomitant procedure. The device automatically created a circumferential left atrial ablation around the pulmonary veins in an average of 10 minutes, and an additional mitral line was created epicardially in 35 (34%) patients with a handheld device by using the same technology.
No complications or deaths were device or procedure related. There were 4 (3.8%) early deaths and 2 late extracardiac deaths. The 6-month follow-up was complete in all survivors. At the 6-month visit, freedom from atrial fibrillation was 85% in the entire study group (80% in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation, 88% in the 35 patients who had the additional mitral line, and 100% in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation). A pacemaker was implanted in 8 patients. Only the duration and type of atrial fibrillation significantly increased the risk of recurrence.
Epicardial, off-pump, beating-heart ablation with acoustic energy is safe and cures 80% of patients with permanent atrial fibrillation associated with long-standing structural heart disease.
Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 10/2005; 130(3):803-9. · 3.41 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We report the case of a 78-year-old man who presented with an aortic arch aneurysm that involved the origin of the left carotid artery and extended up to the origin of the brachiocephalic trunk. The left vertebral artery originated separately from the arch. The patient was treated by a reversed bifurcated prosthesis from the ascending aorta to the brachiocephalic trunk as well as to the left common carotid artery, and a simultaneous left-sided vertebral-to-carotid artery transposition was also performed. Metachronously, the patient later underwent successful endovascular stent-graft placement into the entire aortic arch.
Journal of Vascular Surgery 09/2005; 42(2):357-60. · 3.21 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: This study describes the technique of triangular plication in patients with mitral valve incompetence that is due to segmental anterior leaflet prolapse. A nonabsorbable suture plicates the prolapsed leaflet area towards the ventricular aspect in a triangular fashion by decreasing the suture width towards the leaflet base. Because no leaflet tissue is resected, this technique allows for the intraoperative correction of an imperfect plication. Triangular plication was successful in all except one patient. In this patient, a failed repair was corrected with mitral valve replacement. Freedom from mitral valve incompetence of more than grade 0-I was 100% at 12 months and 86% at 36 months postoperatively.
The Annals of thoracic surgery 09/2004; 78(2):e36-7. · 3.74 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To evaluate the influence of two different ablation devices (microwave AFx and radiofrequency Medtronic), designed to create linear lesion lines, with respect to efficacy and restoration of sinus rhythm (SR).
Between February 2001 and December 2002, 42 patients with chronic, persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) >6 months were submitted to different combinations of valve surgery (mitral+/-tricuspid, n = 30; mitral and aortic+/-tricuspid reconstruction, n = 6 aortic+/-tricuspid, n = 8) and concomitant Maze procedure. The biatrial Maze followed the concept of the Cox III procedure, using either microwave energy (AFx Lynx) (group I: age 65.8+/-11.9 years, mean duration of AF 61.9+/-28.9 months, n = 23) or radiofrequency (Medtronic Cardioblate) (group II: age 64.1+/-11.1 years, mean duration of AF 53.5+/-49 months, n = 19).
There was one death with group I (4%), due to liver failure. Both groups were comparable with regard to Euro Score, ejection fraction, cross clamp time, cardiopulmonary bypass time, ICU (median 1 day in both groups) and hospital stay, and type of indication. The preoperative diameter of the left atrium was 69.7+/-10.8 and 74.0+/-14.3 mm in groups I and II, respectively (P = 0.359). The Maze procedure resulted in 23+/-2 and 17+/-1 min additional cross clamp time in groups I and II, respectively (P = 0.013). At the 12-month follow up, freedom from AF was 81 and 80% in groups I and II, respectively. Twenty percent in group I and 21% in group II needed a pacemaker (PM), due to sick sinus syndrome (2 versus 2 cases), AV bloc (2 versus 1 case) and preoperative bradycardia (0 versus 1 case), respectively.
The combination of complex valve surgery and Maze procedure was safe and reproducible. Following the Cox Maze III line concept, microwave and radiofrequency ablation gave similar results even in patients with more complex double or triple valve procedures.
European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery 07/2004; 25(6):1011-7. · 2.55 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The outcome of patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) may be affected by the influence of prosthesis-patient mismatch on left ventricular mass regression. However, due to the discrepancies in labeled valve size, size of sizer and actual valve dimension, it is difficult to compare different valve types. In order to perform an objective comparison, this study was designed to compare the hemodynamics of the Edwards Lifescience pericardial (ELP) and the Medtronic Mosaic porcine (MM) bioprosthesis between patients receiving the same valve size and between patients with the same aortic annulus diameter.
This prospective, randomized study was performed on 81 hospital survivors out of 86 patients undergoing AVR with either the ELP (n=39) or the MM (n=42) bioprosthesis. Intra-operative randomization was performed after the surgeon had excised the aortic valve, measured the size of the aortic annulus with three different sizers (ELP, MM and a set of metric sizers), and decided which size he would implant for either of the valve types. All valves were implanted in supra-annular position with the same implantation technique. Echocardiographic follow-up was performed early postoperatively and 6 months thereafter.
In 12 (31%) of the patients receiving the ELP-valve, as compared to 3 (7.1%) of the patients receiving the MM-valve, the labeled valve size was smaller than the aortic annulus diameter (P<0.05). Early postoperatively, mean (17.4+/-3.1 vs 20.3+/-3.6 mmHg) and peak gradients (30.1+/-4.8 vs 37.6+/-9.6 mmHg) for the 21 mm ELP-valve were lower than for the 21 mm MM-valve (P<0.05). All other hemodynamic parameters did not show significant differences at any time point. When the same aortic annulus diameter was taken as a reference, there were no significant hemodynamic differences between either valve type at any time point, regardless of the valve size implanted.
This study demonstrates that the hemodynamic performance of the ELP and the MM bioprosthesis are comparable when the same aortic annulus diameter is taken as a reference. The significant variabilities between different valve types with regard to labeled valve size, valve-sizer size and actual valve size have to be taken into account, when hemodynamic comparisons are performed.
European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery 04/2004; 25(3):358-63. · 2.55 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The surgical management of a 56-year-old patient with a single thoracic stab wound penetrating the left innominate vein and the aortic arch is described. Repair was successfully achieved using extracorporal circulation and circulatory arrest during deep hypothermia. Clinical features and surgical approach are described and discussed in detail.
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery 03/2004; 77(2):703-4. · 3.74 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: In order to achieve an accurate intraoperative ECG detection, a new technique in detecting the trigger-signal was developed. In contrast to the traditional three-lead ECG-configuration, the left leg electrode was connected to a transient epicardial pacemaker electrode on the left-ventricular surface.
The Holmium:YAG-Laser for Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization (TMLR) is R-wave-triggered, providing the release of energy only during the refractory period of the heart cycle. However, an exact ECG-triggering during mobilization of the apex and/or posterior wall is difficult to achieve by using conventional ECG-configuration, therefore increasing the risk for mistriggering and induction of arrhythmias during TMLR.
Two groups of patients, all undergoing stand alone TMLR-procedures via left minithoracotomy, were compared. Ten patients were operated with the conventional ECG configuration (group 1) and ten patients with the modified epicardial ECG configuration (group 2).
In patients of group 1, as a result of a loss of the trigger signal or due to the triggering of artifacts, the incidence of correctly triggered QRS-complexes was 56% of all documented QRS-complexes. In contrast, an excellent triggering was observed in 98% (p < 0.001) in group 2, resulting in a reduction of laser operative time by 35% (p < 0.001) and a decrease in the incidence of intraoperative ventricular fibrillation (0 vs. 3).
In conclusion, this new ECG configuration is a simple but effective method in achieving an excellent ECG signal during all stages of TMLR. As a consequence, a reduction in operative time and incidence of ventricular fibrillation can be achieved.
Journal of Clinical Laser Medicine & Surgery 06/2003; 21(3):145-50.
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ABSTRACT: The natural course of mild acute cardiac allograft rejection (MAR) under cyclosporine-based therapy is generally considered benign, and usually antirejection therapy is not instituted. The present study was undertaken to determine the frequency of and the risk factors for progression of MAR into a clinically significant (moderate or severe) rejection on subsequent endomyocardial biopsy (EMB). Among 167 cardiac recipients, transplanted from 3/1984 to 4/1990, MAR under cyclosporine-based therapy was diagnosed on 220 EMBs. Depending upon the outcome on the subsequent EMB, MAR was categorized as progressive or nonprogressive. This served as the dependent variable for a stepwise logistic regression analysis evaluating 11 covariates as potential risk factors: perioperative antibody prophylaxis (ATG vs. OKT3), maintenance therapy, underlying disease, HLA-mismatches for A- and B+DR-loci, serum creatinine (mg/dl) and cyclosporine HPLC blood level (ng/ml) at diagnosis of MAR and at subsequent biopsy, recipient age, donor age. 40 (18.2%) of 220 MARs became progressive as opposed to 37 (7.3%) of a control cohort of 507 negative EMBs (P<0.0001). Stepwise logistic regression yielded the type of maintenance therapy (P = 0.0019) and serum creatinine level at diagnosis of MAR (P = 0.0615) as independent predictors of progression of MAR. After adjustment for influence of maintenance therapy and serum creatinine none of the cyclosporine variables provided any additional information. MARs without maintenance steroids and low serum creatinine levels had the highest risk (37.2% observed incidence) to develop moderate or severe rejection on subsequent EMB. This analysis supports evidence that diagnosis of MAR on EMB is associated with a considerable high progression rate into clinically significant rejection when compared to negative EMBs. Progression particularly occurs in MAR under steroid-free maintenance therapy and suggests early augmentation of immunosuppression. In terms of progression of MAR serum creatinine values, obviously indicating cyclosporine nephrotoxicity, appear to reflect the extent of cyclosporine-mediated immunosuppressive activity more properly than parameters of its bioavailability by measuring cyclosporine HPLC blood levels.
(C) Williams & Wilkins 1991. All Rights Reserved.
Transplantation 12/1990; 51(1). · 4.00 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Objective: To evaluate the influence of two different ablation devices (microwave AFxw and radiofrequency Medtronicw), designed to create linear lesion lines, with respect to efficacy and restoration of sinus rhythm (SR). Methods: Between February 2001 and December 2002, 42 patients with chronic, persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) . 6 months were submitted to different combinations of valve surgery (mitral ^ tricuspid, n ¼ 30; mitral and aortic ^ tricuspid reconstruction, n ¼ 6; aortic ^ tricuspid, n ¼ 8) and concomitant Maze procedure. The biatrial Maze followed the concept of the Cox III procedure, using either microwave energy (AFx Lynx) (group I: age 65.8 ^ 11.9 years, mean duration of AF 61.9 ^ 28.9 months, n ¼ 23) or radiofrequency (Medtronic Cardioblate) (group II: age 64.1 ^ 11.1 years, mean duration of AF 53.5 ^ 49 months, n ¼ 19). Results: There was one death with group I (4%), due to liver failure. Both groups were comparable with regard to Euro Score, ejection fraction, cross clamp time, cardiopulmonary bypass time, ICU (median 1 day in both groups) and hospital stay, and type of indication. The preoperative diameter of the left atrium was 69.7 ^ 10.8 and 74.0 ^ 14.3 mm in groups I and II, respectively ðP ¼ 0:359Þ: The Maze procedure resulted in 23 ^ 2 and 17 ^ 1 min additional cross clamp time in groups I and II, respectively ðP ¼ 0:013Þ: At the 12-month follow up, freedom from AF was 81 and 80% in groups I and II, respectively. Twenty percent in group I and 21% in group II needed a pacemaker (PM), due to sick sinus syndrome (2 versus 2 cases), AV bloc (2 versus 1 case) and preoperative bradycardia (0 versus 1 case), respectively. Conclusions: The combination of complex valve surgery and Maze procedure was safe and reproducible. Following the Cox Maze III line concept, microwave and radiofrequency ablation gave similar results even in patients with more complex double or triple valve procedures. q 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.
