Asian Cardiovascular and Thoracic Annals

Heart transplantation is not yet socially acceptable in the Middle East, and left ventricular assist facilities are not generally available in this region. Therefore, left ventricular volume reduction surgery was attempted in 41 patients with end-stage heart failure (33 males; median age, 36.3 years) in 4 Middle Eastern tertiary referral centers between February 1996 and January 2001. Heart failure was due to idiopathic cardiomyopathy in 21 patients, ischemia in 11, rheumatic valvular disease in 8, and viral myocarditis in 1. Associated procedures were aortic valve replacement in 5 patients, mitral valve repair in 25, mitral valve replacement in 7, tricuspid valve repair in 6, and coronary bypass grafting in 8. Hospital mortality was 31.7%. Five patients were lost to follow-up. The survival rate of hospital survivors at 18 months was 65.2%. Three of the surviving patients did not benefit from the operation. Although our results were somewhat disappointing, this operation remains an option for surgeons working in developing areas of the world. It is hoped that better patient selection and new techniques of left ventricular volume reduction that avoid resection of viable muscle will further improve the outcome of this operation.

Twenty-one patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting were prospectively evaluated by conventional selective coronary angiography and electron-beam computed tomography. Eighty bypass grafts (60 saphenous vein and 20 left or right internal mammary artery) were evaluated for patency. The sensitivity and specificity of electron-beam computed tomography were 72% and 100%, respectively; positive and negative predictive values were 100% and 92.5%, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity according to coronary region were: left anterior descending artery, 33% and 100%; diagonal artery, 67% and 100%; circumflex artery, 75% and 100%; right coronary artery, 100% and 100%. Electron-beam computed tomography is relatively accurate and a promising tool for noninvasive evaluation of graft patency after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

To avoid the deleterious effects of cardiopulmonary bypass, total arterial revascularization was performed on the beating heart, using an Octopus stabilizer, in this prospective study of 803 patients without selection bias. Single-vessel disease was present in 71 (9%) patients, double-vessel disease in 204 (25%), and triple-vessel disease in 528 (66%). An ejection fraction < 30% was found in 127 (16%) cases. Angiography was carried out before discharge in 204 (25%) patients. Grafts included left and right internal mammary arteries and the radial artery. There were 2,661 grafts placed with a mean of 3.31 grafts per patient (range, 1 to 6). Operative mortality was 0.5%. There was no postoperative stroke and few incidences of renal impairment, even in patients with chronic renal failure. Blood transfusion was not required in 558 (69%) patients. Mean hospital stay was 5.6 days. Overall angiographic patency was 98.6%. Total arterial revascularization on the beating heart was found to be safe, effective, and reproducible in almost all patients, with excellent short-term patency rates and minimal morbidity.

Three cases of sclerosing hemangioma managed differently are described. Thoracic surgeons should raise their awareness of this benign slow-growing tumor in the differential diagnosis of solitary pulmonary nodule. Radiographic evidence of expansion of such a lesion is not conclusive for malignancy, and should not affect its biological behavior. Intraoperative frozen-section histology may prevent unnecessary resection of lung tissue. Extracapsular enucleation is the treatment of choice for sclerosing hemangiomas.

Intermittent antegrade cold blood cardioplegia is the predominant method of myocardial protection, but recent studies suggest that warm or tepid blood cardioplegia may improve the return of myocardial metabolic and contractile function. Data were collected prospectively on 1,533 patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass in a single surgeon's practice. The use of intermittent antegrade cold (4°C) blood cardioplegia in 951 consecutive patients from September 1994 to November 1997 was compared with intermittent antegrade tepid (28°C) blood cardioplegia in 582 consecutive patients from July 1998 to July 2000. The two groups were similar, but the symptom class was more severe and there were more redo and combined procedures and more operations within 7 days of myocardial infarction in the tepid group. Significant clinical benefits identified in the tepid group included reduced usage of intraaortic balloon pumping postoperatively (4.4% versus 2.2%) and reduced incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation (25.7% versus 20.6%). There was no significant difference in mortality, perioperative myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular events, or use of inotropics between the groups. Intermittent tepid blood cardioplegia is clinically appropriate and safe to use in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Coronary artery ectasia, a variant of coronary atherosclerosis, is a relatively rare entity. Review of literature did not reveal an exclusive study on isolated ectasia. We decided to analyse the clinical presentation and angiographic prevalence of this subset. A retrospective study of patients who underwent coronary angiogram in our institute over the past six years was carried out and the epidemiological, clinical and angiographic characteristics of patients with isolated ectasia were analysed. Distribution of ectasia was with a modification of the Markis classification. Among 6938 angiograms analysed, 134 (2%) had isolated ectasia. Of the 118 symptomatic patients, 34 (25%) had a history of or presented with infarction, with correlation between the territory of infarction and the ectatic vessel in 32 patients. Of 62 patients with lipid abnormality, Hypertriglyceridemia in 42 (65%) was the most common. The left anterior descending artery was the most common vessel involved. Diffuse ectasia most commonly involved the right coronary artery. One patient had spontaneous coronary dissection. There is a relatively high prevalence of isolated coronary ectasia with predominant involvement of the right coronary vessel when diffuse and the left anterior descending artery when discrete. This entity is not innocuous and warrants a detailed study on the available management options.

As peroneal artery bypass surgery is technically demanding, a simplified medial approach was used in 23 peroneal artery reconstructions in 21 patients between January 1993 and December 2001. The outcomes were reviewed retrospectively. Peroneal artery reconstruction was undertaken through a medial skin incision using tourniquet occlusion and saphenous vein grafts. Graft patency was confirmed by angiography or duplex color imaging. Peroneal bypass was possible through the medial approach in 20 cases; in 1 limb, the target was occluded. During a mean follow-up of 43.9 months, there were 4 graft occlusions. None of the failures was due to a technical error related to the procedure. All of the other patients had relief of their symptoms, including those who presented with disabling claudication. Technical improvements have made peroneal bypass a reasonable choice in below-knee arterial reconstruction. This technique should not be restricted to limb salvage.

Mitral regurgitation due to bileaflet prolapse and ischemic causes can be difficult to repair. Midterm experience of the Alfieri edge-to-edge repair as an alternative to valve replacement is reported. Twenty-six patients with severe mitral regurgitation underwent the Alfieri repair between January 1998 and December 2000 (group 1); 15 cases were due to bileaflet prolapse and 7 were of ischemic origin. During the same period, valve replacement was performed in 36 patients (group 2), 20 of whom had similar indications. Follow-up was complete to a mean of 15 months (range, 1–28 months). There was no early death in either group. During follow-up, there was no reoperation in group 1, while 2 patients in group 2 required reoperations due to prosthetic valve endocarditis. There were 4 major thromboembolic or bleeding events in group 2, and none in group 1. All patients in group 1 had trivial to mild mitral regurgitation on follow-up echocardiography. The mean mitral valve gradient was significantly higher in group 2 compared to group 1 (7.2 versus 3.2 mm Hg, p = 0.001). The edge-to-edge repair is associated with good early and midterm results. Long-term follow-up is required to evaluate the durability of this technique.

Between 1985 and 2002, 60 patients (58% female) with a mean age of 20.3 ± 12.1 years (range, 2–55 years) were treated for anterior mitral leaflet cleft. There was a primum atrial septal defect in 52 patients (87%) and a secundum type in 8 (13%). Concomitant cardiac defects were patent foramen ovale in 6 patients, cleft tricuspid valve in 3, ventricular septal defect in 2, cor triatriatum in 1, and persistent left superior vena cava in 1. Mean grade (1–4) of mitral insufficiency was 2.28 ± 0.74. Atrial septal defects were closed with a pericardial patch in 45 patients, with a prosthetic patch in 11, and primarily in 4. Mitral leaflet clefts were repaired using interrupted sutures. There was no early or late mortality. Two patients (3%) needed a permanent pacemaker. Postoperatively, severe (≥ grade 3) mitral insufficiency developed in 2 patients; valve replacement was performed in one, cleft recurrence and leakage from the patch were treated in the other. Freedom from reoperation was 92.2% ± 5.6% at 15 years. Surgical intervention can be performed for congenital anterior mitral leaflet cleft and interatrial septal defect with good results in both pediatric and adult age groups.

The utility of transesophageal echocardiography in the evaluation of hypotension in the postoperative period after coronary artery bypass was assessed in 126 patients in the intensive care unit. There were 86 men and 40 women, with a mean age of 58.3 years. The indication for transesophageal echocardiography was hypotension refractory to conventional treatment. Valuable diagnostic information was obtained in 103 patients (82%). Based on the echocardiographic findings, 24 patients (19%) underwent urgent surgical intervention. The mean time required to obtain a diagnosis was 9.6 ± 2.8 min. No significant complications were noted. Our experience suggests that transesophageal echocardiography is highly specific in diagnosing the cause of postoperative hypotension, thus preventing unnecessary surgical intervention and facilitating decision making in cardiac surgical emergencies.

Coronary angiography and Doppler flow measurements are most commonly used to assess the patency of anastomoses in the operating theater. Intravascular ultrasound might be another means of monitoring the surgical procedure during coronary artery bypass. Five sheep underwent off-pump bypass of the left anterior descending coronary artery using the left internal mammary artery. The running suture was evaluated by intraoperative fluoroscopy and a coronary intravascular ultrasound probe inserted into the target artery proximal to the anastomosis. Macroscopic examination of the anastomosis was performed to validate the angiographic and intravascular ultrasound images. The diameter, cross-sectional area, and compliance of each anastomosis were calculated in systole and diastole. All anastomoses were patent without signs of stenosis. In one case, intravascular ultrasound showed an intimal flap, which was confirmed by macroscopic examination. The mean major anastomotic diameter was 4.5 ± 0.5 mm on angiography and 4.0 ± 0.5 mm on intravascular ultrasound. From the ultrasound data, the mean cross-sectional anastomotic area was calculated as 6.21 ± 0.1 mm² in systole and 5.49 ± 0.1 mm² in diastole, and these data were used to calculate the cross-sectional anastomosis compliance. Coronary intravascular ultrasound can visualize intima-to-intima apposition and provide reliable calculations of anastomosis compliance.

Statistical analysis of data collected prospectively from all patients undergoing surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass from September 1994 to November 1998 (group 1) was performed to identify preoperative risk factors for reopening for bleeding. Multiple logistic regression analysis of 19 preoperative variables was carried out with reoperation for bleeding as the endpoint. The protocol for intraoperative use of aprotinin was then changed to include high-risk patients. Data collected from all subsequent patients from May 1999 to March 2002 (group 2) were analyzed. Subgroup analyses on primary isolated coronary artery surgery were also performed. Data were obtained from 1,946 patients aged 22 to 88 years (mean, 62.5 years). Older age, severe left ventricular impairment, redo surgery, and chronic renal failure were the independent predictors of reopening for bleeding in group 1. There were no independent predictors of reopening in group 2. Older age and chronic renal failure were the predictors of reexploration for bleeding in patients undergoing primary isolated coronary artery grafting. Prophylactic measures to prevent excessive bleeding should be used in elderly patients and those with severe left ventricular impairment, redo surgery, and chronic renal failure.

The feasibility of constructing a tissue-engineered heart valve on an acellular porcine aortic valve leaflet was evaluated. A detergent and enzymatic extraction process was developed to remove the cellular components from porcine aortic valves. The acellular valve leaflets were seeded for 7 days in vitro with cells from canine arterial wall and endothelial cells. The constructs were implanted into the lumens of 6 canine abdominal aortas to assess the reconstruction of the valve leaflets. It was found that all cellular components had been removed from the porcine aortic valves. The valve leaflets were completely reconstructed at the end of the 10th week in vivo. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the valve leaflets were partially covered with endothelial cells. It was concluded that porcine aortic valves can be decellularized by the detergent and enzymatic extraction process and it is feasible to construct a tissue-engineered heart valve in vivo on an acellular valve scaffold.

A 73-year-old woman was diagnosed with ventricular free wall rupture following acute myocardial infarction. The lesion was repaired with laser coagulation, fibrinogen-thrombin glue application, and patch reinforcement. Five years after surgery, the patient was in New York Heart Association class I.

A 32-year-old woman presented with shortness of breath and palpitations. Echocardiography and contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed a 4 × 5 cm cyst in the apex of the right ventricle. The cyst was excised on cardiopulmonary bypass. The patient made an uneventful recovery. At the one-year follow-up, she was symptom-free and without recurrence. Different clinical aspects of cardiac hydatid cyst and its surgical management are reviewed.

We report a rare case of a single coronary artery originating from the left sinus of Valsalva with extensive atherosclerosis in a patient presenting with unstable angina. The distal circumflex artery continued the course of the right coronary artery.

A 60-year-old woman presented with a huge goiter extending from the lower jaw to the diaphragm. Right pleurocentesis produced chylous fluid. A cervicothoracic incision was used to totally excise the substernal goiter, with near-total excision of the cervical goiter, and repair of the lymphatic leakage.

Surgical extraction of permanent pacemaker leads is performed when noninvasive extraction is felt to be unsafe or has been unsuccessfully attempted. Surgical extraction in patients with previous cardiac surgery presents a particular challenge as resternotomy is hazardous and the presence of surgical adhesions makes video-assisted approaches difficult. We report 2 cases of successful deployment of a surgical technique using femorofemoral cardiopulmonary bypass and right anterior thoracotomy for removal of pacemaker leads.

A 22-year-old male undergoing aortic valve replacement was found to have the left coronary ostium arising from the noncoronary cusp area in close proximity to the annulus. He could not be weaned off cardiopulmonary bypass after the operation, even after removal of a Teflon pledget thought to obstruct the left coronary ostium. He underwent bypass grafting to the left coronary system and was then easily weaned off cardiopulmonary bypass.

Polytetrafluoroethylene grafts have become the alternative to arteriovenous fistulas for hemodialysis access. The most frequent complication of prosthetic grafts is thrombotic occlusion, caused especially by hypotension after hemodialysis and excessive compression for hemostasis. We describe a technique using the ringed polytetrafluoroethylene graft for constructing an upper arm curved graft to overcome external compression. It yields favorable results.

We describe the use of right pleurotomy combined with right pericardial release during off-pump coronary surgery. The maneuver releases the compression exerted on the right cardiac chambers during cardiac verticalization and improves hemodynamic stability during exposure of the posterior or lateral coronary vessels.

In a redo off-pump coronary artery bypass operation through a repeat median sternotomy, use of the Starfish Heart Positioner in combination with the Harmonic Scalpel may facilitate dissection of adhesions without hemodynamic impairment.

The prevalence of diabetes is increasing, particularly in developing regions of the world. The social and economic consequences of this disease and its complications are enormous. We discuss the scope and implications of the increasing burden of diabetes and describe the rationale and design of a new international study examining blood pressure lowering and glucose control interventions aimed at reducing the risk of vascular complications in people with type 2 diabetes. This study is the first large-scale randomized trial in diabetes to include participants from both lower- and higher-income regions of the world.