Search

This article discusses the incidence and mortality rates of malperfusion syndrome in patients with acute Type A aortic dissection after surgical repair. The study, conducted across 18 European centers, included 3,902 patients. It found that 45.62% of patients presented with signs of preoperative malperfusion, with the most common type being cerebral malperfusion. The study also showed that rates of in-hospital mortality increased with the severity of malperfusion. The authors conclude that different levels of the Penn classification can be used as valid predictors of mortality. [Extracted from the article]

This article examines the outcomes of patients with acute type A aortic dissection (ATAD) who underwent surgery after receiving preoperative cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The study analyzed data from the European registry of type A aortic dissection (ERTAAD) and included 2,266 ATAD patients from 19 European centers. The results showed that patients who required CPR before surgery had higher rates of postoperative complications, including stroke, heart failure, and the need for dialysis. They also had a higher 30-day mortality rate. However, when additional risk factors such as low ejection fraction, advanced age, and myocardial ischemia were present, the analysis did not indicate a significant increase in mortality, suggesting that surgery may still be a viable option for these patients. [Extracted from the article]

To facilitate mini-access for cardiac surgery, two different methods of active venous drainage are used: vacuum assisted drainage and centrifugal pump aspiration on the venous line. The aim of this study was to compare the haemolysis produced using these two techniques. From June to December 1999, 50 consecutive patients were operated on using a ministernotomy. All of these patients had valvular surgery for either valve repair or valve replacement (9 MVRepair, 11 MVR, 29 AVR, 1 AVR 1 MVR). They were randomized into two groups: Group A, 25 patients who underwent surgery where vacuum assisted drainage was used, and Group B, 25 patients where kinetic asssisted venous drainage with centrifugal pump venous aspiration was used. Patient characteristics of both groups were similar for age, gender, body weight, body surface area, height, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time, aortic crossclamp time, priming volume, cardioplegia volume, haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit, serum creatinine, bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (sGOT), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (sGPT), aptoglobin, reticulocytes, and platelet count. We checked all these laboratory parameters preoperatively, at the end of CPB, and 2 and 24h after operation. We also checked haemoglobinuria at these same time points. We assessed blood loss at 6, 12, and 24 h after the operation and calculated total postoperative bleeding. There was a tendency towards a greater increase in LDH, sGOT and sGPT in Group A more than in Group B, but these data did not reach statistical significance. Platelet count was always lower in Group A and aptoglobin increased in Group A more than in Group B. More patients in Group A had haemoglobinuria. These findings indicate that haemolysis is increased more in patients treated with vacuum assisted drainage, when compared to the rise in haemolysis in those treated with centrifugal pump venous drainage. Total bleeding is also greater in Group A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a case report on the resuscitation of a patient from severe hypothermia by initiating extracorporeal blood rewarming. Effects of ingesting pharmacological agents; Reduction of carbon dioxide production; Risk of cardiac arrest.

An abstract of the article "Use of 2D longitudinal strain to monitor myocardial recovery during biventricular assistance in patients with fulminant myocarditis," by D. Miani and colleagues is presented.

The article presents an abstract of the study "Redo Cardiac Surgery: Is There an Impact on Heart Transplantation Outcome? A Single Centre Experience," by G. Guzzi and colleagues.