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To determine the efficacy of using the harmonic scalpel and robotic assistance to facilitate thoracoscopic harvest of the internal thoracic artery (ITA).A case series.London Health Sciences Centre, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.Fifteen consecutive patients requiring harvest of the ITA for coronary artery bypass grafting.Robot-assisted, video-enhanced coronary artery bypass (RAVECAB) through limited-access incisions, using the harmonic scalpel and a voice-activated robotic assistant.Ease and duration of the harvesting technique, complications of the procedure, graft flow and patency, and duration of postoperative hospitalization.RAVECAB facilitated thoracoscopic dissection of the ITA with the harmonic scalpel in all cases. There were no conversions to a standard approach and no reoperations for bleeding. The mean (and standard deviation) ITA harvest time was 64.1 (22.9) minutes (range from 40 to 118 minutes). Robotic voice command capture rate was greater than 95%. Mean (and SD) intraoperative graft flows were 33.1 (26.8) mL/min (range from 14 to 126 mL/min). There was 100% graft patency on postoperative angiography. There were no deaths, perioperaive myocardial infarction or arrhythmias. Mean (and SD) postoperative hospitalization was 3.3 (0.8) days.RAVECAB is a demanding procedure that addresses many of the disadvantages of the "conventional" minimally invasive coronary artery bypass. It allows complete pedicle dissection with minimal ITA manipulation and assures sufficient conduit length and a tension-free coronary artery anastomosis. All anastomoses were performed under direct vision through a 5- to 8-cm inferior mammary incision.

An intractable contralateral air leak developed in a 46-year-old woman after right single-lung transplantation for emphysema. A left pneumonectomy was performed on postoperative day 17, leaving the patient with only one transplanted lung. Fifteen months postoperatively the patient is well and has satisfactory pulmonary function. Survival with a good quality of life is possible after single-lung transplantation and bilateral sequential pneumonectomies.

An international series of pulmonary retransplantation was updated to identify the predictors of survival in the intermediate-term after reoperation for obliterative bronchiolitis. The study cohort included 32 patients with end-stage obliterative bronchiolitis who underwent retransplantation in 15 North American and European centers between 1988 and 1992. Five types of retransplantation procedures were done, including repeat ipsilateral single lung transplantation (7 patients), repeat contralateral single lung transplantation (8 patients), repeat double lung transplantation (3 patients), double lung transplantation after a previous single lung transplantation (3 patients), and single lung transplantation after a previous double lung or heart-lung transplantation (11 patients). The mean interval between transplants was 564 +/- 51 days (range 187 to 1589 days). Postoperative follow-up was 100% complete and the average follow-up in surviving patients was 678 +/- 63 days. Actuarial survival was 72%, 53%, 50%, 41%, and 33% at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. Survival did not differ according to the age, preoperative diagnosis, ambulatory or ventilator status, or cytomegalovirus serologic status of the recipient before reoperation. Life-table and Cox proportional hazards analysis identified the type of retransplantation procedure and the year of reoperation as significant (p0.05) predictors of postoperative survival. Actuarial survival was significantly better in patients without an old, retained contralateral graft after retransplantation and in patients who underwent reoperation between 1990 and 1992, as opposed to between 1988 and 1989. Infection was the most common cause of death at all time intervals after retransplantation, although all deaths beyond 2 years resulted from obliterative bronchiolitis of the second graft. Most surviving patients are in a satisfactory clinical condition, with a mean forced expired volume in 1 second of 59% +/- 13% of predicted (repeat double lung transplant recipients) or 41% +/- 6% of predicted (repeat single lung transplant recipients). We conclude that pulmonary retransplantation for obliterative bronchiolitis is associated with significantly worse survival than after primary lung transplantation. The absence of an old contralateral graft after retransplantation and reoperation after 1989 are important predictors of survival. Additional data and follow-up are required to determine the merit of pulmonary retransplantation for obliterative bronchiolitis.

Patients with heart disease are frequently maintained on a regimen of aspirin because of its ability to decrease thrombotic complications and reduce the prevalence of unstable angina and myocardial infarction. Aspirin-induced platelet acetylation also increases bleeding caused by impairment of platelet function during cardiac surgery.Between October 1990 and November 1991 this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel group interventional study examined the efficacy of high-dose aprotinin administration (up to 7 million KIU) to decrease blood loss and transfusion requirements in patients receiving aspirin within 48 hours of undergoing coronary bypass or valvular heart operations. Primary outcome measures in this study were total volume of blood loss (intraoperative blood loss plus postoperative chest tube drainage) and volume of transfusion during hospitalization.Patients treated with aprotinin (n = 29) had significantly lower total blood loss (1409 +/- 232 ml versus 2765 +/- 248 ml; p = 0.0002), intraoperative blood loss (503 +/- 53 ml versus 1055 +/- 199 ml; p = 0.0001), postoperative blood loss (906 +/- 204 ml versus 1710 +/- 202 ml; p = 0.0074), and prevalence of transfusion (59% versus 88% of patients; p = 0.016) than the placebo group (n = 25). The prevalence of complications including myocardial infarction was similar in the two groups.High-dose aprotinin significantly reduces blood loss and red blood cell transfusions in patients receiving aspirin who undergo cardiac operations.

The number of heart transplantations performed over the past 3 years has plateaued. However, the number of pediatric transplantations continues to slowly increase. Unlike adult heart transplantation, for which cardiomyopathy remains the most frequent indication, structural congenital heart disease is the primary indication in children. This report reviews our experience with orthotopic heart transplantation in the presence of structural congenital heart disease with and without prior palliative repair. The diagnoses included transposition of the great arteries, common atrium, left superior vena cava with and without a bridging innominate vein, dextrocardia, and univentricular configurations. The palliative repairs included Blalock-Taussig shunt, bilateral Glenn shunt, Fontan repair, and Mustard and Rastelli procedure. There were no early deaths. Two rejection-related late deaths have occurred at 8 months and at 3 years postoperatively. Extended use of donor tissue and modifications to surgical technique allowed for successful orthotopic heart transplantation in these patients who had structural congenital heart disease with and without prior surgical palliation.

The role of prostaglandin E1 (PgE1) and prostacyclin in enhancing the ischemic tolerance of single-lung grafts was investigated. Fifteen donor dogs underwent pulmonary artery flushing with 60 mL/kg of 4 degrees C modified Euro-Collins solution; 5 dogs each received a 15-minute infusion of PgE1, prostacyclin, or saline solution before flushing. After 12 hours of storage at 4 degrees C, left lung transplantation was performed in 15 recipient dogs. Measurements were performed after 10 minutes of right pulmonary artery snaring before transplantation, after transplantation, and after 2, 4, and 6 hours of reperfusion. At 6 hours, the oxygen tensions (on 100% O2) were 478 +/- 64, 296 +/- 75, 79 +/- 12, and 71 +/- 23 mm Hg in control (nontransplanted), prostacyclin-, PgE1-, and saline-treated dogs, respectively (p less than 0.05, prostacyclin or control versus saline and PgE1 dogs). Mean pulmonary artery pressures increased within each group during reperfusion, but were not significantly different among groups. Similarly, peak inspiratory pressures and wet weight to dry weight ratios were not significantly different among groups after 6 hours of reperfusion. We conclude that donor pretreatment with prostacyclin is associated with superior oxygen transfer in canine lung allografts after 12 hours of cold storage, transplantation, and 6 hours of reperfusion. In this model, donor pretreatment with PgE1 conferred no benefit to prolonged lung allograft preservation.

The results of heart-lung transplantation are improving with increasing experience in postoperative management, but obliterative bronchiolitis may still develop late postoperatively. We have performed 19 heart-lung transplants, with 1-month, 1-year, and 2-year actuarial survival rates of 95% +/- 5%, 84% +/- 8%, and 69% +/- 16%, respectively. Three early recipients died of bronchiolitis, and four patients who were operated on more than 2 years ago are currently being followed up with bronchiolitis. Since August 1988, 13 surviving recipients have undergone serial postoperative bronchoscopies and transbronchial biopsies with topical analgesia. Diffuse bronchomalacia, involving the main bronchi down to the fifth-order bronchi bilaterally, has developed in four patients with bronchiolitis 9 +/- 2 months after the diagnosis of bronchiolitis was confirmed. Pulmonary function tests have revealed a lower ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 second to forced vital capacity, lower specific airway conductance, and higher airway resistance in heart-lung recipients with bronchomalacia than in patients with bronchiolitis alone. We conclude that diffuse bronchomalacia occurs frequently in heart-lung transplant recipients who have obliterative bronchiolitis. Bronchomalacia worsens the functional airflow obstruction caused by bronchiolitis and may play an important role clinically in the declining respiratory status of heart-lung transplant recipients.

We report representative serum enzyme changes after cardiac transplantation in 20 patients receiving post-transplant therapy with cyclosporine. In general, the changes resembled those after acute myocardial infarction or coronary artery bypass surgery, but were more prolonged. Cardiac biopsy or episodes of cardiac rejection did not usually alter serum enzyme activities. Cyclosporine A toxicity appeared to be responsible for increases in serum transaminases (alanine and aspartate) and lactate dehydrogenase-5 activities. Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase activities were intermittently, and inexplicably, increased for months after the transplant.

We have determined the effects of thiopental or isoflurane upon cerebral blood flow (CBF) and the cerebral metabolic rate for oxygen (CMRO2) when these agents are used in sufficient dose to attain a deep burst suppression pattern on the electroencephalogram (EEG) during hypothermic and normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Thirty-one patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery were anesthetized with fentanyl 0.1 mg X kg-1, and were randomly allocated to one of three groups: control (no further anesthetics during bypass and continuous EEG activity), thiopental treatment (EEG suppression), or isoflurane treatment (EEG suppression). Hypothermia (25-29 degrees C) was routinely induced at onset of nonpulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass. In the treatment groups, thiopental or isoflurane were used during bypass to achieve a deep burst suppression pattern. Cerebral blood flow and cerebral metabolic rate for oxygen were determined during hypothermia and upon rewarming to normothermia (37 degrees C). Pharmacologic EEG suppression with either isoflurane or thiopental was associated with lower cerebral metabolic rate than control values during both hypothermic and normothermic bypass. However, only thiopental-induced EEG suppression was associated with lower cerebral blood flow than control. Cerebral blood flow during isoflurane-induced EEG suppression was similar to control values in spite of the reduced cerebral metabolic rate.

The contribution of a liaison psychiatrist to a cardiac transplant programme is described. Ninety one patients were referred to the transplant unit for assessment over four years, and of these, 86 were assessed by the psychiatrist. A high prevalence of preoperative anxiety and depression was found. Thirty four transplants were performed on 33 patients during the study and 22 patients survived. Six patients developed transient delirious episodes during the first 10 postoperative days, three showed symptoms of considerable anxiety, and three developed social and behavioural problems during the convalescent period. Subjects with higher scores on the somatic scale of the general health questionnaire showed increased postoperative mortality. In conclusion, the liaison psychiatrist is useful in evaluating and managing heart transplant patients before and after operation.

A prospective, randomized study of 37 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting was designed to assess the necessity of postoperative iron therapy. No patient showed evidence of iron deficiency anemia.

Reinfusion of blood shed during elective or emergency vascular surgery (autotransfusion) is an under utilized technique. This is due in part to doubts as to the quality of autotransfused blood and concern about the risk of inducing a coagulopathy in the recipient. We have measured coagulation and hematologic parameters in autotransfused blood in the recipient before and at intervals after operation in 62 patients, none of whom received bank blood or blood products at the time of the study. The patients were heparinized (3 mg/Kg) during operation and this was reversed by protamine at the end of the procedure. The salvaged blood was reinfused immediately after appropriate samples had been taken. The mean volume of blood autotransfused was 1.8L in 58 patients and 9.4L in 4 patients. There was excellent preservation of platelets and fibrinogen, normal levels being maintained both in the autotransfused blood and in the recipients. Values for fibrin degradation products and euglobulin clot lysis remained normal. The mean plasma hemoglobin in the autotransfused blood was 416 mg% and this was not correlated to the volume autotransfused. Partial thromboplastin time which was prolonged by heparin during surgery was consistently normal post-operatively. No patient developed complications which could be attributed to autotransfusion and, in particular, re-operation for post-operative bleeding was never required and wound hematoma was not seen. We conclude that autologous blood may be returned to patients in large amounts without significant risk using the technique described. The technique deserves wider application in major surgery.

The results of surgery for occlusive coronary artery disease were studied in 600 consecutive, unselected patients who underwent aortocoronary bypass grafting between Jan. 1, 1977 and Dec. 31, 1982. Forty (7%) of these patients had diabetes mellitus, requiring medication. Sixteen of the 40 patients were insulin-dependent, the remainder required oral hypoglycemic agents. The frequency of previous myocardial infarction, hypertension and peripheral vascular disease in the groups of nondiabetic and diabetic patients was 38% and 62.5%, 12% and 22.5%, and 10.5% and 25% respectively. There was no significant difference in the rate of unstable angina, triple-vessel disease, emergency surgery, left ventricular dysfunction, myocardial infarction perioperatively and hospital morbidity or mortality in the two groups. On coronary angiography, 82% of coronary arteries in diabetic patients were graded as being small or moderate in size (less than 2 mm in diameter); at operation, 62% of these arteries were found to be 2 mm or more in diameter. At a mean follow-up of 3.9 years and 3.7 years in the nondiabetic and diabetic patients respectively (range from 1 to 6 years), no significant difference was noted with regard to relief of symptoms or survival in the two groups. It is concluded that diabetic patients with coronary artery disease can be offered bypass surgery with good short-term and medium-term results.

The authors describe their technique of embolization, using detachable balloons to produce endovascular occlusion in three patients with multiple pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas and in one patient with a large peripheral aneurysm. The results were satisfactory. The clinical presentation and treatment course in each of the four patients are described and the role of this form of therapy is discussed. This method of endovascular occlusion is particularly appropriate for treating pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas and aneurysms because placement of the balloon is precise, permanent and localized and the flow of the balloon in the fistula or aneurysm can be directed.

An unusual penetrating chest injury was caused by a ball-point pen. Because of apparent penetration of the heart, preparations were made for an emergency open-heart procedure before emergency thoracotomy was undertaken, with the pen still in situ. The pen had bruised the epicardium but had not penetrated the pericardial sac. After removal of the pen, the wound was closed and a chest tube left in place. Recovery, apart from minor degrees of basal atelectasis, pleural effusion and wound infection, was uneventful. The outcome was consistent with that associated with current aggressive management of penetrating chest injuries. Management is based on three approaches. The primary one is intercostal thoracostomy tube drainage and fluid and blood replacement. In cases of massive hemorrhage or air leak, thoracotomy is necessary. The third approach is to prevent post-traumatic pulmonary insufficiency by using fine, high-efficiency filters during blood transfusion, avoiding excessive administration of intravenous fluids, performing tracheostomy after prolonged endotracheal intubation, and using a volume respirator with positive end-expiratory pressure. The average mortality for penetrating wounds of the heart is 25%.

Reactive hyperemia responses (RHR) of various magnitudes were obtained after release of a brief occlusion in six of 10 coronary bypass grafts. All of the vein grafts responded to an injection of sodium nitroprusside (50 microgram) directly into the open graft with an increase in blood flow that was always greater than the flow recorded after release of the occlusion. This response indicates that there were no flow-limiting stenoses and that the distal vascular beds were responsive to vasodilator stimuli. RHR's, expressed as percent repayment of calculated flow debt, were correlated significantly (r = 0.96, p less than 0.01) with the magnitude of the decrease in vein graft pressure measured during occlusion of the graft. It is suggested that the decrease in pressure is related to the amount of blood flow from alternate sources to the vascular bed during occlusion of the graft, and that this collateral flow is an important determinant of the magnitude of RHR in bypass grafts.

With careful refinements in the pump oxygenator and a nonblood prime, bloodless open heart surgery may be performed almost routinely. In our series these measures reduced blood trauma, with a remarkable preservation of blood elements, especially platelets, and a corresponding elimination of postoperative bleeding. The mean hematocrit value decreased from 38 to 27% and recovered to 33% in the first 3 hours of postoperative diuresis. Mannitol and furosemide were rarely needed. Of 61 adult patients whp underwent open heart surgery for aortocoronary bypass or valve replacement, the last 43 had a bloodless procedure. Of the 43, 26 (60%) required no bank blood postoperatively (in the operating room or the intensive care unit). In these 26 the operative mortality was 4% (1 patient). Bloodless techniques are invaluable during periods of bank blood shortage. They avoid the dangers of hepatitis and transfusion reaction, and they may minimize the incidence of postperfusion lung syndrome as well as renal complications.

Six left atrial myxomas were detected at one hospital in a 15-month period. These tumours are not as rare as was once thought and they frequently cause systemic problems. The diagnosis may easily be missed, but echocardiography is a simple way of establishing the diagnosis. Excision of the tumour usually results in marked symptomatic improvement.

Clinical assessment of the adequacy of arterial embolectomy and reconstruction is often unsatisfactory and inadequate. Objective information on the state of the distal circulation can be readily obtained at the time of surgery by arteriography. Illustrative cases demonstrating the usefulness of control arteriography obtained during the surgical procedure are presented.

Measurement of 133Xe clearance and effluent cerebral venous blood sampling were used in 38 patients to determine the effects of cardiopulmonary bypass, and of maintaining temperature corrected or noncorrected PaCO2 at 40 mm Hg on regulation of cerebral blood flow (CBF) and flow/metabolism coupling. After induction of anesthesia with diazepam and fentanyl, mean CBF was 25 ml X 100 g-1 X min-1 and cerebral oxygen consumption, 1.67 ml X 100 g-1 X min-1. Cerebral oxygen consumption during nonpulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass at 26 degrees C was reduced to 0.42 ml X 100 g-1 X min-1 in both groups. CBF was reduced to 14-15 ml X 100 g-1 X min-1 in the non-temperature-corrected group (n = 21), was independent of cerebral perfusion pressure over the range of 20-100 mm Hg, but correlated with cerebral oxygen consumption. In the temperature-corrected group (n = 17), CBF varied from 22 to 32 ml X 100 g-1 X min-1, and flow/metabolism coupling was not maintained (i.e., CBF and cerebral oxygen consumption varied independently). However, variation in CBF correlated significantly with cerebral perfusion pressure over the pressure range of 15-95 mm Hg. This study demonstrates a profound reduction in cerebral oxygen consumption during hypothermic nonpulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass. When a non-temperature-corrected PaCO2 of approximately 40 mm Hg was maintained, CBF was lower, and analysis of pooled data suggested that CBF regulation was better preserved, i.e., CBF was independent of pressure changes and dependent upon cerebral oxygen consumption.

Rupture of the left ventricle in the atrioventricular (AV) groove is a rare and usually fatal complication of mitral valve replacement (MVR). The successful repair of a delayed type I left ventricular rupture is described. The technique of repair is described, the literature reviewed, and three further cases from the authors' experience are reported.

Over a 6-year period at the University Hospital in London, Ont., 101 patients underwent heart transplantation and 5 heart-lung transplantation. The authors review the general surgical problems identified from the charts of 13 of these patients. In the early postoperative period (within 30 days), laparotomy was required for pancreatitis (one), perforated peptic ulcer (two), cholecystectomy (one), pancreatic cyst (one) and appendicitis (one). In addition, a spontaneous colocutaneous fistula and spontaneous pneumoperitoneum occurred; both were managed conservatively. Later, three patients required cholecystectomy; one underwent a below-knee and a Symes amputation for dry gangrene and one surgical correction of a lymphocele. The incidence of surgical problems (13%) indicates an increased susceptibility in this group of patients. Four of the 13 patients died. Pancreatitis is a well-recognized complication of cardiac surgery; it is frequently associated with a normal or only slightly elevated serum amylase level, making a definitive diagnosis without laparotomy almost impossible. Persistence of abdominal signs should signal the need for exploratory surgery. During the early postoperative period and in the absence of multiorgan failure, immediate operation for an acute abdomen is usually successful. Despite the additional risk, cardiac transplantation does not preclude later surgery, but immunosuppression must be continued and carefully monitored.

Organ donor scarcity has resulted in an increasing number of long-distance cardiac allograft procurements. The effect on short-term (90-day) survival and cardiac function was assessed in a consecutive series of 167 heart transplants performed between April 1981 and July 1988. During that time, total allograft ischemic time was more than 4 hours in 22% of cases and more than 5 hours in 7%. In 1988, total ischemic times have been more than 4 hours in 38% of cases. Ninety-day graft loss (any cause) was 11% for ischemic times 0-120 minutes, 27% for ischemic times 121-240 minutes, 17% for ischemic times 241-300 minutes, and 0% for ischemic times greater than 300 minutes. In 107 patients who survived 3 months, cardiac function was assessed at 1 week by resting hemodynamics and at 3 months by treadmill testing (Bruce protocol), supine rest and exercise radionuclide angiography, and supine rest and exercise right-heart hemodynamics. Treadmill exercise duration was similar in the four groups of patients. Resting ejection fraction was also not different among the groups. Exercise ejection fraction did not rise in the group with ischemic times greater than 3 hours, but the difference did not achieve statistical significance. Resting right atrial pressure was not different among groups at 1 week and decreased significantly in all groups at 3 months. During supine exercise, right atrial pressure rose markedly in each group but was not different among groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Highly specific nerve staining using thiocholine techniques has been applied to a study of nerve regeneration in titanium rabbit ear chambers. Early and extensive ingrowth of nerves rich in true cholinesterase activity was demonstrated.

Measurement of 133Xe clearance and effluent cerebral venous blood sampling were used in 38 patients to determine the effects of cardiopulmonary bypass, and of maintaining temperature corrected or noncorrected PaCO2 at 40 mm Hg on regulation of cerebral blood flow (CBF) and flow/metabolism coupling. After induction of anesthesia with diazepam and fentanyl, mean CBF was 25 ml X 100 g-1 X min-1 and cerebral oxygen consumption, 1.67 ml X 100 g-1 X min-1. Cerebral oxygen consumption during nonpulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass at 26 degrees C was reduced to 0.42 ml X 100 g-1 X min-1 in both groups. CBF was reduced to 14-15 ml X 100 g-1 X min-1 in the non-temperature-corrected group (n = 21), was independent of cerebral perfusion pressure over the range of 20-100 mm Hg, but correlated with cerebral oxygen consumption. In the temperature-corrected group (n = 17), CBF varied from 22 to 32 ml X 100 g-1 X min-1, and flow/metabolism coupling was not maintained (i.e., CBF and cerebral oxygen consumption varied independently). However, variation in CBF correlated significantly with cerebral perfusion pressure over the pressure range of 15-95 mm Hg. This study demonstrates a profound reduction in cerebral oxygen consumption during hypothermic nonpulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass. When a non-temperature-corrected PaCO2 of approximately 40 mm Hg was maintained, CBF was lower, and analysis of pooled data suggested that CBF regulation was better preserved, i.e., CBF was independent of pressure changes and dependent upon cerebral oxygen consumption.