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Background: The postoperative period of heart valve surgery is challenging due to the risk of bleeding, leading to complications and increased morbidity and mortality., Objective: To develop a risk score to predict bleeding in patients after valve surgery., Methods: Retrospective study of patients operated on between 2021 and 2022. Patients with major bleeding were selected based on the BARC and Bojar criteria. A logistic regression analysis was performed for factors related to bleeding and a nomogram of scores was created. For statistical significance, p<0.05 and a 95% confidence interval were considered. The study was approved by the CEP., Results: 525 patients were analyzed, with a mean age of 56 years and a predominance of females. The most common valve disease was mitral insufficiency, 8.8% had increased bleeding and 4.3% had surgical reoperations. The variables with statistical significance were tricuspid insufficiency (OR 3.31, p < 0.001), chronic kidney disease/acute kidney injury (OR 2.97, p = 0.006), preoperative hemoglobin (OR 0.73, p < 0.001), reoperations (OR 2, 5, p = 0.003), cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time (OR 1.12, p < 0.001), 2-valve approach OR of 2.23 (p = 0.013), use of packed red blood cells OR of 2.8 (p = 0.001). In the multiple model, tricuspid insufficiency, CPB time and preoperative hemoglobin reached statistical significance., Conclusion: CPB time, preoperative hemoglobin and tricuspid insufficiency were independently associated with postoperative bleeding. The proposed scale is plausible and can help predict the risk of bleeding.

In coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) the use of the internal thoracic artery (ITA), is a Class I indication for the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. Atherosclerosis is a systemic disease, and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is an important complicator of CABG, present in about one-third of the patients with coronary disease. In Leriche Syndrome, ITA can be the source of collateral circulation for arteries below the level of occlusion. Its inadvertent use can lead to serious ischemic complications in the dependent territories.

Background: Studies have pointed out a higher mortality after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) in patients with stent., Objective: To evaluate inflammatory markers in peripheral blood cells and in coronary artery tissue samples obtained during CABG in patients with stent compared to controls., Methods: The case series consisted of two groups, one with previous stent implantation (n = 41) and one control (n = 26). The expression of the LIGHT, IL-6, ICAM, VCAM, CD40, NFKB, TNF, IFNG genes was analyzed in peripheral blood cells collected preoperatively. The coronary artery was evaluated for: interleukin-6, ICAM, VCAM, CD40, NFKB, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma by immunohistochemistry. A total of 176 tissue samples were grouped for analysis in: A1- arteries with stent (n = 38); A2- native arteries from patients with stent in another artery (n = 68); and A3- arteries without stent from controls undergoing routinely CABG surgery (n = 70). A significance level of 0.05 was adopted., Results: Patients with stent showed higher TNF (p = 0.03) and lower CD40 gene expression (p = 0.01) in peripheral blood cells than controls without stent. In coronary artery samples, the TNF-alpha protein staining was higher in the group A1, not only in the intima-media layer (5.16 ± 5.05 vs 1.90 ± 2.27; p = 0.02), but also in the adipose tissue (6.69 ± 3.87 vs 2.27 ± 4.00; p < 0.001). Furthermore, group A1 had a higher interleukin-6 protein staining in adipose tissue than group A3 (p = 0.04)., Conclusion: We observed a persistently higher systemic TNF expression associated with exacerbated TNF-alpha and interleukin-6 local production in patients with stents. This finding may contribute to a worse clinical outcome.

Introduction: Active infective endocarditis is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Surgery is indicated in high-risk conditions, and the main determinants of mortality in surgical treatment should be evaluated., Objective: To identify mortality predictors in the surgical treatment of active infective endocarditis in a long-term follow-up., Methods: This prospective observational study involved 88 consecutive patients diagnosed with active infective endocarditis, who underwent surgery between January 2005 and December 2015. Fifty-eight (65.9%) patients were male, the mean age was 50.87±16.15 years. A total of 31 (35.2%) patients had a history of rheumatic fever; 48 (54.5%) had had heart surgery with prosthetic valve implantation; 45 (93.8%) had biological prosthetic valve endocarditis and 3 (6.3%) mechanical prosthetic valve; 40 (45.5%) patients had the disease in their native valve. The mean EuroSCORE II was 8.9±6.5%, and the main surgical indication was refractory heart failure in 38 (43.2%) patients. A total of 68 bioprosthesis (36 aortic, 32 mitral) and 29 mechanical prostheses (12 aortic, 17 mitral) were implanted and three mitral valve plasties performed. A total of 25 (28.4%) patients underwent double or triple valve procedures. Aortic annulus reconstruction by abscess was performed in 18 (20.5%) and six (6.81%) patients had combined procedure. The mean surgery time was 359±97.6 minutes., Results: The overall survival in up to a 10-year follow-up period was 79.5%. In the univariate analysis, the main mortality predictors were positive blood cultures (P=0.003), presence of typical microorganisms (P=0.008), most frequently Streptococcus viridans (12 cases; 25%); C-reactive protein (hazard ratio [HR] 1.034, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.000 to 1.070, P=0.04); creatinine clearance (HR 0.977, 95% CI 0.962 to 0.993, P=0.005); length of surgery: every five minutes multiplies the chance of death 1.005-fold (HR 1.005, 95% CI 1.001 to 1.009, P=0.0307); age (HR 1.060, 95% CI 1.026 to 1.096, P=0.001); and EuroSCORE II (HR 1.089, 95% CI 1.030 to 1.151, P=0.003)., Conclusion: A positive blood culture with typical microorganism, C-reactive protein, age, EuroSCORE II, total surgical time and the presence of postoperative complications were the major predictors of mortality and significantly impacted survival in up to a 10-year follow-up period.

Introduction: Replacement of the aortic valve in patients with a small aortic annulus is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. A prosthesis-patient mismatch is one of the main problems associated with failed valves in this patient population., Objective: To evaluate the long-term mortality predictors in patients with a small aortic annulus undergoing aortic valve replacement with a bioprosthesis., Methods: In this retrospective observational study, a total of 101 patients undergoing aortic valve replacement from January 2000 to December 2010 were studied. There were 81 (80.19%) women with a mean age of 52.81±18.4 years. Severe aortic stenosis was the main indication for surgery in 54 (53.4%) patients. Posterior annulus enlargement was performed in 16 (15.8%) patients. Overall, 54 (53.41%) patients underwent concomitant surgery: 28 (27.5%) underwent mitral valve replacement, and 13 (12.7%) underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery., Results: Mean valve index was 0.82±0.08 cm(2)/m(2). Overall, 17 (16.83%) patients had a valve index lower than 0.75 cm(2)/m(2), without statistical significance for mortality (P=0.12). The overall 10-year survival rate was 83.17%. The rate for patients who underwent isolated aortic valve replacement was 91.3% and 73.1% (P=0.02) for patients who underwent concomitant surgery. In the univariate analysis, the main predictors of mortality were preoperative ejection fraction (P=0.02; HR 0.01) and EuroSCORE II results (P=0.00000042; HR 1.13). In the multivariate analysis, the main predictors of mortality were age (P=0.01, HR 1.04) and concomitant surgery (P=0.01, HR 5.04). Those relationships were statistically significant., Conclusion: A valve index of < 0.75 cm(2)/m(2) did not affect 10-year survival. However, concomitant surgery and age significantly affected mortality., Competing Interests: No conflict of interest.

The dehiscence after median transesternal sternotomy used as surgical access for cardiac surgery is one of its complications and it increases the patient's morbidity and mortality. A variety of surgical techniques were recently described resulting to the need of a classification bringing a measure of objectivity to the management of these complex and dangerous wounds. The different related classifications are based in the primary causal infection, but recently the anatomical description of the wound including the deepness and the vertical extension showed to be more useful. We propose a new classification based only on the anatomical changes following sternotomy dehiscence and chronic wound formation separating it in four types according to the deepness and in two sub-groups according to the vertical extension based on the inferior insertion of the pectoralis major muscle.

Introduction: The use of plates and screws for more rigid fixation of the sternum, without maintaining contact between the upper portion of the sternum and mediastinum. The present study seeks new choice of plate with a significant difference, the same does not need to be removed in order to proceed to open when necessary sternal emerging opening of the bone., Objective: The current study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this procedure., Methods: To this end, we selected ten patients with coronary artery disease have shown no significant risk factors for mediastinitis. The surgery was thus performed in the usual way that all patients with coronary artery disease surgeries are done at the institution. Only at the time of sternal closure is that there was a change, with the combination of steel wires and plates., Results: All cases had sternal closure properly with good outcome in the medium term., Conclusion: The use of plates ENGIMPLAN proved safe and effective for sternal closure.

Objective: To describe a new surgical technique for the treatment dehiscence after median thoracotomy transsternal using fasciocutaneous flap composed of the pectoralis major fascia., Methods: Between January 2009 and December 2010, from 1,573 patients submitted to coronary artery bypass graft, 21 developed wound dehiscence after sternotomy and were treated with bilateral pectoralis major muscle fasciocutaneous flap, including partial portion of the rectus abdominis fascia. Patients were followed for a minimum of 90 days postoperatively., Results: All patients had favorable outcome following 90 days, not having any partial or total dehiscence. There were no cases of postoperative infection., Conclusion: The procedure was rapid and effective. Compared with techniques using muscle, myocutaneous or greater omentum flaps, this surgery was less aggressive and maintained the integrity of tissue region. The authors considered that this technique should be used as the first option, leaving the flaps to more complex cases of relapse.

Background: Patients with infective endocarditis show a large diversity of anatomical presentations, which has been a complicating factor for the surgical treatment of this condition, especially in those who develop abscesses in the aortic ring or intracardiac fistulae. For this reason, surgeons have been developing tactical options to repair it. There is consensus around the fact that the removal of infected tissue promotes radical cleaning, and that the outcome of the treatment has been improved by the manufacture of biological glues which facilitate the closure of abscesses and by the creation of new valve replacements., Objective: To demonstrate yet one more treatment option for aortic abscess for selected cases: a valved conduit placed in infra-coronary position., Methods: We employed the technique in three patients: in two of them we employed a valved conduit with a mechanical prosthesis and in one of them a valved conduit with a biological prosthesis. Two patients needed associated procedures such as replacement of mitral valve in one of them and tricuspid valvoplasty in the other. All cases involved reoperation of prostheses in aortic position., Results: The progression during surgery and in the early postoperative period was satisfactory and the three patients were discharged from the Intensive Care Unit and were sent to hospital rooms. One of the patients progressed to death during hospital stay due to severe comorbidities which were present in the preoperative period, and which related to esophageal varices and hepatic involvement. The other two progressed well in the late postoperative period., Conclusion: We believe that this option is yet one more alternative for the treatment of abscesses with great involvement of aortic ring structures and mitro-aortic continuity.

Objective: To compare the arterial response of cases of acute and chronic embolism, seeking to associate ischemic pulmonary remodeling with progression to chronicity., Methods: Retrospective analysis of 61 necropsies of patients who died in the Instituto do Coração (31 cases of pulmonary embolism and 30 cases of acute myocardial infarction). Slides of pulmonary tissue were obtained from all cases and analyzed qualitative and quantitatively (medial thickness measurement)., Results: Qualitative analysis enabled the differentiation between cases of embolism and the control group, thus characterizing the two groups and defining the adequate choice of the control group. The alterations predominated in patients with embolism (alveolar inflammation and edema, infarction, vasoconstriction, concentric intimal proliferation, presence of thrombus). Quantitative analysis demonstrated higher percent medial thickness in the cases of embolism than in the control group; among the cases of embolism, no differences in intra (acute--19.74 and chronic--20.04) and pre-acinar (acute--18.85 and chronic--18.68) arteries were observed., Conclusion: The lack of difference among the groups with embolism and the higher values of percent medial thickness in the peripheral arteries allow the conclusion that the vascular response is more intense and starts in these arteries.

Background: This study is aimed at analyzing risk factors for fetal and maternal mortality in cardiac surgery during pregnancy., Methods: Seventy-four pregnant women underwent cardiac surgery and 58 (78.3%) were followed. The most frequent pathology was valve disease (93.2%). Mitral valve disease was the most prevalent (72.9%), and mitral commissurotomy or replacement was required in 78% of the cases. Most were in functional class III or IV and mean gestational age was 22 weeks., Results: There was functional class improvement after surgery (91% into class I or II), and 70.4% were restored to sinus rhythm. Twenty percent required reoperation. There were five maternal deaths (8.6%) and 11 fetal deaths (18.6%). Several aspects were considered as contributing risk factors for maternal mortality, such as the use of vasoactive drugs and other preoperative medications, age, kind of surgery, reoperation, and functional class. Functional class was the factor that predicted higher risk for maternal death. As to fetal mortality, several factors played a role, such as maternal age more than 35 years, functional class, reoperation, emergency surgery, type of myocardial protection, and anoxic time., Conclusions: Cardiac surgery during pregnancy is associated with acceptable maternal and fetal mortality rates. These rates may be even lower if the factors mentioned above are maintained under control.