Surgical Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation represents the most common supraventricular arrhythmia above all in patients undergoing cardiac surgery and is associated to an augmented risk of thromboembolic stroke, heart failure, and cardiovascular mortality. That is the reason why cardiac surgeons began to address their attention to how to surgically treat fibrillating patients according to pathophysiological models describing mechanisms of arrhythmia induction and maintenance. A new branch of cardiac surgery was born, leading to a progressive development of adapted surgical ablation techniques, applicable both to lone or concomitant arrhythmia treatment. Historical evolution and current available surgical treatment options are described, beginning from the first pure surgical maze, going through all its modifications in source ablation energies and lesion sets and finishing with current mini-invasive hybrid treatment of lone atrial fibrillation. Indications, patients’ selection, technical options with respective advantages and disadvantages, surgical technique details, complications, and results are fully illustrated. Relationship between pathophysiologic arrhythmia mechanisms and the consequent ablation tailored procedure choice is highlighted, allowing a customized procedural offer to every single patient, resulting in a success rate ranging from 60 to 90%

Recycling thoracic arteries for redo coronary artery bypass grafting: Long-term follow-up

Redo coronary artery bypass graft (redo CABG) procedures are a surgical challenge, especially when one or both internal thoracic arteries (ITAs) have been previously harvested. The lack of available ITA grafts at reoperation might jeopardize the long-term outcomes, because pedicle ITAs have shown longer patency than have other grafts.1,2 Early and midterm results after recycling of ITA grafts in coronary reoperations were demonstrated to be satisfactory.3–5 We report clinical and angiographic long-term follow-up of this procedure

Biomarkers in Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: Ready for Prime Time and Outcome Prediction?

Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) is still one of the most frequently performed surgical procedures all over the world. The results of this procedure have been constantly improved over the years with low perioperative mortality rates, with relatively low complication rates. To further improve these outstanding results, the clinicians focused their attention at biomarkers as outcome predictors. Although biological testing for disease prediction has already been discussed many times, the role of biomarkers in outcome prediction after CABG is still controversial. In this article, we reviewed the current knowledge regarding the role of genetic and dynamic biomarkers and their possible association with the occurrence of adverse clinical outcomes after CABG. We also took into consideration that the molecular pathway activation and the possible imbalance may affect hard outcomes and graft patency. We analyzed biomarkers classified in two different categories depending on their possibility to change over time: genetic markers and dynamic markers. Moreover, we evaluated these markers by dividing them, into sub-categories, such as inflammation, hemostasis, renin-angiotensin, endothelial function, and other pathways. We showed that biomarkers might be associated with unfavorable outcomes after surgery, and in some cases improved outcome prediction. However, the identification of a specific panel of biomarkers or of some algorithms including biomarkers is still in an early developmental phase. Finally, larger studies are needed to analyze broad panel of biomarkers with the specific aim to evaluate the prediction of hard outcomes and graft patency

Non infective severe aortic paravalvular leakage 7 years after surgery: the role of suture technique

We report a case of redo aortic prosthesis replacement for a severe paravalvular leak (PVL) in a man operated with continuous suture technique 7 years earlier. The severe aortic regurgitation was due to the rupture of the suture. In spite of operations to replace malfunctioning heart valves are common procedures and performed all over the world from more than 50 years, there is still an open debate about the most suitable suture technique. In this case report, we'll discuss if the suture technique has a role in preventing or leading complications as severe PVL

Cyclophilin A/EMMPRIN Axis Is Involved in Pro-Fibrotic Processes Associated with Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm of Marfan Syndrome Patients

Background: Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a genetic disease, characterized by thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA), which treatment is to date purely surgical. Understanding of novel molecular targets is mandatory to unveil e ective pharmacological approaches. Cyclophilin A (CyPA) and its receptor EMMPRIN are associated with several cardiovascular diseases, including abdominal aortic aneurysm. Here, we envisioned the contribution of CyPA/EMMPRIN axis in MFS-related TAA. Methods: We obtained thoracic aortic samples from healthy controls (HC) and MFS patients' aortas and then isolated vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from the aortic wall. Results: our findings revealed that MFS aortic tissue samples isolated from the dilated zone of aorta showed higher expression levels of EMMPRIN vs. MFS non-dilated aorta and HC. Interestingly, angiotensin II significantly stimulated CyPA secretion in MFS-derived VSMC (MFS-VSMC). CyPA treatment on MFS-VSMC led to increased levels of EMMPRIN and other MFS-associated pro-fibrotic mediators, such as TGF- 1 and collagen I. These molecules were downregulated by in vitro treatment with CyPA inhibitor MM284. Our results suggest that CyPA/EMMPRIN axis is involved in MFS-related TAA development, since EMMPRIN is upregulated in the dilated zone of MFS patients' TAA and the inhibition of its ligand, CyPA, downregulated EMMPRIN and MFS-related markers in MFS-VSMC. Conclusions: these insights suggest both a novel detrimental role for CyPA/EMMPRIN axis and its inhibition as a potential therapeutic strategy for MFS-related TAA treatment

Technology and technique for left ventricular assist device optimization: A Bi-Tech solution

Background We investigated the synergistic effect of the new cone-bearing design of Jarvik 2000 (Jarvik Heart Inc., NY) together with a minimally-invasive approach to outcomes of LVAD patients. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all patients from 5 institutions involved in the Jarvik 2000 Italian Registry, from October 2008 to October 2016. Patients were divided into three groups according to pump design and implantation technique: pin-bearing design and conventional approach (Group 1); cone-bearing and conventional approach (Group 2); cone-bearing and minimally-invasive implantation (Group 3). Results A total of 150 adult patients with end-stage heart failure were enrolled: 26 subjects in Group 1, 74 in Group 2, and 50 in Group 3. Nineteen patients (73%) in Group 1, 51 (69%) in Group 2, and 36 (72%) in Group 3 were discharged. During follow-up, 22 patients underwent transplantation, while in 3 patients the LVAD was explanted. The overall 1-year survival was 58 +/- 10%, 64 +/- 6%, and 74% +/- 7% in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p = 0.034). The competing-risks-adjusted cumulative incidence rate for adverse events was 42.1 [27-62.7] per 100 patient-years in Group 1, 35.4 [25.3-48.2] in Group 2, and 22.1 [12.4-36.4] in Group 3 (p = 0.046 for Group 1 vs. 3). Conclusions The association of the modern cone-bearing configuration of Jarvik 2000 and minimally invasive surgery improved survival and minimized the risk for cardiovascular events, as a result of combining technology and technique

Double vs single internal thoracic artery harvesting in diabetic patients: role in perioperative infection rate

Background: The aim of this prospective study is to evaluate the role in the onset of surgical site infections of bilateral internal thoracic arteries harvesting in patients with decompensated preoperative glycemia. Methods: 81 consecutive patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus underwent elective CABG harvesting single or double internal thoracic arteries. Single left ITA was harvested in 41 patients (Group 1, 50.6%), BITAs were harvested in 40 (Group 2, 49.4%). The major clinical end points analyzed in this study were infection rate, type of infection, duration of infection, infection relapse rate and total hospital length of stay. Results: Five patients developed sternal SSI in the perioperative period, 2 in group 1 and 3 in group 2 without significant difference. All sternal SSIs were superficial with no sternal dehiscence. The development of infection from the time of surgery took 18.5 ± 2.1 and 7.3 ± 3.0 days for Groups 1 and 2 respectively. The infections were treated with wound irrigation and debridement, and with VAC therapy as well as with antibiotics. The VAC system was removed after a mean of 12.8 ± 5.1 days, when sterilization was achieved. The overall survival estimate at 1 year was 98.7%. Only BMI was a significant predictor of SSI using multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis (Odds Ratio: 1.34; 95%Conficdence Interval: 1.02–1.83; p value: 0.04). In the model, the use of BITA was not an independent predictor of SSI. Conclusion: CABG with bilateral pedicled ITAs grafting could be performed safely even in diabetics with poor preoperative glycaemic control