Transmyocardial laser revascularization. Personal experience

Background. Indirect revascularization is a therapeutic approach in case of severe angina not suitable for percutaneous or surgical revascularization. Transmyocardial revascularization (TMR) is one of the techniques used for indirect revascularization and it allows to create transmyocardial channels by a laser energy bundle delivered on left ventricular epicardial surface. Benefits of the procedure are related mainly to the angiogenesis caused by inflammation and secondly to the destruction of the nervous fibers of the heart. Patients and method. From September 1996 up to July 1997, 14 patients (9 males – 66.7%, mean age 64.8±7.9 years) underwent TMR. All patients referred angina at rest; Canadian Angina Class was IV in 7 patients (58.3%), III in 5 (41.7%). Before the enrollment, coronarography was routinely performed to find out the feasibility of Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG): 13 patients (91,6%) had coronary arteries lesions not suitable for direct revascularization; this condition was limited only to postero-lateral area in one patient submitted to combined TMR + CABG procedures. Results. Mean discharge time was 3,2±1,3 days after surgery. All patients were discharged in good clinical conditions. Perfusion thallium scintigraphy was performed in 7 patients at a mean follow-up of 4±2 months, showing in all but one an improvement of perfusion defects. Moreover an exercise treadmill improvement was observed in the same patients and all of them are in good clinical conditions, with significantly reduced use of active drugs. Conclusion. Our experience confirms that TMR is a safe and feasible procedure and it offers a therapeutic solution in case of untreatable angina. Moreover, it could be a hybrid approach for patients undergoing CABGs in case of absence of vessels suitable for surgical approach in limited areas of the heart

Extracorporeal life support in mitral papillary muscle rupture: Outcome of multicenter study

Background: Post-acute myocardial infarction papillary muscle rupture (post-AMI PMR) may present variable clinical scenarios and degree of emergency due to result of cardiogenic shock. Veno-arterial extracorporeal life support (V-A ECLS) has been proposed to improve extremely poor pre- or postoperative conditions. Information in this respect is scarce.Methods: From the CAUTION (meChanical complicAtion of acUte myocardial infarcTion: an InternatiOnal multiceNter cohort study) database (16 different Centers, data from 2001 to 2018), we extracted adult patients who were surgically treated for post-AMI PMR and underwent pre- or/and postoperative V-A ECLS support. The end-points of this study were in-hospital survival and ECLS complications.Results: From a total of 214 post-AMI PMR patients submitted to surgery, V-A ECLS was instituted in 23 (11%) patients. The median age was 61.7 years (range 46-81 years). Preoperatively, ECLS was commenced in 10 patients (43.5%), whereas intra/postoperative in the remaining 13. The most common V-A ECLS indication was post-cardiotomy shock, followed by preoperative cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest. The median duration of V-A ECLS was 4 days. V-A ECLS complications occurred in more than half of the patients. Overall, in-hospital mortality was 39.2% (9/23), compared to 22% (42/219) for the non-ECLS group.Conclusions: In post-AMI PMR patients, V-A ECLS was used in almost 10% of the patients either to promote bridge to surgery or as postoperative support. Further investigations are required to better evaluate a potential for increased use and its effects of V-A ECLS in such a context based on the still high perioperative mortality

Surgical timing in infective valvular endocarditis

The prevalence of valvular infective endocarditis (IE) is increasing and is burdened by high mortality and morbidity. Despite the higher risk, the surgical approach is superior to medical therapy alone, and over the years there has been a more aggressive attitude, with earlier indications for surgery. This article aims to review the available literature and the American and European guidelines in order to summarize the most appropriate surgical timing for valvular IE. Although there are discrepancies between the guidelines, an emergent indication (15-20 mm). Patients with signs of heart failure, persistence of positive cultures for more than 48-72 h despite antibiotic therapy, and in the presence of paravalvular lesions, advanced atrioventricular block and vegetations >10 mm should be operated early (within a few days). If any micro-organisms are isolated, including fungi or multi-resistant organisms in native IE or staphylococci or gram-negative pathogens in prosthesis IE, a more watchful approach (within 2 weeks) should be evaluated. In the presence of large cerebral embolic strokes or cerebral hemorrhage, re-evaluation at 2 and 4 weeks, respectively, is more appropriate. A multidisciplinary approach, especially in the most complex cases, seems to improve the outcome.Key words. Heart valve dysfunction; Heart valve repair; Heart valve replacement; Heart valve surgery; Infective endocarditis; Timing of surgery

Giant Aneursym of the Ascending Aorta 37 Years after Aortic Valve Replacement

Giant ascending aorta aneurysms (AAA), which are larger than 10 cm, are rare. We hereby present the case of a giant AAA of about 13 cm, incidentally detected several years after aortic valve replacement and treated according to the Cabrol technique without postoperative complications. [Arch Clin Exp Surg 2013; 2(2.000): 129-131