Effect of iloprost inhalation on postoperative outcome in high-risk cardiac surgical patients: a prospective randomized-controlled multicentre trial (ILOCARD).

Purpose: Perioperative right ventricular (RV) failure due to pressure overload from pulmonary hypertension (PH) worsens postoperative outcomes after cardiac surgery. Inhaled iloprost is a potent pulmonary vasodilator improving RV performance, ameliorating myocardial and pulmonary ischemia-reperfusion injury and attenuating inflammation. We hypothesized that the prophylactic inhalation of iloprost would reduce postoperative ventilation times after cardiac surgery.

S3 guidelines for intensive care in cardiac surgery patients: hemodynamic monitoring and cardiocirculary system.

Hemodynamic monitoring and adequate volume-therapy, as well as the treatment with positive inotropic drugs and vasopressors are the basic principles of the postoperative intensive care treatment of patient after cardiothoracic surgery. The goal of these S3 guidelines is to evaluate the recommendations in regard to evidence based medicine and to define therapy goals for monitoring and therapy. In context with the clinical situation the evaluation of the different hemodynamic parameters allows the development of a therapeutic concept and the definition of goal criteria to evaluate the effect of treatment.

Myocardial perfusion after one year of spinal cord stimulation in patients with refractory angina.

Aim: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is recommended for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and refractory angina. We used positron emission tomography (PET) to investigate the long-term effect of SCS on regional myocardial perfusion in patients suffering from angina pectoris refractory to medical treatment and without option for coronary intervention.

Patients, Methods: We analyzed data of 44 patients with stable CAD (91% three vessel disease).

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging for intensive care infants: safe and effective?

Background: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an important diagnostic tool for congenital heart disease (CHD), as reflected by class 1 recommendations for the use of cardiac MRI by various consensus panels. However, little is known about the safety and clinical utility of cardiac MRI for these critically ill infants with CHD, whose further management cannot be directed by echocardiography. This study aimed to assess the safety, the potential hemodynamic side effects, and the clinical benefits of cardiac MRI for infants with complex CHD during their intensive care unit stay.

Myocardial sympathetic innervation in patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease: follow-up after 1 year with neurostimulation.

Unlabelled: In both diabetic and nondiabetic patients, there is a loose correlation between coronary flow reserve (CFR) and sympathetic innervation in viable myocardial segments. The loose correlation implies that sympathetic innervation may be preserved even with major impairment of myocardial blood supply. In some patients, denervation is due to repetitive episodes of ischemia in areas with severely reduced CFR.