Preoperative atorvastatin reduces bleeding and blood transfusions in patients undergoing elective isolated aortic valve replacement.

Objectives: Minimization of bleeding to reduce the use of blood products is of utmost importance in cardiac surgery. Statins are known for their pleiotropic effects beyond lipid-lowering properties, and the use of atorvastatin preoperatively is associated with reduced risk of bleeding and blood product use after coronary surgery. However, no studies have investigated if this beneficial effect also extends to aortic valve surgery.

Preoperative atorvastatin reduces bleeding and blood products use in patients undergoing on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

Aims: Statins are a widely recognized weapon in the primary and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease for their pleiotropic effects. However, recent reports from the cerebrovascular and pharmacological literature are insinuating concerns about a potential increase in the haemorrhagic risk among statin users.The effect of statins in postoperative bleeding should be carefully investigated in major cardiac surgery that exposes per se to risk of bleeding.

Ventricular perforation by pacemaker lead repaired with two hemostatic devices.

Introduction: Cardiac perforation is a rare, but potentially serious, complication of pacemaker implantation that may develop days or weeks after implantation.

Presentation Of Case: In the current case, 92-year-old man underwent permanent pacemaker implantation, but he presented 3 weeks later with severe symptoms. Computed tomography showed protrusion of the tip of the ventricular electrode through the right ventricle and into the chest wall.

Atorvastatin increases the number of endothelial progenitor cells after cardiac surgery: a randomized control study.

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are a subtype of hematopoietic stem cells, which contribute to the repair of injured endothelium. Treatment with atorvastatin has been shown to increase EPC count in patients with coronary artery disease. Therefore, we investigated whether atorvastatin augments the number of EPCs after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) surgery.