Methemoglobinemia due to nitric oxide therapy in a child after cardiac surgery.

A 5-month-old boy with trisomy 21 had repair of ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, and ligation of a patent ductus arteriosus. Due to severe pulmonary hypertension, NO inhalation was instituted postoperatively. Over the course of next few hours, he developed life-threatening methemoglobinemia.

Predictive value of EuroSCORE and Parsonnet scoring in Saudi population.

Background: There is no previously published report on the applicability of risk stratification systems to adult cardiac patients in Saudi Arabia.

Aim: We have tried to verify the predictive value of Parsonnet and EuroSCORE in Saudi patients.

Methods: Data of 194 consecutive adult patients operated in our unit over the period of last few years, was obtained retrospectively.

Coronary bypass surgery in patients on thyroxin replacement therapy.

The outcome of coronary bypass surgery was analyzed in 25 patients who were on thyroxin replacement therapy for chronic thyroid disorders at the time of operation. It was hypothesized that if such patients were given only their routine dose of thyroxin on the day of surgery, hemodynamic and cardiorespiratory recovery may be poor. All the patients on thyroxin replacement therapy were given their routine dose of thyroxin orally or via a nasogastric tube in the perioperative period.