Myocardial protection during elective coronary artery bypasses grafting by pretreatment with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Background/aim: Despite recent advances in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), cardioplegic cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) are still associated with myocardial injury. Accordingly, the efforts have been made lately to improve the outcome of CPB by glucose-insulin-potassium, adenosine, Ca(2+)-channel antagonists, L-arginine, N-acetylcysteine, coenzyme Q10, diazoxide, Na+/H+ exchange inhibitors, but with an unequal results. Since omega-3 polyunsatutated fatty acids (PUFAs) have shown remarkable cardioprotection in preclinical researches, the aim of our study was to check their effects in prevention of ischemia reperfusion injury in patients with CPB.

Effect of pretreatment with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUfas) on hematological parameters and platelets aggregation in patients during elective coronary artery bypass grafting.

Background/aim: [corrected] Using omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) could provide protection against ischemic-reperfusion damage, prevention of postoperative arrhyth mia and attenuation of inflammatory response. However, omega-3 PUFAs inhibit cyclooxygenase (and thus decrease the synthesis of thromboxane A2 from arachidonic acid in platelets), which leads to decreased platelet aggregation. In cardiac surgery it is necessary to achieve a balance between inhibition and full platelets function.

[Pheochromocytoma as a challenge for the anesthesiologist].

Introduction: Pheochromocytoma is a tumour of adrenal chromaffin tissue which produces extreme amounts of catecholamines, and leads to significant haemodynamic disturbances. The anaesthesiologist has an important role in diagnostic procedures of pheochromocytoma (physical examination, biochemical analyses, pharmacological tests, tomographic, scintigraphic, and genetic examinations), and is included in the preparation of the patient for surgery, maintenance of anaesthesia during operation, and postoperative intensive care.

Results: We reviewed 268 patients with adrenal tumours, who were operated on in the Military Medicaf Academy in Belgrade over the period 1974-2002.