Intracardiac hematoma treated conservatively by ECMO support.

Clinical pathway of an intracardiac hematoma treated by ECMO support.

Impella 5.0 support before, during, and after surgical ventriculoplasty following acute myocardial infarction in the COVID-19 era: a case report.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) aneurysms complicate anterior myocardial infarctions (MIs) in 8-15% of cases. In case of associated LV dysfunction, rapidly evolving heart failure may follow, and urgent surgery becomes life-saving.

Case Summary: Following an acute anterior MI treated by percutaneous coronary intervention, which resulted in apical hypokinesis, depressed LV function, and moderate mitral regurgitation, a 70-year-old male patient kept in contact with our cardiology department through phone calls.

Esmolol in Cardiac Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To assess whether the administration of the ultra-short-acting β-blocker esmolol in cardiac surgery could have a cardioprotective effect that translates into improved postoperative outcomes.

Design: Single-center, double-blinded, parallel-group randomized controlled trial.

Setting: A tertiary care referral center.

Volatile Anesthetics versus Total Intravenous Anesthesia for Cardiac Surgery.

Background: Volatile (inhaled) anesthetic agents have cardioprotective effects, which might improve clinical outcomes in patients undergoing coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: We conducted a pragmatic, multicenter, single-blind, controlled trial at 36 centers in 13 countries. Patients scheduled to undergo elective CABG were randomly assigned to an intraoperative anesthetic regimen that included a volatile anesthetic (desflurane, isoflurane, or sevoflurane) or to total intravenous anesthesia.

MortalitY in caRdIAc surgery (MYRIAD): A randomizeD controlled trial of volatile anesthetics. Rationale and design.

Objective: There is initial evidence that the use of volatile anesthetics can reduce the postoperative release of cardiac troponin I, the need for inotropic support, and the number of patients requiring prolonged hospitalization following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Nevertheless, small randomized controlled trials have failed to demonstrate a survival advantage. Thus, whether volatile anesthetics improve the postoperative outcome of cardiac surgical patients remains uncertain.

Desmopressin after cardiac surgery in bleeding patients. A multicenter randomized trial.

Background: Previous studies showed that desmopressin decreases post-operative blood loss in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. These studies were small and never studied the effect of desmopressin in patients with active bleeding. Objective of the study was to determine whether desmopressin reduces red blood cells transfusion requirements in patients with active bleeding after cardiac surgery who had been pre-treated with tranexamic acid.

Prevention of atrial fibrillation and inflammatory response after on-pump coronary artery bypass using different statin dosages: a randomized, controlled trial.

Background: This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effects of seven-day preoperative treatment with two different dosages of atorvastatin on the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) and release of inflammatory markers such as high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and interleukin-6 in patients undergoing elective first-time on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: The cohort study comprised 212 consecutive patients, already taking statins, who underwent elective first-time CABG with cardiopulmonary bypass without history of atrial fibrillation (AF). Patients were randomly divided into two groups: those who received atorvastatin 40 mg (TOR40 group, 111 patients) and those who received 80 mg (TOR80 group, 101 patients) once a day for 7 days before the planned operation.

'Early' and 'late' timing for renal replacement therapy in acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery: a prospective, interventional, controlled, single-centre trial.

Objectives: Acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery (CS-AKI) is strongly associated with in-hospital mortality and morbidity. We aimed to investigate whether 'early' or 'late' initiation of renal replacement therapy (RRT) in patients with CS-AKI is associated with a survival benefit or more favourable outcomes.

Methods: All patients who had undergone cardiac surgery at 'Ospedali Riuniti' of Ancona from July 2011 to February 2013 were prospectively enrolled and divided into two treatment groups: the 'early' approach was used during the first 10 months, and the 'late' approach during the next 10 months.

Allogenic blood transfusion in cardiac surgery.

Blood transfusion carries benefits and risks. Adult cardiac surgery accounts for a significant proportion of all red blood cells transfusions. However, the identification of the patient, who will truly benefit from transfusions, is still controversial.

Validation of a decision-making strategy for systolic anterior motion following mitral valve repair.

Low cardiac output syndrome and hypotension are dreadful consequences of systolic anterior motion (SAM) after a mitral valve (MV) repair. The management of SAM in the operating room remains controversial. We validate a recently suggested two-step management method and classification of this complication.

Epidural anesthesia in elderly patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of thoracic epidural anesthesia on postoperative N-terminal pro B-natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) release in elderly patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

Design: A case-matched, nonrandomized study.

Setting: A university hospital, single institution.

Esmolol reduces perioperative ischemia in cardiac surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies.

Objective: beta-Blockers were associated with a reduction of mortality and morbidity in noncardiac surgery until recently when the POISE trial showed that beta-blockers could be harmful in the perioperative period because of hypotension and bradycardia. Esmolol is an ultra-short-acting beta-blocker mostly used in emergency and high-risk patients. The authors performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the clinical effects of esmolol in cardiac surgery.

Management and decision-making strategy for systolic anterior motion after mitral valve repair.

Objective: Systolic anterior motion can complicate mitral valve repair. It can have no clinical consequence or cause low cardiac output syndrome and hypotension. The management of systolic anterior motion in the operating room remains controversial: some groups advocate nonsurgical management, and others propose immediate surgical correction.

Role of cardiac biomarkers (troponin I and CK-MB) as predictors of quality of life and long-term outcome after cardiac surgery.

Perioperative and postoperative morbidity and mortality associated with cardiac surgery affect both the outcome and quality of life. Markers such as troponin effectively predict short-term outcome. In a prospective cohort study in a University Hospital we assessed the role of cardiac biomarkers, also as predictors of long-term outcome and life quality after cardiac surgery with a three-year follow-up after conventional heart surgery.

N-terminal B-natriuretic Peptide after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Objective: To investigate N-terminal amino-acid sequence of the B-natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) release and its prognostic characteristics after coronary artery bypass graft surgery with and without cardiopulmonary bypass.

Design: Observational study.

Setting: Teaching hospital.

Desmopressin reduces transfusion needs after surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Background: Perioperative pathologic microvascular bleeding is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and could be reduced by hemostatic drugs. At the same time, safety concerns regarding existing hemostatic agents include excess mortality. Numerous trials investigating desmopressin have lacked power to detect a beneficial effect on transfusion of blood products.

Tricks and pitfalls regarding the hemodynamics of patients undergoing non-transplantation surgery for heart failure.

This paper aims to address the mechanisms responsible for poor perioperative cardiac performance, analyzing the pathophysiology of heart failure and the main hemodynamic parameters (contractility, preload, afterload, systemic vascular resistance, and pulmonary artery pressure) used in diagnosing patients and assessing their response to therapy. It will also discuss potential therapeutic approaches to cardiac surgery patients. With advances in monitoring and life support, our critically ill patients often become trapped in a sheer, impenetrable net of wires and tubes.

'Four-leaflet clover repair' of severe tricuspid valve regurgitation due to complex lesions.

We report the case of a 52-year-old man who was referred to surgery because of severe mitral and tricuspid regurgitation of Barlow's disease. In particular, the tricuspid valve was a 'four-leaflet valve' due to the presence of a small accessory leaflet between the septal and the posterior leaflets. The valve insufficiency was determined by prolapse of all leaflets (in particular of the anterior and posterior ones) associated with annular dilatation.

Reduction of hemodilution in small adults undergoing open heart surgery: a prospective, randomized trial.

Background: Given that there is an association between the degree of hemodilution during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and postoperative complications, patients-outcome might be improved if the nadir hematocrit concentration is kept within an optimal range. Smaller patients are more likely to have a low hematocrit during CPB: this phenomenon may be related, at least partially, to the extreme hemodilution induced by a large fixed CPB priming volume.

Methods: Forty patients with a body surface area (BSA) < 1.