Improving patients' readiness for coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Background: Preoperative interventions improve outcomes for patients after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG).

Objective: To reduce mortality for patients undergoing urgent CABG.

Methods: Eight centers implemented preoperative aspirin and statin, preinduction heart rate less than 80/min, hematocrit greater than 30%, blood sugar less than 150 mg/dL (8.

Rationalising the treatment of anaemia in cardiac surgery: short and mid-term results from a local quality improvement initiative.

Background: Transfusion of red blood cells, while often used for treating blood loss or haemodilution, is also associated with higher infection rates and mortality. The authors implemented an initiative to reduce variation in the number of perioperative transfusions associated with cardiac surgery.

Methods: The authors examined patients undergoing non-emergent cardiac surgery at a single centre from the third quarter 2004 to the second quarter 2007.

Patient education for discharge after coronary bypass surgery in the 1990s: are patients adequately prepared?

Short hospitalizations for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) require continuous nursing evaluation of patients' discharge education. Six institutions collaborated in surveying 300 postoperative patients with CABG to identify learning priorities and patients' perceptions of the effectiveness of discharge education. Data analysis from the self-administered questionnaire demonstrated consistent patient priorities across institutions.

Use of the internal mammary artery graft in Northern New England. Northern New England Cardiovascular Disease Study Group.

Background: There is evidence that patients who receive an internal mammary artery graft (IMA) during coronary artery bypass surgery have increased long-term survival. However, an IMA is not used in all patients.

Methods And Results: We studied the use of IMA grafts among 7944 patients undergoing initial, isolated coronary artery bypass surgery in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont from 1992 to 1995.

Pericardial flap prevents sternal wound complications.

By interposing a pedicle of pericardium between the heart and sternum, mediastinitis may be prevented and sternal healing facilitated. Between Jan 1, 1984, and mid-1986, before we began using the pericardial flap, the overall incidence of mediastinitis and/or sternal wound dehiscence was 2.73% (26 of 952 patients).